Crown Prince Haakon Opens Norway House’s new Saga Center in the Haugo Bibliotek

Crossings 200 Bicentennial Celebration in Minnesota

Photo: Dusan Reljin / The Royal Court

The Norwegian American

His Royal Highness Crown Prince Haakon of Norway opened the new interactive Saga Center in the Haugo Bibliotek in Norway House on Tuesday morning, October 7, 2025. The visit was part of Crossings, the international celebration marking the bicentennial of the first organized emigration from Norway to North America.

Norway House is a vibrant hub where arts, business, and cultures converge. Norway House features a year-round art gallery, cafe, gift shop, event rental spaces, and a breadth of Nordic-inspired programming. It is also home to the annual Gingerbread Wonderland exhibit — a direct tie to contemporary traditions in Norway — where the community partakes in building a city of gingerbread in a captivating, community-led seasonal showcase.

The Crown Prince began his visit on the plaza where he was welcomed by the public and attendees of the ribbon cutting of Saga Center and Innovation Norway’s business conference. Following his arrival, he started the day opening the business forum hosted by Innovation Norway — Norway’s national development bank and leading organization for fostering entrepreneurship and innovation at home and abroad.

Joining the Crown Prince were Ambassador Anniken Huitfeldt, Minister of Trade and Industry Minister Cecile Myrseth, and members of the royal delegation. After welcome remarks from Norway House President and CEO Christina Carleton, the Crown Prince spoke about the long and enduring ties between Norway and the United States, and how those bonds continue to thrive through collaboration in business, culture, and innovation.

Following his remarks, Minneapolis Mayor, Jacob Frey and Minister Myrseth highlighted the importance of partnership between Minnesota and Norway — and the mutual benefits for both communities. The Innovation Norway forum focused on medtech and defense, two industries that have direct ties between Minnesota and Norway. Two memoranda of understanding (MOUs) were signed in honor of this connection: one between Norwegian defense company STORM Adapt and American company, GM Defense, and another between Norwegian healthcare company Dossier Solutions and American healthcare company, Mayo Clinic.

After the MOU signings in the Sundet Aula, the Crown Prince, accompanied by Christina Carleton and Mayor Frey, greeted guests and supporters of the Saga Center’s development in the atrium before descending the stairwell into the Saga Center within the Haugo Bibliotek.

“We are honored H.R.H. Crown Prince Haakon joined us to open the Saga Center,” said Christina Carleton, president and CEO of Norway House. “It’s so important for Norwegian-Americans to remember who we are and where we came from, and this new feature will provide a space for our collective stories to be shared.”

The Saga Center is a hands-on, technology-driven exhibit that explores connections to Norway through the history of immigration and family research, and contemporary connections. The center invites visitors of all ages to explore connections to Norway through interactive exhibits, including:

Trunk Tales: Follow the incredible story of the Haugo family immigrant trunk and research journey in an audio-visual adventure through time.

Family History: Become a family history detective! Use the touchscreen and interactive research tools to solve three family history mysteries.

Explore Norway: Navigate 3D outdoor and urban Norwegian landscapes using motion-sensor technology while discovering frilutsliv (outdoor life) and byliv (city life).

Connect to Norway: Surrounded by a stunning fjordscape, discover how you connect to Norway through culture, art, and more.

Troll Tunnel: Travelers beware! Legend has it that a mischievous troll dwells within the Saga Center tunnel!

The Saga Center is one part of the newly opened Haugo Bibliotek, which also features a special collection of bygdebøker — regional Norwegian farm and local history books that document families, buildings, important happenings — sometimes with photographs — in their specific communities. These invaluable volumes remain a vital resource for anyone tracing their family roots in Norway.

Crown Prince Haakon greeted John Haugo, lead donor to the Haugo Bibliotek, at the entrance to the Haugo Bibliotek. Also in attendance were members of the royal delegation, the press, VIP donors to the Saga Center and Bygdelag Special Collections, the Haugo Bibliotek committee, and Norway House staff.

After remarks from Mayor Frey on the contributions of Norwegian immigrants to Minneapolis and Minnesota, John Haugo reflected on the importance of discovering one’s own family history and how stories from the past inspire curiosity and connection with contemporary Norway. Standing beside his family’s historic trunk, Haugo and Mayor Frey held the ribbon as Crown Prince Haakon cut it to officially open the Saga Center and Bygdelag Special Collections in the Haugo Bibliotek.

Following a moment of celebration, Christina Carleton guided the Crown Prince through the Saga Center’s various stations, where select donors and committee members demonstrated the exhibits and shared their roles in bringing the project to life. This included demonstrations by President of the Norwegian-American Bygdelagnes Fellesraad (the national council of Norwegian-American heritage organizations, preserving regional identities and cultural connections between Norway and the United States), Elaine Hasleton and Vice President, Marilyn Sorenson, as well as Saga Center and Bygdelag Special Collections Committee project lead, Race Fisher.

Upon completing the tour, Crown Prince Haakon returned upstairs, departing for the Minnesota State Capitol to continue his official visit. On Thursday, October 9, the Crown Prince will conclude his visit with the celebration of the arrival of Restauration, a replica of the original ship that departed 200 years ago, in New York City in celebration of Norwegian emigration to North America.