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Wide view of the In Search of a Homeland exhibit gallery, with artifact cases and immigration banners

Germans from Russia Heritage Collection · Fargo, ND

In Search of a Homeland

Drawn by promise and driven by hardship, the Germans from Russia crossed continents in search of a home. This exhibit tells their story — migration and displacement, but also resilience and an enduring spirit rooted in faith, hard work, and community.

Upland Exhibits worked closely with the Germans from Russia Heritage Collection at North Dakota State University to design and build the exhibit. It needed to be more than a story of immigration — it needed to be a home for the objects, photographs, and voices that defined life in these communities.

The exhibit fills two spaces: a hallway that traces the journey — from Germany to Russia, from Russia to North America — and a main gallery devoted to the culture the families carried with them.

Client
Germans from Russia Heritage Collection · North Dakota State University
Scope
Exhibit Design & Fabrication

The Journey

The Hallway

The exhibit title wall reading In Search of a Homeland at the start of the hallway
The hallway walks visitors through the journey: from Germany, to Russia, to the Americas.
A floor-to-ceiling graphic of a Bremen steamship ticket from the emigration years
A floor-to-ceiling mural recalls the passage from the old country.
A corridor with The Promise of America panels and the Statue of Liberty
Graphic panels mounted at alternating angles bring movement to the long hallway.
Broken Promises artifact cases with a red clay roof tile and period coins
Internally lit cases hold artifacts from the journey — coins, documents, and a red clay roof tile.
The Iron Crosses display — a wrought-iron grave cross against a deep orange wall

The Culture

The Main Gallery

Wall cases of belongings in the A New Heimat section
The homesteading and architecture section features a three-dimensional model of a prairie homestead.
A reading nook with stools and archival panels titled Dakota Memories
In the Dakota Memories nook, visitors set a card on the scanner to play the matching oral history on screen.
A table display of preserves, recipes, and an embroidered cloth
Food preserved culture on the prairie. The Foodways case even offers recipe cards to take home.
A bold red and black graphic wall titled Those Who Stayed
A somber room dedicated to those who stayed and the hardships they endured.
The Heart of Prairie Life quote wall reading We did everything

“Upland Exhibits was an exceptional partner throughout this project. Their team took the time to understand the history, community, and experience we hoped to create. They brought our vision to life through remarkable creativity, craftsmanship, and innovative technology. The response has been overwhelmingly positive, with visitors and members of the Germans from Russia community expressing how meaningful it is to see this shared history honored in such an engaging and lasting way.”

Jeremy Kopp · Germans from Russia Heritage Collection
A Musical Heritage panel with photographs of German-Russian musicians
Music was a staple in every household. Lawrence Welk, North Dakota's most famous native son, anchors the display.
The Life on the Prairie gallery with a homesteader's coat and family photographs on display
Artifacts ranged from small coins to instruments to saddles. We designed custom cases to fit them all.
Wide view down the exhibit gallery, from Life on the Prairie through Isolation, Homesickness, and Community
Every structure in the gallery is custom-built, with casework integrated into the walls.
An interactive rail with pull-out drawers of firsthand accounts

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