This September, the National Nordic Museum holds its first Nordic Genealogy Conference. Professional genealogists and subject matter experts from North America and the Nordic countries will share insights about family history research, genealogy, and tracing heritage origins through a wide range of resources including folk literature, immigration records, and genetic testing.
Speakers will include Craig Gowens, a specialist in genetic testing and heritage research; Genealogist and Research Specialist Dr. Fritz Juengling of the Family History Library in Salt Lake City, Professor Gísli Sigurðsson of The Árni Magnússon Institute for Icelandic Studies, and Professor Jason Lavery of Oklahoma State University. Additional speakers will be announced later this summer.
Following the successful virtual Nordic Innovation Summit in May, the Conference will be available worldwide with live keynote sessions and online classes beginning September 26.
The Museum decided to create a Nordic Genealogy Conference following the immense popularity of the Museum’s monthly Genealogy Program. Since the launch of the Genealogy Program in 2018, 150 visitors of all ages and backgrounds have participated in the monthly consultations with genealogist Kathi McGinnes. These monthly research sessions attract a diverse audience of return and first-time visitors to the Museum.
Conference attendees will receive ample resources to connect with their family history and continue their research long-term. Along with multiple sessions featuring Nordic history and culture, the Conference also will offer programming that represents blended heritage and transnational identities. Among the topics being developed are:
- Introduction to Genetic Genealogy
- Developing a DNA Testing Plan
- Oral History for Genealogy: Going Beyond Names and Dates
- Scandinavian Feast Dates and Calendars
- Learning to Extract Information from Scandinavian Documents
- Tracing your Scandinavian Families in Canada
- ArkivDigital and Swedish Records
- Swedish Genealogy in a Computer World
- Danish Genealogy
- Basic Norwegian Genealogy
- Advanced Norwegian Genealogy
- Finnish as a Literary Language
- Argicola
- The Book of Settlements in Iceland
To learn more about the National Nordic Museum's Nordic Genealogy Conference and other museum activities, sign up for the National Nordic Museum’s newsletter today.
To schedule a one-on-one genealogy session at the National Nordic Museum, check the dates available at our Genealogy Program page.
Image: Michal Jarmoluk, courtesy Pixabay
