Eric Nelson joined the National Nordic Museum in Seattle as Executive Director/CEO in January 2008. Since the successful $53 million campaign led by Nelson to construct the award-winning building that now houses the Museum’s collection of more than 80,000 objects, the Museum has earned both national and international recognition. Under Nelson’s leadership, in 2019 the Museum earned national designation by an Act of Congress becoming the National Nordic Museum. In addition to collecting objects of cultural and historical significance and presenting internationally important exhibitions, the National Nordic Museum serves as a convener on critical issues including innovation in the Nordic region and United States, economic development, environmental policy, cultural identity, and societal issues.
On July 18, 2023, Eric was made Knight, First Class of the Royal Norwegian Order of Merit conferred by His Majesty King Harald V of Norway for his longstanding work advancing Norwegian-American relations. This award marks the third time that Nelson has received a knighthood from a Nordic Head of State. Nelson was previously named Knight of the Order of the White Rose of Finland by the President Sauli Niinistö of Finland and was awarded Knight First Class of the Royal Order of the Polar Star by His Majesty King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden. He has been honored with the rarely awarded Hazelius Medal in Gold by Sweden’s Nordiska Museet, the only non-Swedish citizen to receive the recognition and was inducted into the Scandinavian-American Hall of Fame. In addition, Nelson was awarded Swedish American of the Year/Årets Svensk Amerikan by the Vasa Order of America in Sweden in recognition of his work establishing the Museum as the only museum in the United States – and indeed the world – that showcases the impact and influence of Nordic values and innovation in contemporary society.
A dedicated museum professional with 35 years in the field, Eric started his career as Curator of Exhibits and Collections and then Executive Director of the Sonoma County Museum in Santa Rosa, California. From 1999 to 2007, he served as Executive Director of the Napa Valley Museum, prior to his current role at the National Nordic Museum. Nelson is a graduate of the prestigious Getty Museum Leadership Institute and holds a Master of Arts in History from California State University. He has served as a guest lecturer at the University of Washington, California State University, and San Francisco State University. He is currently a member of the Finnish Expatriate Parliament and served as the Chair of the California Historic State Capitol Commission and the King County Heritage Advisory Council. He also served on the Boards of the Swedish Council of America, the Icelandic American Chamber of Commerce, and Danish Cultural Frontrunners. In 2019 he delivered the keynote address at both the Mid-Atlantic Museum Association’s Building Museums Symposium, and at the Danish Art Foundation’s 2019 Manifesta.
