Hjemkomst Center facts for kids
Entrance
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| Established | 1985 |
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| Location | 202 1st Avenue North, Moorhead, Minnesota, United States |
| Type | Ethnographic museum |
| Collections | Hjemkomst Viking Ship, Hopperstad Stave Church replica, museum exhibits, county archives |
The Hjemkomst Center in Moorhead, Minnesota, is a cool place with lots to see! It opened in 1985. This center is home to the amazing Hjemkomst Viking Ship. It also has a copy of a Hopperstad Stave Church from Norway. You can explore different museum exhibits that change often. Plus, it keeps important old records for Clay County.
In 2009, two groups joined together to run the center. These were the Clay County Historical Society and the Heritage Hjemkomst Interpretive Center. Now they are called the Historical and Cultural Society of Clay County.
Contents
The Hjemkomst Viking Ship
The Hjemkomst is a copy of a real Viking ship. Its name means "Homecoming" in Norwegian. This ship is a full-size copy of the Gokstad Viking ship. The original Gokstad ship was found in Norway in 1880. You can see the Hjemkomst ship right in the middle of the museum.
The idea for building Hjemkomst came from Robert Asp (1923–1980). He was a school counselor in Moorhead. Building the ship started in 1974 in a warehouse in Hawley, Minnesota. This warehouse became known as the Hawley Shipyard.
That same year, Robert Asp found out he had leukemia. But he kept working on the ship. Many volunteers helped him build it. In July 1980, the shipyard was taken down. This was so the finished ship could be moved.
The Hjemkomst was then taken to Duluth, Minnesota, on August 5, 1980. Robert Asp was the captain for the ship's first trip. This trip was on Lake Superior. He passed away four months later, on December 27, 1980.
In May 1982, Robert Asp's children and eight crew members decided to sail the ship to Norway. This was Robert's original dream. The ship left Duluth on May 11, 1982. It arrived in New York City on June 8. Then it reached Bergen, Norway, on July 19. Finally, it arrived in Oslo on August 9. The ship stayed in Oslo for a year. After that, it was brought back to Minnesota.
Museum Exhibits and Programs
The Hjemkomst Center has many different exhibits. These exhibits tell stories about local history. You can learn about the first people who lived in the Red River Valley. You can also learn about the European settlers who came later. These displays show how the area changed over time. They cover social life, money, and culture.
The exhibits often include old items, photos, and documents. These things help you imagine what life was like long ago.
Besides the exhibits, the center also has fun programs. They offer workshops and special events. These activities help people learn more about the region's history. They help everyone understand the past and how it shaped the area.
Hopperstad Stave Church Replica
On the grounds of the Hjemkomst Center, you'll find a copy of a Norwegian stave church. This is called the Hopperstad Stave Church Replica. Guy Paulson built this church in 1998. It was made using cedar, redwood, and pine wood.
It is a full-size copy of a real 12th-century church. That church is the Hopperstad Stave Church in Vik, Norway. This replica church helps us remember the Scandinavian heritage. Many people from Scandinavia settled in the Red River Valley.
Hopperstad Stave Church Replica Gallery
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The Hopperstad Stave Church Replica is a copy of a Norwegian stave church.
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The Hopperstad Stave Church Replica is located at the Hjemkomst Center in Moorhead, Minnesota.
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The interior of the Hopperstad Stave Church Replica.
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Wood carving.
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Wood carving.
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Wood carving.
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Building roofline.
