Scandinavian Cultural Center
The Viking Ship Prow
In the spring of 1992, the long-awaited Viking ship prow made its way from Anacortes, Washington, home of its designer and builder, Paul Schweiss. It stands 25 feet tall and weighs 2,200 lbs. The prow is a visual reminder of the University's Nordic roots.
What is the SCC?
Located at 12180 South Park Avenue in Tacoma, the Scandinavian Cultural Center is a 6,700 square foot facility housed on the first floor of the University Center at Pacific Lutheran University. Completed in May 1989, the Center features a great hall, three exhibit galleries, and a demonstration kitchen. A 25-foot-high, custom-carved Viking ship prow serves as a dramatic visual statement, welcoming guests to the Center.
The Cultural Center offers everyone, not just those of Scandinavian descent, a rich, broad and changing portrait of a living culture other than our own. The Center is a library, an art gallery, a lecture hall, a banquet room, a performance arena, a museum, a classroom, and a recital hall.
What Happens at the SCC?
Exhibits
Cultural exhibits representing the Nordic countries appear throughout the year. They represent the art as well as the natural and social history of Scandinavians and Scandinavian-Americans. The facility is open to members of the Center, the PLU community, school groups, Scandinavian organizations, and visitors from around the world.
Programs
Year-round programming in the multi-use Cultural Center includes musical concerts, lectures, films, language instruction, educational programs for school groups, and countless classes in Scandinavian folk art and Nordic cuisine.