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Nonprofit · EIN 42-6081638

VESTERHEIM NORWEGIAN AMERICAN MUSEUM

Tax-exempt · DECORAH, IA 52101

Financials

$5M$3.8M2023$4.7M$4.3M2024
Revenue Expenses · by fiscal year end
Financials of VESTERHEIM NORWEGIAN AMERICAN MUSEUM by year, from its e-filed returns
Year endedFormRevenueExpensesNet incomeTotal assetsLiabilitiesNet assets
December 31, 2024990$4,678,035$4,344,593$333,442$30,677,256$4,691,684$25,985,572
December 31, 2023990$5,032,867$3,841,101$1,191,766$31,026,303$5,788,112$25,238,191
Financial details: 990 for the year ended December 31, 2024

Revenue

Contributions, gifts and grants
$2,345,098
of which government grants
$45,000
Program service revenue
$977,586
Investment income
$1,102,169
Net rental income
-$17,480
Net gain from sales of assets
$839,873
Net income from fundraising events
$914
Net income from sales of inventory
$266,352
Other revenue
$253,182

Expenses

Grants and similar amounts paid
$0
Compensation of officers, directors and key employees
$256,369
Other salaries and wages
$1,414,676
Salaries, compensation and benefits (total)
$1,951,379
Professional fundraising fees
$0
Legal fees
$500
Accounting fees
$28,397
Occupancy
$153,691
Travel
$160
Depreciation
$647,783
Program services (functional)
$2,427,111
Management and general (functional)
$1,280,757
Fundraising (functional)
$636,725

Balance sheet and other

Total assets, start of year
$31,026,303
Total assets, end of year
$30,677,256
Total liabilities, end of year
$4,691,684
Net assets, end of year
$25,985,572
Land, buildings and equipment
$14,763,322
Publicly traded securities
$12,178,640
Net assets without donor restrictions
$13,626,586
Net assets with donor restrictions
$12,358,986
Gross receipts
$8,104,774
Employees
63
Volunteers
312
Year formed
1965
State of legal domicile
IA

From the e-filed returns the IRS publishes as XML (latest three processing years; amended returns replace the original). PDF copies at the IRS.

Officers, directors and key employees

As listed on the 990 for the year ended December 31, 2024, highest compensation first.

NameTitleHours / weekCompensationOther / benefits
JOHNSON CHRISPRESIDENT
Officer
40$134,763$6,378
DUBE SITHABILECFO/TREASURER
Officer
40$115,000$228
RUDE BRIANCHAIR
Trustee or director, Officer
1$0$0
TRYGSTAD CRAIGVICE CHAIR
Trustee or director, Officer
1$0$0
PLATOU LIZSECRETARY
Trustee or director, Officer
1$0$0
ALSAKER DANTRUSTEE
Trustee or director
1$0$0
BARNETTKATHERINE
Trustee or director
1$0$0
BIRKLAND CAROLTRUSTEE
Trustee or director
1$0$0
BOMAN GREGTRUSTEE
Trustee or director
1$0$0
DAHL JANSENTRUSTEE
Trustee or director
1$0$0
ERDMAN LINDSAYTRUSTEE
Trustee or director
1$0$0
ESPINOSA KARITRUSTEE
Trustee or director
1$0$0
FRETHEIM DANIELTRUSTEE
Trustee or director
1$0$0
HANSON LOUISETRUSTEE
Trustee or director
1$0$0
HOVDEN CHARISTRUSTEE
Trustee or director
1$0$0
12 more people on this return
NameTitleHours / weekCompensation
JOHNSON MARENTRUSTEE
Trustee or director
1$0
KEMP JANETRUSTEE
Trustee or director
1$0
KVENVOLD GAYLETRUSTEE
Trustee or director
1$0
LARSON BRIANTRUSTEE
Trustee or director
1$0
MIES KIRKTRUSTEE
Trustee or director
1$0
MILLER HEATHERTRUSTEE
Trustee or director
1$0
NIELSON MARTHA GESMETRUSTEE
Trustee or director
1$0
NICHOLS BJTRUSTEE
Trustee or director
1$0
NORDAN KENNETHTRUSTEE
Trustee or director
1$0
REITAN RACHELTRUSTEE
Trustee or director
1$0
SCHULTZ RUTHTRUSTEE
Trustee or director
1$0
SORENSON RUTHTRUSTEE
Trustee or director
1$0
990 for the year ended December 31, 2023: 28 people
NameTitleHours / weekCompensationOther / benefits
JOHNSON CHRISPRESIDENT
Officer
40$129,769$6,488
GEBEL LINDA LEFT MID-YEARCFO/TREASURER
Officer
40$53,443$5,917
DUBE SITHABILE STARTED MID-DECCFO/TREASURER
Officer
40$4,423$0
SCHULTZ RUTHCHAIR
Trustee or director, Officer
1$0$0
RUDE BRIANVICE CHAIR
Trustee or director, Officer
1$0$0
PLATOU LIZSECRETARY
Trustee or director, Officer
1$0$0
ALSAKER DANTRUSTEE
Trustee or director
1$0$0
BIRKLAND CAROLTRUSTEE
Trustee or director
1$0$0
BOMAN GREGTRUSTEE
Trustee or director
1$0$0
DAHL JANSENTRUSTEE
Trustee or director
1$0$0
ERDMAN LINDSAYTRUSTEE
Trustee or director
1$0$0
ESPINOSA KARITRUSTEE
Trustee or director
1$0$0
FRETHEIM DANIELTRUSTEE
Trustee or director
1$0$0
HANSON LOUISETRUSTEE
Trustee or director
1$0$0
HOVDEN CHARISTRUSTEE
Trustee or director
1$0$0
JOHNSON MARENTRUSTEE
Trustee or director
1$0$0
KEMP JANETRUSTEE
Trustee or director
1$0$0
KVENVOLD GAYLETRUSTEE
Trustee or director
1$0$0
LARSON BRIANTRUSTEE
Trustee or director
1$0$0
MIES KIRKTRUSTEE
Trustee or director
1$0$0
MILLER HEATHERTRUSTEE
Trustee or director
1$0$0
NIELSON MARTHA GESMETRUSTEE
Trustee or director
1$0$0
NICHOLS BJTRUSTEE
Trustee or director
1$0$0
NORDAN KENNETHTRUSTEE
Trustee or director
1$0$0
REITAN RACHELTRUSTEE
Trustee or director
1$0$0
RUGLAND WALTERTRUSTEE
Trustee or director
1$0$0
SORENSON RUTHTRUSTEE
Trustee or director
1$0$0
TRYGSTAD CRAIGTRUSTEE
Trustee or director
1$0$0

Address and contacts

Address (IRS master file)
PO BOX 379, DECORAH, IA 52101-0379
Principal officer (990 for 2024)
CHRIS JOHNSON, 523 WEST WATER STREET, DECORAH, IA 52101
Signed the 990
CHRIS JOHNSON, PRESIDENT/CEO
Phone
(563) 382-9681
Return prepared by
CLIFTONLARSONALLEN LLP

Mission

BUILDING COMMUNITY AND CREATING EXPERIENCES INSPIRED BY NORWEGIAN-AMERICAN STORIES AND FOLK ART.THE MUSEUM IS A NATIONAL TREASURE THAT EXPLORES THE DIVERSITY OF AMERICAN IMMIGRATION THROUGH THE LENS OF NORWEGIAN-AMERICAN EXPERIENCE, SHOWCASES THE BEST IN HISTORIC AND CONTEMPORARY NORWEGIAN FOLK AND FINE ARTS, AND PRESERVES LIVING TRADITIONS THROUGH CLASSES IN NORWEGIAN CULTURE AND FOLK ART, INCLUDING ROSEMALING (DECORATIVE PAINTING), WOODWORKING, KNIFEMAKING, TRADITIONAL FOOD WAYS, AND TEXTILE ARTS.

990 for the year ended December 31, 2024

Program accomplishments

  • EDUCATION - THE MUSEUM OFFERS EDUCATION CLASSES ON VARIOUS NORWEGIAN FOLK ART TRADITIONS AS WELL AS OFFER EDUCATIONAL GUIDED TOURS OF NORWAY TO THEIR MEMBERS AND THE GENERAL PUBLIC. ONLINE PROGRAMS, INCLUDING CLASSES AND COLLECTION TALKS, BEGAN IN 2020 AS A RESULT OF THE PANDEMIC.
    Expenses $1,173,229 · revenue $644,865
  • COLLECTION CARE- THE MUSEUM HOUSES A COLLECTION OF OVER 33,000 ARTIFACTS, A COMPLEX OF 16 BUILDINGS, AND A FARMSTEAD. MUSEUM STAFF PROVIDE CARE AND UPKEEP AS WELL AS THE AQUISITION OF 606 NEW ARTIFACTS.
    Expenses $847,862
  • MUSEUM STORE - THE MUSEUM HAS VARIOUS NORWEGIAN-RELATED BOOKS, CRAFTS, AND OTHER ITEMS FOR RESALE TO THEIR MEMBERS AND THE GENERAL PUBLIC.
    Expenses $406,020 · revenue $599,073

What it must file and when

IRS records say it files Form 990 or 990-EZ. Based on its last return; a smaller organization may file the 990-N. Its accounting year ends in December, so each return is due on the 15th day of the 5th month after that.

Tax yearYear endedDueIRS public records
2025December 31, 2025May 15, 2026Not on file
2024December 31, 2024May 15, 2025990 on file
2023December 31, 2023May 15, 2024990 on file

IRS record

EIN
42-6081638
Tax-exempt status
501(c)(3): Charitable, religious, educational or scientific organization
Foundation status
Publicly supported organization (170(b)(1)(A)(vi))
Donations deductible (Pub 78)
Public charity, 50% deduction limit
Exempt since
1965
Accounting year ends
December
Files
Form 990 or 990-EZ
Assets (IRS master file)
$30,677,256
Income (IRS master file)
$8,104,774

Filing history

FormYear endedRevenueExpensesAssetsReturn
990December 2024$4,678,035$4,344,593$30,677,256XML
990December 2023$5,032,867$3,841,101$31,026,303XML
990December 2022$5,553,551$3,340,220$26,285,697IRS
990December 2021–––IRS
990December 2020–––IRS
990December 2018–––IRS

990-N: the IRS bulk file holds only the latest e-Postcard per organization; earlier years come from archived copies of that file since 2020 and can have gaps (the IRS e-Postcard search lists every one). 990, 990-EZ, 990-PF, 990-T: every e-filed return in the IRS e-file index since 2019; XML for the latest three processing years, amounts from the IRS Statistics of Income extracts before that. PDF copies and determination letters at the IRS (search EIN 42-6081638).

Questions about VESTERHEIM NORWEGIAN AMERICAN MUSEUM

What is the EIN of VESTERHEIM NORWEGIAN AMERICAN MUSEUM?
The employer identification number (EIN) of VESTERHEIM NORWEGIAN AMERICAN MUSEUM is 42-6081638.
Is VESTERHEIM NORWEGIAN AMERICAN MUSEUM tax-exempt?
Yes. The IRS lists it as tax-exempt under section 501(c)(3) since 1965.
Are donations to VESTERHEIM NORWEGIAN AMERICAN MUSEUM tax-deductible?
Yes. It is listed in IRS Publication 78 (Public charity, 50% deduction limit).
Which annual return does VESTERHEIM NORWEGIAN AMERICAN MUSEUM file?
Form 990 or 990-EZ. Based on its last return; a smaller organization may file the 990-N.
When is the next return of VESTERHEIM NORWEGIAN AMERICAN MUSEUM due?
The return for tax year 2025 (the year ending December 31, 2025) is due May 15, 2026. Form 8868 extends it by six months; the 990-N cannot be extended.
When did VESTERHEIM NORWEGIAN AMERICAN MUSEUM last file with the IRS?
The latest return in the IRS public files is the 990 for the year ended December 2024.
Who is the principal officer of VESTERHEIM NORWEGIAN AMERICAN MUSEUM?
The 990 for the year ended December 31, 2024 names CHRIS JOHNSON.
Who are the officers and directors of VESTERHEIM NORWEGIAN AMERICAN MUSEUM?
The 990 for the year ended December 31, 2024 lists 27 people; 2 received compensation from the organization, the highest $134,763 (JOHNSON CHRIS, PRESIDENT).
How much revenue does VESTERHEIM NORWEGIAN AMERICAN MUSEUM have?
On its 990 for the year ended December 31, 2024 it reported revenue of $4,678,035, expenses of $4,344,593 and total assets of $30,677,256 at year end.

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