Families coming to Decorah for Luther College Family Weekend will have an additional activity option Saturday, Sept. 19, 2026, when Vesterheim plans to offer free admission to eligible Luther College students, faculty and staff, as well as Vesterheim members.
The museum campus is scheduled to be open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Visitors can choose between guided tours and independent exploration, making it possible to fit a museum visit around other Family Weekend plans.
Two tours are planned
Vesterheim has scheduled two guided tours during the day. The first begins at 11 a.m. and focuses on the Museum Building. A second tour starts at 1:30 p.m. and highlights Heritage Park.
- 11 a.m.: Museum Building tour
- 1:30 p.m.: Heritage Park tour
Because the tours are offered at different times, visitors may be able to attend one or both, depending on their schedules. Guests who prefer to move at their own pace can instead take a self-guided visit during the museum’s regular Saturday hours.
What visitors can see
Independent visitors can explore Vesterheim’s collection, heritage spaces and Vesterheim Commons. Families might begin with the Museum Building tour in the morning, visit Heritage Park in the afternoon, explore independently between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., or combine several of those options.
The free-admission offer is limited to the groups identified in Vesterheim’s event information: Luther College students, faculty and staff, and Vesterheim members. It does not automatically cover every relative or guest accompanying someone who qualifies.
Vesterheim’s event information does not list a separate admission price for visitors outside those eligible groups, and it does not explain whether additional family or group members qualify for a discount. Families traveling with guests who are not eligible Luther College students, faculty and staff or Vesterheim members should contact Vesterheim before traveling to Decorah to confirm current admission information and ask whether other arrangements are available.
A connection dating to 1877
The event information says Vesterheim’s relationship with Luther College dates to 1877, when the collection began at the college. For eligible visitors attending Family Weekend, the Sept. 19 schedule connects that longstanding relationship with a day of guided tours and self-guided museum exploration.
Vesterheim published its plans Aug. 23, 2026, and updated them Aug. 24, 2026. Visitors should confirm admission details and tour availability with the museum before making plans, especially when their group includes guests outside the eligible categories.