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  • Visit
    • TOURS
    • Accessibility
    • HOURS & LOCATION
    • BECOME A MEMBER
    • ADMISSION
    • GIFT SHOP
  • Exhibits
    • The German Immigrant Experience
    • German Expressionist Prints
    • Immigrant Innovators: The Fruehauf Trailer Company
    • Past Exhibitions
  • Learn
    • GAHC From Home
    • Internships
    • Resources
    • Translation Services
    • Book Discussions​
    • Travel
  • Events
  • About
    • About Us
    • DEAI Statement
    • Staff
    • Employment Opportunities
    • Newsletter
    • Contact Us
  • Private Events
  • Donate

About Us

Mission

The mission of the German American Heritage Center is to preserve and enrich for present and future generations knowledge of the German immigrant experience and its impact on American culture.

Vision

Our focus is cultural programs and immigrant contributions. We reach out to other cultural groups and demonstrate the contributions made by immigrants from many countries and from varied backgrounds to the ethnic palette which is the United States.

Miller’s Hotel c. 1870

History

In the mid-to-late 1800s millions of German citizens left their homeland and settled as immigrants in the United States. The 1900 U.S. Census documented that over half the citizens in Iowa, Nebraska, Wisconsin, Minnesota, North Dakota and South Dakota were German immigrants or their descendants. Scott County, where the first passenger railroad crossed the Mississippi River, was the entry point for many immigrants to the upper Midwest region and points west. In 1900, Joseph Eiboeck, a veteran German newspaperman, described Davenport as, “the most German city, not only in the State, but in all the Middle West, the center of all German activities in the State.”

Founded on August 1, 1994 as a private, not-for-profit organization, the German American Heritage Center (GAHC) seeks to preserve the heritage of our German speaking ancestors for present and future generations and to enrich our knowledge of the German immigrant experience.

Today GAHC, a National Historic Site, has evolved a museum that includes a large permanent exhibit and two rotating special exhibits. Within the permanent exhibit, visitors enjoy an orientation theater, six education stations, and two restored hotel rooms. Visitors 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. One of the highlights in the exhibit is called “Step into my Shoes.” Visitors will find footprints of a child, woman, and man at this section. They can step on any set of the footprints, which then triggers the corresponding character to appear before them on a screen and talk about their personal experience as an immigrant. Throughout this exhibition and the two rotating temporary exhibitions, visitors enjoy exploring many artifacts on display. The museum also provides educational programs, workshops, and classes relating to the German American experience and culture; assists in the coordination of festivals to foster an understanding of German American heritage; provides for cultural exchange through genealogy workshops and production of cultural presentations to the public; and partners with other heritage groups on programs, exhibits, and events.

The GAHC building was built in the 1860s, and was originally the Standard Hotel where thousands of German immigrants stayed in the 1800s when they arrived in the area. The building was purchased in 1995, partially restored in 1999, and reopened to the public in May, 2000. In October 2009, GAHC debuted a newly expanded space including a new large interactive permanent exhibit called the “German Immigrant Experience,” two traveling exhibit spaces, and large program facilities. GAHC offers several new programs based on the new permanent exhibit and two new temporary exhibit spaces.

The German immigrant experience is an integral part of the history and fabric of life in Iowa, in the region and in the nation. The German American Heritage Center (GAHC) was formed in 1994 to document and celebrate this heritage.

The Germania House was among the earliest of many “Gast Haus” buildings in the area. This structure is the last remaining immigrant hotel of that period in the region and is on the National Register of Historic Places. The GAHC saved the building from deterioration and potential demolition by raising $1.3 million to restore the exterior of the building and to restore the first and second floors of the four story building for use as a historical center. That work to save this historic treasure and to utilize it as the German American Heritage Center was completed in 2004.

For its collection, the German American Heritage Center and Museum considers gifts of objects and archives materials related to German and German-American culture or history, including:

  • Objects brought by German immigrants, preferably before 1920.
  • Objects made or used by German immigrants in the United States.
  • Other objects made or used in the United States which represent the German-American experience.
  • Photographs related to German-American history and experience.
  • Archival material related directly to the history and operation of German American Heritage Center and Museum.

 

Unfortunately due to limited space capacity we are very selective when accepting donations. We are unable to accept any books or bibles at this time.

ON INSTAGRAM
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German American Heritage Center and Museum

germanamericanheritagecenter

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Museum exploring the German immigrant experience and history of Davenport and Iowa!

Open
German Immigrants impacted American culture through food, fashion, music, and even education. How many of those things can you spot in this post?
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#germanimmigrants #meme #museum #germanamericanheritage #center #art #funny #like #immigrants #immigrant #history #historical #christmas #christmasinjuly #polka #buttons #vintage #antique

German Immigrants impacted American culture through food, fashion, music, and even education. How many of those things can you spot in this post?
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.
.
.
.
.
.
.
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#germanimmigrants #meme #museum #germanamericanheritage #center #art #funny #like #immigrants #immigrant #history #historical #christmas #christmasinjuly #polka #buttons #vintage #antique
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Open
Schuetzen Park Celebration
Sunday August 2nd | 1:00 pm
FREE

�The Schuetzen Park will continue its 155th anniversary celebration of the grand opening of the Park which took place in June 1870 with a free public concert. The Deutsche Polka Band will headline the event on Sunday August 2nd. Beginning at 1:00 food and drinks will be served, and the concert will commence at 2:00. Admission to the Park is always free.

Schuetzen Park is located at 700 Waverly Road in Davenport. More information can be obtained by calling: 563-449-2358 or by email: SchuetzenPark@yahoo.com.

Photo from Davenport Iowa History:
Schuetzen Park Club House - 1902
"The beautiful and inviting Club House at Schuetzen Park was under the care of Bruchman & Co. in 1902. August Bruchman and Fred Kuehl were lessees of the park, operating the saloon, restaurant, dancing pavilion and bowling alley. Fred Kuehl was the manager of the Turner Hall and the New Grand Opera House at Third and Scott streets, while his brother-in-law, August Bruchman, was the former head bartender at the Turner Hall. August and his wife Mary resided at Schuetzen Park."

Schuetzen Park Celebration
Sunday August 2nd | 1:00 pm
FREE

�The Schuetzen Park will continue its 155th anniversary celebration of the grand opening of the Park which took place in June 1870 with a free public concert. The Deutsche Polka Band will headline the event on Sunday August 2nd. Beginning at 1:00 food and drinks will be served, and the concert will commence at 2:00. Admission to the Park is always free.

Schuetzen Park is located at 700 Waverly Road in Davenport. More information can be obtained by calling: 563-449-2358 or by email: [email protected].

Photo from Davenport Iowa History:
Schuetzen Park Club House – 1902
"The beautiful and inviting Club House at Schuetzen Park was under the care of Bruchman & Co. in 1902. August Bruchman and Fred Kuehl were lessees of the park, operating the saloon, restaurant, dancing pavilion and bowling alley. Fred Kuehl was the manager of the Turner Hall and the New Grand Opera House at Third and Scott streets, while his brother-in-law, August Bruchman, was the former head bartender at the Turner Hall. August and his wife Mary resided at Schuetzen Park."
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Open
Davenport Coliseum, 1911. Images from German American Heritage Center & Museum Collections. 

Initially called the Saengerfest Halle, this building is now the Col Ballroom in Davenport, IA. 

Look at those colors!

Davenport Coliseum, 1911. Images from German American Heritage Center & Museum Collections.

Initially called the Saengerfest Halle, this building is now the Col Ballroom in Davenport, IA.

Look at those colors!
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Open
Only a few more days left to enjoy free admission in July! 🎟️

Visit the museum free of charge through July 31st. Explore the history of Davenport and the German immigrants who built our community. 

Open:
Tuesday - Saturday 10 am - 4 pm
Sunday 12 - 4 pm
Closed Monday

Only a few more days left to enjoy free admission in July! 🎟️

Visit the museum free of charge through July 31st. Explore the history of Davenport and the German immigrants who built our community.

Open:
Tuesday – Saturday 10 am – 4 pm
Sunday 12 – 4 pm
Closed Monday
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Open
German Lutheran Church in Geneseo, IL. 1890. 

Image from German American Heritage Center and Museum Collection.

German Lutheran Church in Geneseo, IL. 1890.

Image from German American Heritage Center and Museum Collection.
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Open
The Outing Club, 1900. Image from German American Heritage Center Collections.

Established in 1891. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places since 1977 and a contributing building of Vander Veer Park Historic District since 1985.

Though not directly part of the German American Immigrant history, The Outing Club is a pillar in Davenport's communal history.

The Outing Club, 1900. Image from German American Heritage Center Collections.

Established in 1891. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places since 1977 and a contributing building of Vander Veer Park Historic District since 1985.

Though not directly part of the German American Immigrant history, The Outing Club is a pillar in Davenport`s communal history.
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Open
Stay tuned for a BIG reveal coming next week!

After 16 years on display and noticeable wear and tear to our permanent exhibition panels, we are installing new, dynamic, and exciting signage and artifacts to our timeline area on the 3rd floor. We can't wait to see our hard work come to life in our permanent exhibition space.

The new information still explores the experiences of German immigrants to our area, but we are adding more artifacts, telling broader stories and experiences of residents in the Quad Cities during the high points in immigration history, and exploring what German immigrants arrived to in Iowa—some expected, and others not.

Thank you to Regional Development Authority for their support of this project. And thank you to our generous donors who helped us recover the lost funding after the federal budget cuts earlier this year: Cal and Jill Werner, Bob Thoreson, The Jewish Federation of the Quad Cities, and an anonymous donor. We could not have done this project on our original timeline without the support of our community. 

And thank you to Edwards Creative for working with us on this project. Your designs and imagination will bring this exciting project to life!

Stay tuned for a BIG reveal coming next week!

After 16 years on display and noticeable wear and tear to our permanent exhibition panels, we are installing new, dynamic, and exciting signage and artifacts to our timeline area on the 3rd floor. We can`t wait to see our hard work come to life in our permanent exhibition space.

The new information still explores the experiences of German immigrants to our area, but we are adding more artifacts, telling broader stories and experiences of residents in the Quad Cities during the high points in immigration history, and exploring what German immigrants arrived to in Iowa—some expected, and others not.

Thank you to Regional Development Authority for their support of this project. And thank you to our generous donors who helped us recover the lost funding after the federal budget cuts earlier this year: Cal and Jill Werner, Bob Thoreson, The Jewish Federation of the Quad Cities, and an anonymous donor. We could not have done this project on our original timeline without the support of our community.

And thank you to Edwards Creative for working with us on this project. Your designs and imagination will bring this exciting project to life!
…

Open
We're excited to share that our virtual version of our "Recent Acquisitions" exhibition is now live! This exhibition explored some of the newest and most interesting items added to our collection from the last 6 years. It was on display in person until June 1st, but now it is available to view year-round online. 

In addition to photographs and the didactics from the original exhibition, our summer intern, Enya, has translated the exhibition to German, provided voiceovers for the artifact labels, and conducted additional research and resources to enhance the exhibition. We hope these additions are useful and help make this content more accessible to a wider audience.

You can explore the virtual exhibition here: https://virmuze.com/m/gahc/x/whats-new-recent-acquisitions-to-the-collection/ 

Enya is a student in the @wiulovesmuseumstudies MA program (anticipated to graduate in December of 2025) and an intern at the German American Heritage Center and Museum. She is German-American, having been born in Bavaria, and regularly visits family there. As she was a military-brat, she has also lived in the Rhineland-Pfalz region of Germany, England, and multiple U.S. states. She loves helping others learn about German culture, as well as learning about different cultures from around the world.

We`re excited to share that our virtual version of our "Recent Acquisitions" exhibition is now live! This exhibition explored some of the newest and most interesting items added to our collection from the last 6 years. It was on display in person until June 1st, but now it is available to view year-round online.

In addition to photographs and the didactics from the original exhibition, our summer intern, Enya, has translated the exhibition to German, provided voiceovers for the artifact labels, and conducted additional research and resources to enhance the exhibition. We hope these additions are useful and help make this content more accessible to a wider audience.

You can explore the virtual exhibition here: https://virmuze.com/m/gahc/x/whats-new-recent-acquisitions-to-the-collection/

Enya is a student in the @wiulovesmuseumstudies MA program (anticipated to graduate in December of 2025) and an intern at the German American Heritage Center and Museum. She is German-American, having been born in Bavaria, and regularly visits family there. As she was a military-brat, she has also lived in the Rhineland-Pfalz region of Germany, England, and multiple U.S. states. She loves helping others learn about German culture, as well as learning about different cultures from around the world.
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VISIT US

German American Heritage Center & Museum
712 W 2nd St.
Davenport, IA 52802

HOURS

Tuesdays – Saturdays open 10 am – 4 pm
Sundays open 12 – 4 pm
Closed Mondays

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German American Heritage Center & Museum
712 W 2nd St.
Davenport, IA 52802
Tuesdays – Saturdays open 10 am – 4 pm
Sundays open 12 – 4 pm
Closed Mondays

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