Our Events: Upcoming Events and Programs

See listings for events at:

The State Historical Building, Des Moines
Centennial Building, Iowa City
Abbie Gardner Cabin, Arnolds Park
Montauk Historic Site, Clermont
Plum Grove, Iowa City
Western Historic Trails Center, Council Bluffs

What's Happening at the State Historical Building in Des Moines

All events take place at the State Historical Building and are free unless otherwise noted.

State Historical Building

600 East Locust, Des Moines, IA 50319
The museum and historical library are handicap accessible.
Free parking is available in a parking ramp located in front of the building on Grand Avenue.

State Historical Museum
9 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. Tuesday - Saturday
Noon - 4:30 p.m. Sunday
Closed Monday and official state holidays

The Iowa Museum Store
9 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. Tuesday - Saturday
Closed Sunday, Monday and official state holidays

Café Baratta’s
8 a.m. - 3 p.m. Tuesday - Friday
11 a.m. - 2 p.m. Saturday and Monday
Closed Sunday and official state holidays

ONGOING

The Iowa Crinoid - Exhibit

Temporary display, Mezzanine Level
Iowa fossil display on the Mezzanine Level of the museum.

Caucus Iowa - Exhibit

Opened October 5, 2008
Politically - oriented exhibit explores Iowa's role in national politics.

Captive Nature: The Wildlife Dioramas of Joseph Steppan - Exhibit

November 19, 2007 - September 7, 2009
Beautiful wildlife dioramas on display in the 1st Floor Caucus Forum Room.

Rarely Seen - Exhibit

July 11, 2009
An exhibit of items from the collection of the State Historical Museum that have not been displayed for some time.

Art in Daily Life - Exhibit

December 5, 2009 - January 2011
Art In Daily Life, showcases the native American collections of the State Historical Museum. The exhibit, which runs through January, 2011, features American Indian objects of great beauty including beaded tobacco bags, weapons, dolls, war shirts, dresses, moccasins and more – a majority of which have never been on public view.

Art In Daily Life examines Native American objects as both works of art and cultural artifacts. The exhibit shows how items of daily use can be elevated from mere utility to examples of artistic skill and vision.

ACT: Fifty Years 1959/2009

January 20-May 2010

Showcases the 50-year history of ACT, Inc., the Iowa City-based not-for-profit organization specializing in education and workforce development.

The exhibit traces the history of ACT, Inc. – originally known as American College Testing Program – to a meeting of co-founders E.F. Lindquist, a University of Iowa professor and national expert in educational measurement; Ted McCarrel, UI Director of Admissions and Registrar; and 16 state representatives who met in Iowa’s Old Capitol on the University of Iowa campus on Aug. 21, 1959. That event founded the American College Testing Program, now known as ACT, Inc.

The display includes a timeline of major events in ACT history and artifacts from ACT’s past including test documents and components from early test scoring machines. Visitors can also view an audio-video display with recordings from early leaders describing how the organization evolved.

MARCH

The Dolls of Japan: Shapes of Prayer, Embodiments of Love

Feb. 2-March 31, 2010

A traveling exhibit showcasing 70 dolls from Japan in honor of the 50th anniversary of Iowa and Yamanashi, Japan, as Sister States.

The origin of Japanese dolls is extremely old, beginning in the Jomon period about 3,000 BC. But it is only since the Edo period (1603-1868) that dolls have taken on a wide variety of forms and purposes, and many different types have been produced – as the embodiment of spirits to be worshipped, as objects endowed with magical powers, as playthings in human form, or simply for the purpose of display and appreciation.

Japanese dolls reflect the customs of Japan and the aspirations of its people, possess distinctive regional attributes, and over the centuries have developed in many diverse forms. Dolls also provide a showcase for traditional Japanese craft products, such as textiles. In “The Dolls of Japan,” dolls are grouped according to particular events in the Japanese calendar, their method of manufacture, their design and regional characteristics.

Included are Japan’s representative dolls, including Hina ningyo (Girls’ Festival dolls) and Gogatsu ningyo (Boys’ Day dolls), which have their origins in ancient customs; dolls connected to traditional performing arts like noh, bunraku and kabuki; regional dolls from throughout the country; and “creative dolls” produced by contemporary craftspeople.

Irish Fest St. Patrick's Day Celebration

Wednesday, March 17, 2010
1:00-4:00 p.m.
Museum-wide
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On this St. Patrick’s Day, experience Irish heritage in the fun-filled, family-friendly environment of the State Historical Museum. Traditional Irish foods will be available at Baratta's Restaurant on the Third Floor.
Here is the schedule for the day:
Atrium First Floor
1-2:30 Flatland Ramblers
2:30 – 3:00 The Mackenzie Highlander pipes and drums/Presentation on “Irish Harp” Civil War Battle Flag
3- 4:00 Flatland Ramblers

Auditorium, First Floor
1:45 -2:15 Foy Dancers
2:30 -3:00 PM Foy Dancers

Heritage Classrooms
A and B 1rst Floor
1-4 PM Irish Crafts and Art

Music and Dance by the Moose First Floor of the Museum in Delicate Balance, First Floor
1-4 PM Ceili Dancing with Janice Baker
This is a constantly rotating workshop. People can join in at any time.

Tone Board Room 3rd Floor East
1:00 to 1:30 All Things Irish artifacts in our Museum, Jack Lufkin Curator
2:00 to 2:30 All Things Irish artifacts in our Museum, Jack Lufkin Curator

Library
2rst Floor East
1:30-2:00Viking and Medieval Dublin with Lynn Alex Office of the State Archaeologist
2:30 to 3:00 Viking and Medieval Dublin with Lynn Alex Office of the State Archaeologist
3:00 to 4:00 Genealogy with Theresa Liewer of the Genealogy Library

Resource Center, First Floor
1-4:00 PM Weavers and Spinners Guild of Des Moines

Café Barratta, Third Floor
1-1:45 Aran’s Daughters Harp Duo
3:00- 3:45 Aran’s Daughters Harp Duo

Historical Discovery Discussions - "Immigrants and Iowans"

Wednesday, March 17, 2010
11:45 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
Tone Boardroom
On this St. Patrick’s Day, discuss how the Irish and other immigrant groups continue to impact Iowa. Examples of naturalization papers, immigrant diaries, and foreign language newspapers will help document some of the historical immigrant experience.

Participants may bring their own lunch. For more information, contact Susan Jellinger, (515) 281-6897, or susan.jellinger@iowa.gov

SUMMER 2010

Going Places: America Gets Moving

http://www.maaa.org/nehotr/Exhibitions/goingplaces.php
Carriages—not cars—once ruled the road. These forerunners of automobiles and trucks were absolutely essential to American life in the 1800s. Carriages came in an amazing assortment of sizes, shapes and finishes, from the buckboard phaeton to the sidebar buggy to the booby hut. Going Places explores the culture, evolution, and eventual demise of horse-drawn transportation, from the early nineteenth century, through the industrial revolution, and into the 1900s and the dawn of the automobile age. Along the way, diverse artifacts–including a full-sized carriage, children's carriages, and assorted harnesses and tack–speak volumes about our insatiable desire for travel, speed, and new technology. The exhibition also covers a broad range of questions: How were carriages made and repaired? Where were they sold, and who could afford them? How were carriages used? The answers are surprising, and frequent parallels to today's car culture make Going Places a fascinating journey. This exhibit was organized by The Long Island Museum of American Art, History and Carriages and is a program of “NEH on the Road,” a program of the National Endowment for the Humanities and Mid-America Arts Alliance, a private, nonprofit service organization.

What's Happening at the Centennial Building, Iowa City

Call (319) 335 - 3916 for information.

MARCH

TBA

What's Happening at the Abbie Gardner Cabin, Arnolds Park

Memorial Day - Labor Day
Noon - 4 p.m. daily

Labor Day - Sept. 30
Noon - 4 p.m. Saturday - Sunday and school groups by appointment

Call (712) 332 - 7248 for information.

MARCH

TBA

What's Happening at the Montauk Historical Site, Clermont

All events listed below take place at Montauk and are free unless otherwise noted.

Montauk is the home of Iowa's 12th governor, William Larrabee. It is located one mile northeast of Clermont on U.S. Highway 18. For more information, visit www.iowahistory.org/sites/montauk/montauk.html

Memorial Day - Labor Day
Noon - 4 p.m. daily

Labor Day - October 31
Noon - 4 p.m. Friday - Sunday and school groups by appointment

Contact:
Montauk, P.O. Box 372, Clermont, IA., 52141
Ph: 563.423.7173
Montauk@acegroup.cc

MARCH

TBA

What's Happening at Plum Grove, Iowa City

Memorial Day - Labor Day
1 - 5 p.m. Wednesday - Sunday

Labor Day - October 31
1 - 5 p.m. Saturday - Sunday and school groups by appointment

MARCH

TBA

What's Happening at the Western Historic Trails Center, Council Bluffs

All events listed below take place at the Western Historic Trails Center and are free unless otherwise noted.

Western Historic Trails Center

3434 Richard Downing Avenue, Council Bluffs, Iowa 51501
Located in Council Bluffs on 24th Street south of I - 80 (exit 1B) across from Bluffs Run Track & Casino.
712.366.4900

April 1 - October 31
Daily 9 - 5
November 1 – March 31
Tuesday through Sunday 9 - 5 (closed Mondays)
Closed Official State Holidays.
www.iowahistory.org/sites/western_trails/western_trails.html

Ongoing exhibits and videos interpret four western expansion trails: Lewis & Clark, Mormon Pioneer, California and Oregon.

The Trails West Gift Shop at Western Historic Trails Center is the Headquarters for Lewis & Clark Bicentennial Education!
Contact Mary Lu Larson at 712.366 - 5077.
WHTC.Store@iowa.gov

Jam and Bread - Musician's Jam

Thursdays every month, 1:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.
Local musicians gather at trails center to play old time country, bluegrass, blues, etc. Open to anyone who plays, sings or just wants to listen. Free homemade bread!

MARCH

TBA