The Danish American Archive and Library, located on the Dana College campus, has been moved to a document storage facility in Blair. Nearly a hundred volunteers accomplished this task between Friday morning, July 9th and Sunday afternoon, July 11th! First Lutheran Church in Blair is providing temporary office space for DAAL so that archival activities can continue during the transition period. Arrangements are being made to relocate the archive to a suitable space in Blair. The intent is that this will be concluded by the end of July.

The Danish Immigrant Museum is assisting the Danish American Archive and Library and Dana College in two ways. Following action by the Board of Regents, the museum has taken temporary custody of historical artifacts that belonged to the college until such time as final ownership is resolved. Among these is the entire Lauritz Melchior Collection (the world famous heroic tenor), numerous paintings, and other artifacts that were displayed in the college’s Heritage Room and around the campus.

The museum is also receiving tax-deductable donations to assist the Danish American Archive and Library during the interim period until it can organize as a separate, not-for-profit corporation with 501.c3 status. This is necessary, since the archive lost its entire endowment of almost $300,000 and its operating funds. Gifts will be used to pay storage costs, rent and utilities in the new location and the wages of one part-time employee. Checks may be made out to The Danish Immigrant Museum, with “archive preservation” or “DAAL support” on the memo line. The museum will deduct 10% to cover expenses of processing, tracking and receipting gifts.

This emergency presents The Danish Immigrant Museum with two challenges. Storage space at the museum is at capacity even without taking on this responsibility, requiring the museum to expand into existing gallery space. While donor numbers have increased, gift amounts are less due to the economic environment. Even as we invite you to support the Danish American Archive and Library, we ask you to remember The Danish Immigrant Museum.
 

Updated information can be found at the Dana College website, www.dana.edu.

Regional media coverage can be found at www.ketv.com and other major news outlets. 

What are the weird, wonderful, and sometimes wacky items in the museum’s collections?  And why does the museum have such a huge variety of artifacts?  Come explore those questions in the new major exhibition, Sampling the Collection, A to Å.  

Coming to the USA in October 2010 the NDPT will be met by a huge interest from the many Danish-American clubs and societies.

Upcoming performance dates and locations near you will be posted soon.

Dozens of examples of her work will be exhibited at the museum through July 11, 2010.  Her art covers a wide range of subjects and techniques, from paintings of Denmark to wood cuts and fish prints on paper.  The exhibition represents a retrospective of many influences and experiences in Matthies’ life, including extensive travel, a passion for the natural world, and collaborations with writers and other artists.

Matthies has been a lifelong artist and teacher with an artistic career spanning five decades and a teaching career of 30 years.  She states, “I not only enjoy doing my own art, but get an incredible ‘natural high’ from viewing other people’s work, witnessing works in progress, and by being a part of the whole creative world of music, theatre, dance, literature, poetry, sculpture and photography.”  She has taught over 8,000 students ranging in age from five to eighty-five and believes that art is all encompassing. 

Museum visitors can meet the artist in person on Saturday, May 29, when she offers a public gallery talk in conjunction with Elk Horn’s Tivoli Fest activities.  Matthies will also lead a hands-on workshop on Sunday afternoon, May 30.  Please contact the The Danish Immigrant Museum for more information about these unique opportunities. 

Created by Peter Wendelboe of Aalborg, Denmark. For a new program, open each day. View past programs by clicking on the red hearts. 

In Danish and with English translation.