The Waldemar Ager Museum will feature one special program each month this year in addition to its regular schedule of three monthly open house days.
The museum is located at 514 W. Madison St., Eau Claire. According to a press release from the Waldemar Ager Association, it will host its regular open house events on the second and fourth Saturdays of each month from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., and on the third Wednesday from 4 to 7 p.m.
The first of the special programs was presented on Jan. 25, when Patsy Vork, a rosemåling instructor, demonstrated the techniques and creative opportunities of this classic Norwegian art form. She also displayed examples of rosemåling applications.
Rosemåling is a traditional decorative folk art that originated in Norway’s rural valleys. It involves painting on wood using stylized flower ornamentation, scrollwork , lining and geometric elements, often in flowing patterns and using predominantly primary and secondary colors.
Rosemåling’s swirling designs can be found to this day in churches, homes and public buildings in Norway.
The second of the special monthly events is scheduled for Wednesday, Feb. 19 from 4 to 7 p.m. It will offer museum visitors an opportunity to learn and play the Nordic version of the strategic board game “Ticket to Ride.”
In this game, two to five players compete to build tracks across a geographic region. There are versions of the game for different eras (for example, the United States in 1910) and regions (Europe, the United States, Africa, etc.). Ager Association member Jon Carlson will teach visitors how to play the Nordic version.
There is no admission charge for open house days and events, but freewill donations will be accepted with gratitude, according to the press release.
Members of the Waldemar Ager Association operate the museum, which aims to preserve the legacy of the Norwegian immigrant who came to Eau Claire in 1892. Ager worked for and later owned a Norwegian-language weekly newspaper here and was active in civic affairs.
He helped to organize the city’s downtown public library and to create Luther Hospital, the predecessor of Mayo Clinic Health System-Eau Claire.