Hundreds of thousands of Norwegians emigrated to the United States between 1825 and 1910, with many settling in southern Wisconsin.
Twenty miles southeast of Madison in Stoughton, the two-year-old Norwegian Heritage Center, known as Livsreise — Norwegian for “life’s journey” — recounts the immigrants’ experiences.
“We are telling the story of Norwegian immigrants from the slant of the people who came through this area,” said center manager Marg Listug.
There are traditional artifacts, but the technology is the star. Turn the pages of digital storybooks to see photos and stories of families from Stoughton and learn about Norwegian culture and heritage at five interactive kiosks.
At Map Your Journey, you choose a vocation, pack your trunk and buy a ticket from transportation options on an interactive table. Then a large multiunit map on the wall traces your journey from Norway on Google Maps.