The AASLH awards program was initiated in 1945 to establish and encourage standards of excellence in the collection, preservation, and interpretation of state and local history throughout the United States. The AASLH Leadership in History Awards not only honor significant achievement in the field of state and local history, but also brings public recognition of the opportunities for small and large organizations, institutions, and programs to make contributions in this arena. For more information about the Leadership in History Awards, contact AASLH at 615-320-3203, or go to www.aaslh.org.

The American Association for State and Local History is a not-for-profit professional organization of individuals and institutions working to preserve and promote history. From its headquarters in Nashville, Tennessee, AASLH provides leadership, service, and support for its members who preserve and interpret state and local history in order to make the past more meaningful in American society. AASLH publishes books, technical publications, a quarterly magazine, and monthly newsletter. The association also sponsors regional and national training workshops and an annual meeting.

View a video of the exhibit below:

The German American Heritage Center is excited to have two interns joining Mary for the summer! Kathryn Seyfarth is a Public Relations intern, who is currently working on her undergraduate degree as a Communications and Psychology major at Augustana College. Sean Thompson is an exhibits intern, who is completing his graduate degree in museum studies at Western Illinois University, Quad Cities.

The objectives for the teacher’s workshop are to help teachers increase student understanding of German Immigrant Experience, to increase student ability to communicate written and orally, to help students make a connection between museum experience and classroom experience, and to take time to create things that teachers may or may not have time to create. The packet provided will feature activities ranging from oral presentations to researching their own story. Examples of assignments include: students will conduct research to put together a broadcast as if they were living as a German Immigrant in the 1800’s. Students may also interview a family member or friend who is a first generation immigrant and present their story.

The German American Heritage Museum includes elements to spark interest for every learning style. Hogg explains, “[the] displays are very balanced” the interactive displays stimulate the right brain, creative side and the Factual information stimulates the left side of the brain. Hogg continues, “the way we learn is one or another [left or right] or balanced and the museum does a wonderful job of [providing] balanced brain activities. You stop and read information but the next thing you know you are participating in an activity.”

The story of the German Immigrant family is a story any family can relate to. “[The German Immigrant story] makes real the fact that life can be a struggle and joy at the same time, through struggle [we] learn to become more joyous” Explains Hogg. LaVern Rippley and Eberhard Reichmann in the preface of The German-Americans: An Ethnic Experience comment on Paul Adams essay and argue the value of understanding ones ethnic background.
The motto of the United States, e pluribus unum (one out of many) reminds us that each generation is called up to work toward ethnic and racial harmony and to overcome tensions and violence born out of indifference, misunderstanding and distrust. It [Professor Adam’s essay] neither glorifies the importance of German roots, nor denies the fact that America has very strongly shaped by its German elements. . .this essay explores the meaning of German Immigration. . . it also shows that successful processes of assimilation or integration take time and a spirit of openness and mutual respect (Rippley & Reichmann 1993).

“if we can continue to build upon the German Immigrants and use their experience to remind us that each generation is called upon to work on ethnic and racial harmony, then we have achieved what we want to with the exhibit” says Hogg. You can visit the exhibit at The German American Heritage Center at the bottom of the Centennial Bridge on 2nd St. in Davenport Iowa. Museum hours are Monday through Saturday from 10-4 and Sunday from 12-4. Questions? Feel free to contact us at 563-322-8844.

Planning a graduation party, family reunion, wedding rehearsal dinner, retirement party, anniversary party or baby shower?

Check out our new banquet hall at our Museum!

Did you know that our entire fourth floor was totally rennovated into a beautiful banquet hall space? Windows wrap around the space offering amazing views of the Mississippi River and Downtown Davenport during the day. At night, the space transforms into an elegant setting with spectacular views of downtown and the lighted Centennial bridge.

Our space holds 100 people and offers all of your audio visual needs. As an added bonus for you, when you rent our banquet hall your guests will enjoy $1 off admission to the museum during your rental time.

If you are intersted in viewing our banquet space for a possible rental, please email director@gahc.org or contact 563-322-8844.

The banquet hall is wonderful for several types of events including: Family Reunions, Wedding Rehearsal Dinner, Wedding Reception, Engagement Party, Anniversary Celebration, Birthday Party, Baptism Celebration, Charity Fundraiser, Spring Festival, Business Meeting, Networking Event, Christmas Party, Club Meeting, Social Dance, Concert, Annual Dinner, etc.

FACILITY RENTAL (GENERAL)
$225 FOR UP TO 3 HOURS (NON-MEMBER RATE)
$175 FOR UP TO 3 HOURS (MEMBER RATE)
$100 PER ADDITIONAL HOUR
(Additional charges apply for audio rental equipment, special set up, etc.)

NON-PROFIT RATE
$25 FOR UP TO 2 HOURS
$10 PER ADDITIONAL HOUR
(GENERAL RATES APPLY FOR NONPROFITS THAT WANT TO RENT THE SPACE 6 PM OR LATER)

Click here for photos of the new (old-fashioned) toys!

Stop by our gift shop and step back in time with an old-fashioned toy!

Cup and Ball Toss Toy

Wikipedia: The main goal of the game is to get the ball into the cup. While the concept is very easy, mastering the game sometimes requires many hours of practice. To play, the player holds the cup by the handle and lets the ball hang freely. The player then tosses the ball upward by jerking the arm holding the toy, attempting to catch the ball in the cup. (Wikipedia)

Hand-Rolled Clay Marbles & Marble Shooters

Wikipedia: A German glassblower invented marble scissors in 1846, a device for making marbles. One version of the game involves drawing a circle in sand, and players will take turns knocking other players’ marbles out of the circle with their own marble. This game is called ringer. (Wikipedia)

Nine-pins

Wikipedia: Nine-pins is a bowling game. European championships are held each year. Over 90,000 members are on teams in Germany, often playing in officially registered Bundeskegelbahn (federal bowling alleys) to be found in almost every sizable town.

Graces

Wikipedia: The Game of Graces was a popular leisure activity for young girls during the early 1800s. First documented during the 1830s, The Game of Graces was considered a proper game benefiting young ladies and, supposedly, tailored to make them more graceful. Graces was hardly ever played by boys, and never played by two boys at the same time, either two girls, or a boy and a girl.

Kazoos

Jacks

Pick-up-sticks

Feather pen quills

Whistles

Doll kits

Looms kits

The new interactive video game lets the visitor choose a character who portrays a German immigrant of the mid-1800s. Then they answer a set of trivia questions. Clues and answers to the questions can be found throughout the exhibit. When they finish answering the questions they are rewarded with two fun video games to play that simulate activities that were played by boys and girls during the turn of the century.

The museum includes about 4,000 square feet of state-of-the-art interactive exhibits including a new trivia video game, wired antique party line phones to listen to, and the audio-visual experience, “Step into my Shoes.” The museum also includes two original restored hotel rooms, 1800s period style clothing that visitors may try on, many artifacts on display, and a mini-theater.

The museum is open Tuesday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., and on Sundays from noon – 4 p.m. Admission is as follows: Adults: $5; Seniors: $4; Children: $3 (5 - 17 years old); Family: $12; Free for children under 5; and free for museum members.

Visitors will enjoy an interactive experience as you learn about immigrants’ journey by sea, train and foot, to their final destination at the German American Heritage Center building, which was originally a very busy hotel for thousands of immigrants in the 1860s. The German American Heritage Center works to preserve and enrich the German immigrant experience and its impact on the American Culture. The museum also partners with other cultural groups to demonstrate the contributions immigrants from many countries and from varied backgrounds have made to the ethnic palette which is the United States.

For more information on all of the museum’s exhibits, programs, events, classes, and workshops visit www.gahc.org, facebook, or call 563-322-8844. he German American Heritage Center is located at the foot of Centennial Bridge at 712 West Second Street, Davenport, Iowa.

Direct from Germany, the German Showcase features an amazing group of entertainers who will be performing every day throughout the grounds! Relax with a beer and sausage in the Beer Garden on the ground’s North end - sing along or listen to favorite German drinking songs! Visit the South end of the grounds for carnival games, rides and other activities!

German Fest in Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Date: July 24, 2010 (Day trip)

Time: 7:55 a.m. - 8:50 p.m.
(Bus departs/returns at the German American Heritage Center)

Cost:
Nonmembers: Adults: $68; Seniors and Students: $65

Members: Adults: $58; Seniors and Students: $55

Visit the German Fest website here. To reserve your spot for the trip, call 563-322-8844. We encourage you to register soon, as space is limited.

SPONSOR A SCHOOL OR CLASSROOM

Sponsor One Classroom:

Outreach: $35 plus mileage
An educator from the museum visits the classroom and presents a fun, interactive program.

Field Trip: $75
Students take a field trip to the museum. The sponsorship covers admission t to the museum. (Does not include bussing fees).

Sponsor an Outreach Presentation:
The museum provides the same presentation to the school on one day for 3 to 5 classrooms.
Half day: $100 (up to 3 programs in 3 hours)
Full day: $150 (4-5 programs, or more than 3 hours)

Sponsor a School: Subject Area Outreach: $980
Allows each classroom(Approximately 28 classrooms) in one elementary school to enjoy an outreach visit by the German American Heritage Center. This sponsorship allows the individual classrooms the convenience of scheduling the program anytime during the school year. Also, the museum can customize the program to fit with the specific class subject that the students may be learning at that time.
• In addition, each student will receive a free child’s pass to visit the German American Heritage Center.

Sponsor a School: Field trip $1600 -2100 (sponsorship depends on number of students in school)
• Allows each classroom in one elementary school to enjoy an outreach visit by the German American Heritage Center
• In addition, each student will receive a free child’s pass to visit the German American Heritage Center.

Over the past 14 years, the German American Heritage Center building (712 W Second Street, Davenport, Iowa) was saved from demolition, restored, renovated and became listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Since 2007, GAHC underwent a complete interior renovation and has increased exhibit space by six times the original layout.  The museum includes a new interactive, audio-visual permanent exhibit, “The German Immigrant Experience.” The exhibit takes visitors on an exploration of what it was like to be an immigrant to this area in the 1800s.

A brief history: From immigrant hotel to heritage museum
Built around the late 1860s, the GAHC location appears to have had its earliest history in the hostelry enterprise. Around 1872, the thirty-room hotel was a popular spot for many immigrants, visitors, and farmers who came to Davenport. Its German character as a “Gast Haus” lasted well into the early years of the twentieth century. Today the GAHC serves as a museum, genealogy research center, and educational/cultural resource.

What to expect at the newly expanded museum

New interactive, audio-visual permanent exhibit, “The German Immigrant Experience”
The new exhibit space at the museum is 3,550 square feet and includes two additional traveling exhibit spaces. The permanent exhibit is highly interactive and includes a theater, audio-visual stations, artifacts and two restored hotel rooms. The creation of this exhibit area marks a major milestone at GAHC; achieving its goal of providing a premier educational, historical and recreational experience. The exhibit was designed by Morgan-Bailey Consulting out of Des Moines, Iowa.

Additional new traveling and special exhibit spaces
GAHC now has two special/traveling exhibit spaces. These spaces will change throughout the year showcasing different exhibits. Current special exhibits include “Brewery Ephemera,” that explores the history of local breweries established by German immigrants; and “A to Zither,” a journey into the world of the sounds and tradition of the German zither instrument.

Expanded education and recreational programs and events
With the newly expanded exhibits at GAHC, we will create seven new education programs for schools, new field trips, outreach programs and education tours. The permanent exhibit is specifically designed so that all curriculum areas from geography and literature to science can be explored. Special new group tours, community programs, member-only events and trips will also be offered.

New facility rental space
GAHC has a new rental space on fourth floor that boasts panoramic views of the Mississippi River and the City of Davenport. GAHC will use the space for programs and will also make it available for private and nonprofit groups to rent. Discount rates are available for GAHC members and nonprofit groups. The space can hold up to 100 persons, includes a kitchenette, restrooms, tables/chairs, and audio-visual equipment.

The German American Heritage Center is located at 712 W 2nd Street, Davenport.

ADMISSION
$5 ADULTS; $4 SENIOR CITIZENS (60+); $3 CHILDREN (AGES 5 – 17); FREE (UNDER 5)
Tuesday through Saturday: 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.
Sunday: 12 p.m. – 4 p.m.

MEMBERSHIP
INDIVIDUAL $35
COUPLE $45 (TWO ADULTS IN SAME HOUSEHOLD)
HOUSEHOLD $55 (UP TO TWO ADULTS & CHILDREN IN SAME HOUSEHOLD)
GRANDPARENTS $55 (UP TO TWO GRANDPARENTS & THEIR GRANDCHILDREN)
LIFE MEMBER INDIVIDUAL $1,000 (OR $1,500 FOR TWO ADULTS IN SAME HOUSEHOLD)