2021-03-17 17:54:10
Home to the largest population of Norwegians and Swedes outside of Scandinavia (not to mention an NFL team named the Vikings), Minnesota’s strong Nordic roots are evident and celebrated year-round. NORDIC HERITAGE, CULTURE & DESIGN Several museums across Minnesota celebrate Nordic roots and culture. Visit the American Swedish Institute (ASI) in Minneapolis where you can tour the historic Turnblad Mansion featuring sculpted ceilings, intricately carved wood, beautiful Swedish wool rugs and exquisite porcelain kakelugnar. ASI’s contemporary Nelson Cultural Center showcases modern Nordic design. Just a few blocks away, Norway House is dedicated to advancing connections between Norway and the U.S. through education, arts and business. Visit the art gallery to view rotating exhibits that explore Nordic themes and connections to the local community, then discuss what you saw over a hot cup of coffee at the in-house Kaffebar. See Minnesota’s oldest Lutheran church, a log home, barn, parsonage and cottage at the Gammelgården Museum in Scandia, an 11-acre site with historic buildings built by Swedish immigrants in the 1850s. The Hjemkomst Center in Moorhead brings Nordic heritage to life with its Viking ship, stave church, special exhibits and large seasonal festivals. At the North House Folk School in Grand Marais, along the scenic North Shore of Lake Superior, visitors can take courses year-round in traditional Nordic crafts such as timber framing, basketry and boat building, and in creating Nordic culinary classics like rosettes, krumkake, pickled beets, rusks, hard tack, speculos, glogg and kringle. And every May, visitors can find festivals that celebrate Syttende Mai (Norway’s Constitution Day) in cities with a strong Norwegian heritage, including Thief River Falls, Milan and Alexandria. SHOP LIKE A MINIMALIST Discover fine Nordic gifts, food, needlework and clothing at Ingebretsen’s, a South Minneapolis market that opened in 1921. Register in advance to take classes in traditional Nordic crafts, or make lefse (soft Norwegian flatbread), kransekake (a spectacular cake) or troll masks. Venture south to Rochester’s The Nordic Shop, the premier source for Nordic dinnerware, collectibles and clothing, including the largest selection of Dale of Norway and Oleana of Norway sweaters in the United States. On Main Street in Stillwater, shoppers will find modern Swedish gifts and home decor at Scandinavian North. And in St. Paul and Mall of America, Fjällräven stores stock Swedish outdoor clothing and gear. Finally, in the historic Mississippi River town of Red Wing, Uffda Shop carries unique Nordic gifts for all occasions, including fine porcelain, books, kitchenware, jewelry and clothing. TASTES OF THE NORTH A recent surge of “New Nordic” cuisine has swept Minnesota’s restaurant scene. Housed inside the American Swedish Institute in Minneapolis, FIKA Cafe whips up traditional gravlax, Swedish meatballs, cardamom buns and more for its seasonally inspired menu. Nearby, in the North Loop neighborhood, the Hewing Hotel’s ultra-stylish Tullibee restaurant serves Nordic-inspired fine dining. In Duluth, Vikre Distillery makes and serves two styles of the original Nordic spirit, aquavit: a traditional version infused with caraway and cardamom, and a modern take with malted barley called “whiskey for Vikings.” For those looking for traditional tastes of Scandinavia, Minnesota also provides a veritable smorgasbord of lutefisk (whitefish, usually cod) and Swedish meatball dinners throughout the state, typically served in small-town church basements during the fall and holiday season. MORE MINNESOTA HERITAGE Immerse yourself in Minnesota’s past and present. ExploreMinnesota.com/Heritage MORE #ONLYINMN Minimalist design, cozy sweaters, cured meats and hygge: Embrace and celebrate the Nordic lifestyle in Minnesota.
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