This week, I take you to Grand Opening weekend for the brand-new Nordic Museum in Seattle (Ballard), chatting with three of the key folks–Marianne Forsblad, along with the museum’s Jan Colbrese and Eric Nelson.
Might as well toss in this article about the museum from AAA
It’s me. I was the one. Point all the fingers my direction. I’m the one to blame.
I don’t remember the exact moment, but I’m very sure at some point I committed the regrettable. Just like in a slasher movie when of the characters says, “Let’s hide in here. The guy with the hockey mask and chainsaw will never find us!”, I know that at some point in my existence I must have said the words out loud: “How could May possibly get any busier?”
After all, there’s Mother’s Day and Memorial Day Weekend. Cinco de Mayo usually tempts us to do something. Oh and there’s my wife’s birthday, my sister-in-law’s birthday, my father-in-law’s birthday and my granddaughter’s birthday.
Tuesday night, I was privileged to enjoy a Norwegian Dinner called Torske Klubben, an all-guys gathering up at the Everett Lodge with a 40-year tradition.
There’s the big 17th of May celebration coming up later this month in Ballard for Norwegian Constitution Day, which means a luncheon and doing the play-by-play of the big parade. Plus, we make an event out of it and stay two nights at the Hotel Ballard so we can wallow in it.
I’d probably observe May 18th, the anniversary of the eruption of Mount Saint Helens back in 1980 since I was up to my arse in ash for a week, but I just plain don’t have time.
So how could I possible wedge in one more thing? Well, it’s actually several more things, all surrounding the grand opening of the brand-new Nordic Museum in Ballard.
On top of the social events (we’ve been invited to multiple “sneak peeks”–I’ve actually been there three times in the past week), I’ve been asked by the museum to grab video of as much as I can for historical purposes. So, when I’m not there schmoozing, I’ll have the camera rolling.
For the outsiders wondering why it’s such a big deal, let me give you some background. This has been a 10-year quest, appropriating the site, battling factions who wanted it in another location, those crazy Seattle real estate prices, construction costs, fund-raising, you name it. How everyone involved in making this happen doesn’t have completely white hair is nothing short of a miracle.
But for all the struggles, all the doubters, all the critics, this new museum is happening. Even while under construction, the New York Times listed it as one of the 52 places in the world to visit this year. The crowned Princes of Denmark is going to be here. The president and first lady of Iceland will be here. Night after night, there are special sneak previews (we’re going tonight), but the big ribbon-cutting and grand opening is scheduled for this Saturday at high noon. It will be a small gathering of me, my wife and 2500 other near and dear friends. I understand admission to the museum that day is sold out, but you might be able to get in on Sunday. Visit their website for details.
So a couple of days into the month, I’m hanging on. It’s all fun, it’s all part of the busy adventure I call life. And I suppose the good news here is that there’s absolutely no way now that May could get any busier.
Oh, crap.
Tim Hunter
Something huge is coming to the Pacific Northwest and you may not have even known about it.
Due to the fact I was swallowed up in the Nordic community as a result of my marriage to a girl from Ballard, I know that there’s a lot of excitement about the first weekend in May. Yes, this year, Cinco de Mayo falls on a Saturday. And, if I may digress just a bit further, did you know that whatever day St. Patrick’s Day falls on is the same day as Cinco de Mayo? And in 2018, BOTH are on Saturdays!
OK, now back to the subject at hand–that first weekend in May, Seattle is going to be celebrating the opening of the brand-new Nordic Museum right there on Market Street in Ballard. Let me try to help you realize just how big of a deal this is:
The new Nordic Museum is going to have a larger performance hall with better acoustics, more room for exhibits that they couldn’t bring in to the previous location at that abandoned Seattle elementary school. (which is being refurbished and put back to work as a school in the near future)
Sadly, one of the things not making the move is the “Dream of America” Exhibit. As I understand it, the exhibit was given on loan to the museum by Denmark and apparently, it is going to head back there now. A lot of the things that “Dream” demonstrated will now be done electronically, as the move is made into a high-tech environment. I was fortunate enough to video-tape the final docent tour of the Dream of America and by watching the video below, you’ll be able to enjoy the full experience of what that exhibit offered, thanks to the expert commentary by one of the long-time supporters of the museum, Mari-Ann Kind Jackson.
I’m a big fan of everyone living their dream. The new Nordic Museum has been a long-time dream for so many Seattle people who have dedicated hundreds of hours to making it happen.
And in just a couple of months that dream becomes reality. The celebration is set for that first weekend in May. Hope to see you there.
Tim Hunter
Tim Hunter's Wacky Blog 