Thursday, June 12, 2014

Celebrate Iowa Museum Week by attending the Southeast Iowa Museum Crawl

Museums across Iowa are participating in Iowa Museum Week, which runs from June 9-15.  Iowa Museum Week was created to highlight the importance of museums in Iowa.  To celebrate this event, the American Gothic House Center has teamed up with other area museums for the inaugural Southeast Iowa Museum Crawl. 

The event will take place Saturday, June 14 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. There are four museums being featured on this year’s Museum Crawl: Davis County Historical Complex (Bloomfield), Maasdam Barns (Fairfield), Pearson House (Keosauqua) and the America Gothic House Center (Eldon). As a part of this Museum Crawl, “Star Passports” will be available.  People having their “passport” punched at all four locations will be eligible to win a Southeast Iowa Museum Crawl gift basket.

Highlights at each of the locations include:
American Gothic House Center, Eldon
·        Exhibit of Grant Wood original works on loan from Indian Hills Community College
·        Art station to sketch your own version of the iconic house
·        Tour the American Gothic House Center
·        Strike a pose for your own “American Gothic photo” (costumes, pitchforks and glasses available)

Davis County Historical Complex, Bloomfield
·        Rededication of Civil War Medal of Honor at 11 a.m.
·        Activities throughout the day: spinning wheel, quilting, blacksmithing, dutch oven cooking, butter making, cream separating, and more

Maasdam Barns, Fairfield
·        Youth activities from 10 a.m.- 3 p.m. – egg gathering, tug of war, hay stacking, wheelbarrow races, egg toss
·        Demonstrations – putting up hay at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m., milk separating

Pearson House, Keosauqua
·        Quilting demonstrations showing technique and revealing the hidden meaning of some blocks
·        Old Time Revival Sing with performances at the top of every hour
·        Guided tours of the complex
·        School-in-Session at the one-room schoolhouse
·        Free refreshments- sorghum and molasses cookies, butter cookies, and glasses of Ginger Switchell


Whether you attend the museum crawl, or stop by your hometown favorite, we hope you take the time this week to visit and celebrate Iowa museums!