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  • Visit
    • TOURS
    • Accessibility
    • HOURS & LOCATION
    • BECOME A MEMBER
    • ADMISSION
    • GIFT SHOP
  • Exhibits
    • The German Immigrant Experience
    • German Expressionist Prints
    • The Prints of David and Sarojini Johnson
    • Past Exhibitions
  • Learn
    • GAHC From Home
    • Internships
    • Resources
    • Translation Services
    • Book Discussions​
    • Travel
  • Events
  • About
    • About Us
    • Collections
    • 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
⭐️ October is #QCMuseumMonth! We're excited to offer free admission on Saturdays in October and an extra 10% off in the gift shop. Check out our exhibitions, attend an event, and see what's going on at the museum for the month of October. 

📱 Sign Up FREE with the QC Museum Month 2025 mobile pass to track your journey, take advantage of deals, and become eligible for a giveaway prize basket at the end of the month! Learn more and sign up here: https://qcmuseumweek.com/

The mobile pass is not required to take advantage of the free admission and discounts at the GAHC+M. 

#qcthatswhere #downtowndavenport #museum #quadcities

⭐️ October is #QCMuseumMonth! We`re excited to offer free admission on Saturdays in October and an extra 10% off in the gift shop. Check out our exhibitions, attend an event, and see what`s going on at the museum for the month of October.

📱 Sign Up FREE with the QC Museum Month 2025 mobile pass to track your journey, take advantage of deals, and become eligible for a giveaway prize basket at the end of the month! Learn more and sign up here: https://qcmuseumweek.com/

The mobile pass is not required to take advantage of the free admission and discounts at the GAHC+M.

#qcthatswhere #downtowndavenport #museum #quadcities
…

Open
🎥 We're looking forward to a rare opportunity to see Casablanca (1942) on the big screen as we wrap up From Hitler to Hollywood: Film Series at the Last Picture House 

Join us on Wednesday, October 1st at The Last Picture House in Davenport for a viewing of this iconic film followed by a discussion in the theater. 

Set against the shadow of World War II, Casablanca is more than a timeless romantic drama: it is also a film deeply tied to the lives of those who lived its story off-screen. Directed by Michael Curtiz, himself a Hungarian émigré, and brought to life by actors like Paul Henreid, Conrad Veidt, and many supporting cast members who fled Nazi Germany, the movie carries an authenticity that goes far beyond Hollywood fiction. Their own exile, displacement, and resistance to fascism mirrors the struggles of the characters they portray, giving the film an emotional tension and urgency that still resonates today. In Casablanca, the line between cinema and lived history blurred, creating not just a love story, but a document of exile, courage, and survival in the face of tyranny.

🎟️ Tickets are $15 and available online or at the door. We will have a 3:00 and 6:00 showing on Wednesday the 1st. https://events.humanitix.com/film-series-at-the-last-picture-house 

🍺 Try a pint of Erbe '48, a Märzen brewed for us by Twin Span Brewing. A dollar from ever beer purchased goes back to the museum. 

Artwork by Bruce Walters.

🎥 We`re looking forward to a rare opportunity to see Casablanca (1942) on the big screen as we wrap up From Hitler to Hollywood: Film Series at the Last Picture House

Join us on Wednesday, October 1st at The Last Picture House in Davenport for a viewing of this iconic film followed by a discussion in the theater.

Set against the shadow of World War II, Casablanca is more than a timeless romantic drama: it is also a film deeply tied to the lives of those who lived its story off-screen. Directed by Michael Curtiz, himself a Hungarian émigré, and brought to life by actors like Paul Henreid, Conrad Veidt, and many supporting cast members who fled Nazi Germany, the movie carries an authenticity that goes far beyond Hollywood fiction. Their own exile, displacement, and resistance to fascism mirrors the struggles of the characters they portray, giving the film an emotional tension and urgency that still resonates today. In Casablanca, the line between cinema and lived history blurred, creating not just a love story, but a document of exile, courage, and survival in the face of tyranny.

🎟️ Tickets are $15 and available online or at the door. We will have a 3:00 and 6:00 showing on Wednesday the 1st. https://events.humanitix.com/film-series-at-the-last-picture-house

🍺 Try a pint of Erbe `48, a Märzen brewed for us by Twin Span Brewing. A dollar from ever beer purchased goes back to the museum.

Artwork by Bruce Walters.
…

Open
Check out our Fall Kaffee und Kuchen calendar for upcoming programs for October and November. Link in bio.

1:30 Coffee and Cake
2:00 Program
Free for members! RSVP online preferred, but walk-ins welcome. 

🕰️ October 12th - Wonderfully Weird Objects from the @putnammuseum Collections with Christine Chandler
🧙‍♀️ October 26th - The Wicked and the Weird: Stories from the Quad Cities with John Brassard Jr. (@strangeanddreadfulthings)
🚂 November 9th - The Danville Station Museum and Anne Frank with Janet Hesler 
🇧🇪 November 23rd - The Belgian Connection: Belgium's Influence Abroad and in the Quad Cities

#programs #history #halloween #quadcities #iowa #illinois #events #fall #autum #museum #kaffeeundkuchen #german #midwest

Check out our Fall Kaffee und Kuchen calendar for upcoming programs for October and November. Link in bio.

1:30 Coffee and Cake
2:00 Program
Free for members! RSVP online preferred, but walk-ins welcome.

🕰️ October 12th – Wonderfully Weird Objects from the @putnammuseum Collections with Christine Chandler
🧙‍♀️ October 26th – The Wicked and the Weird: Stories from the Quad Cities with John Brassard Jr. (@strangeanddreadfulthings)
🚂 November 9th – The Danville Station Museum and Anne Frank with Janet Hesler
🇧🇪 November 23rd – The Belgian Connection: Belgium`s Influence Abroad and in the Quad Cities

#programs #history #halloween #quadcities #iowa #illinois #events #fall #autum #museum #kaffeeundkuchen #german #midwest
…

Open
🎥 We're looking forward to a rare opportunity to see Casablanca (1942) on the big screen as part of our Film Series this season.

Join us on Wednesday, October 1st at The Last Picture House in Davenport for a viewing of this iconic film followed by a discussion in the theater. 

Set against the shadow of World War II, Casablanca is more than a timeless romantic drama: it is also a film deeply tied to the lives of those who lived its story off-screen. Directed by Michael Curtiz, himself a Hungarian émigré, and brought to life by actors like Paul Henreid, Conrad Veidt, and many supporting cast members who fled Nazi Germany, the movie carries an authenticity that goes far beyond Hollywood fiction. Their own exile, displacement, and resistance to fascism mirrors the struggles of the characters they portray, giving the film an emotional tension and urgency that still resonates today. In Casablanca, the line between cinema and lived history blurred, creating not just a love story, but a document of exile, courage, and survival in the face of tyranny.

🎟️ Tickets are $15 and available online or at the door. We will have a 3:00 and 6:00 showing on Wednesday the 1st. https://events.humanitix.com/film-series-at-the-last-picture-house 

🍺 Try a pint of Erbe '48, a Märzen brewed for us by Twin Span Brewing. A dollar from every beer purchased goes back to the museum.

🎥 We`re looking forward to a rare opportunity to see Casablanca (1942) on the big screen as part of our Film Series this season.

Join us on Wednesday, October 1st at The Last Picture House in Davenport for a viewing of this iconic film followed by a discussion in the theater.

Set against the shadow of World War II, Casablanca is more than a timeless romantic drama: it is also a film deeply tied to the lives of those who lived its story off-screen. Directed by Michael Curtiz, himself a Hungarian émigré, and brought to life by actors like Paul Henreid, Conrad Veidt, and many supporting cast members who fled Nazi Germany, the movie carries an authenticity that goes far beyond Hollywood fiction. Their own exile, displacement, and resistance to fascism mirrors the struggles of the characters they portray, giving the film an emotional tension and urgency that still resonates today. In Casablanca, the line between cinema and lived history blurred, creating not just a love story, but a document of exile, courage, and survival in the face of tyranny.

🎟️ Tickets are $15 and available online or at the door. We will have a 3:00 and 6:00 showing on Wednesday the 1st. https://events.humanitix.com/film-series-at-the-last-picture-house

🍺 Try a pint of Erbe `48, a Märzen brewed for us by Twin Span Brewing. A dollar from every beer purchased goes back to the museum.
…

Open
🎥 We're looking forward to a rare opportunity to see Casablanca (1942) on the big screen as our final week in our Film Series approaches! 

Join us on Wednesday, October 1st at @thelastpichouse in Davenport for a viewing of this iconic film followed by a discussion in the theater. 

Set against the shadow of World War II, Casablanca is more than a timeless romantic drama: it is also a film deeply tied to the lives of those who lived its story off-screen. Directed by Michael Curtiz, himself a Hungarian émigré, and brought to life by actors like Paul Henreid, Conrad Veidt, and many supporting cast members who fled Nazi Germany, the movie carries an authenticity that goes far beyond Hollywood fiction. Their own exile, displacement, and resistance to fascism mirrors the struggles of the characters they portray, giving the film an emotional tension and urgency that still resonates today. In Casablanca, the line between cinema and lived history blurred, creating not just a love story, but a document of exile, courage, and survival in the face of tyranny.

🎟️ Tickets are $15 and available online or at the door. We will have a 3:00 and 6:00 showing on Wednesday the 1st. https://events.humanitix.com/film-series-at-the-last-picture-house 

🍺 Try a pint of Erbe '48, a Märzen brewed for us by @twinspanbrewing. A dollar from ever beer purchased goes back to the museum. 

Artwork by @bruce_walters.

🎥 We`re looking forward to a rare opportunity to see Casablanca (1942) on the big screen as our final week in our Film Series approaches!

Join us on Wednesday, October 1st at @thelastpichouse in Davenport for a viewing of this iconic film followed by a discussion in the theater.

Set against the shadow of World War II, Casablanca is more than a timeless romantic drama: it is also a film deeply tied to the lives of those who lived its story off-screen. Directed by Michael Curtiz, himself a Hungarian émigré, and brought to life by actors like Paul Henreid, Conrad Veidt, and many supporting cast members who fled Nazi Germany, the movie carries an authenticity that goes far beyond Hollywood fiction. Their own exile, displacement, and resistance to fascism mirrors the struggles of the characters they portray, giving the film an emotional tension and urgency that still resonates today. In Casablanca, the line between cinema and lived history blurred, creating not just a love story, but a document of exile, courage, and survival in the face of tyranny.

🎟️ Tickets are $15 and available online or at the door. We will have a 3:00 and 6:00 showing on Wednesday the 1st. https://events.humanitix.com/film-series-at-the-last-picture-house

🍺 Try a pint of Erbe `48, a Märzen brewed for us by @twinspanbrewing. A dollar from ever beer purchased goes back to the museum.

Artwork by @bruce_walters.
…

Open
Last year, during our Paranormal Investigation, the first floor revealed a powerful presence--the spirit of a bartender still tending his post. According to our medium, his energy was restless, occupied with unseen duties: cleaning glasses, checking the bar, keeping busy. He seemed irritated by our questions, brushing them aside, especially when they came from the women in the group. To the men, however, he was more responsive, almost as if old habits still governed his interactions.

The reaction made eerie sense in light of the building’s past. In the Standard Hotel’s early days, the first floor served as a lobby, restaurant, and bar--spaces where, by 19th-century convention, men dominated the room. Respectable women were often barred from such establishments, their presence considered improper unless accompanied by a man. Social taboos and the temperance movement kept most women away, while working-class women or saloon employees were rare exceptions.

Could this lingering bartender be a relic of that past, still caught in the rules of his era? Step inside, and see if you catch his gaze—or if he pointedly ignores yours.

Join us for Geisternacht: Paranormal Investigation of the GAHC&M this Saturday, September 27th from 7-midnight with the Haunted Maps team. Tickets ar $30 per person, and include light refreshments. Cash bar available.

Last year, during our Paranormal Investigation, the first floor revealed a powerful presence–the spirit of a bartender still tending his post. According to our medium, his energy was restless, occupied with unseen duties: cleaning glasses, checking the bar, keeping busy. He seemed irritated by our questions, brushing them aside, especially when they came from the women in the group. To the men, however, he was more responsive, almost as if old habits still governed his interactions.

The reaction made eerie sense in light of the building’s past. In the Standard Hotel’s early days, the first floor served as a lobby, restaurant, and bar–spaces where, by 19th-century convention, men dominated the room. Respectable women were often barred from such establishments, their presence considered improper unless accompanied by a man. Social taboos and the temperance movement kept most women away, while working-class women or saloon employees were rare exceptions.

Could this lingering bartender be a relic of that past, still caught in the rules of his era? Step inside, and see if you catch his gaze—or if he pointedly ignores yours.

Join us for Geisternacht: Paranormal Investigation of the GAHC&M this Saturday, September 27th from 7-midnight with the Haunted Maps team. Tickets ar $30 per person, and include light refreshments. Cash bar available.
…

Open
🎥 We're looking forward to a rare opportunity to see Casablanca (1942) on the
big screen as our final week in our Film Series approaches!

Join us on Wednesday, October 1st at @thelastpichouse  in Davenport for a viewing of this iconic film followed by a discussion in the theater.

Set against the shadow of World War II, Casablanca is more than a timeless romantic drama: it is also a film deeply tied to the lives of those who lived its story off-screen. Directed by Michael Curtiz, himself a Hungarian émigré, and brought to life by actors like Paul Henreid, Conrad Veidt, and many supporting cast members who fled Nazi  ermany, the movie carries an authenticity that goes far beyond Hollywood fiction. Their own exile, displacement, and resistance to fascism mirrors the struggles of the characters they portray, giving the film an emotional tension and urgency that still resonates today. In Casablanca, the line between cinema and lived history blurred, creating not just a love story, but a document of exile, courage, and survival in the face of tyranny.

🎟️ Tickets are $15 and available online or at the door.
We will have a 3:00 and 6:00 showing on Wednesday October 1st. https://events.humanitix.com/film-series-at-the-last-picture-house

🍺 Try a pint of Erbe '48, a Märzen brewed for us by @twinspanbrewing . A dollar from ever beer purchased goes back to the museum.

🎥 We`re looking forward to a rare opportunity to see Casablanca (1942) on the
big screen as our final week in our Film Series approaches!

Join us on Wednesday, October 1st at @thelastpichouse in Davenport for a viewing of this iconic film followed by a discussion in the theater.

Set against the shadow of World War II, Casablanca is more than a timeless romantic drama: it is also a film deeply tied to the lives of those who lived its story off-screen. Directed by Michael Curtiz, himself a Hungarian émigré, and brought to life by actors like Paul Henreid, Conrad Veidt, and many supporting cast members who fled Nazi ermany, the movie carries an authenticity that goes far beyond Hollywood fiction. Their own exile, displacement, and resistance to fascism mirrors the struggles of the characters they portray, giving the film an emotional tension and urgency that still resonates today. In Casablanca, the line between cinema and lived history blurred, creating not just a love story, but a document of exile, courage, and survival in the face of tyranny.

🎟️ Tickets are $15 and available online or at the door.
We will have a 3:00 and 6:00 showing on Wednesday October 1st. https://events.humanitix.com/film-series-at-the-last-picture-house

🍺 Try a pint of Erbe `48, a Märzen brewed for us by @twinspanbrewing . A dollar from ever beer purchased goes back to the museum.
…

Open
Check out our vendors this weekend! Our Herbstmarkt Fall Vendor Fair is Saturday, September 27th, 2025 from 10am-2pm. Admission is free to the museum all day. 

Florals, paintings, handmade jewelry, plants, art, and more will be available from our vendors this weekend. While you're here, check out our gift shop for early holiday gifts, Oktoberfest goodies, local books, beer, and more.

📍 712 W 2nd St.  Davenport, Iowa

Check out our vendors this weekend! Our Herbstmarkt Fall Vendor Fair is Saturday, September 27th, 2025 from 10am-2pm. Admission is free to the museum all day.

Florals, paintings, handmade jewelry, plants, art, and more will be available from our vendors this weekend. While you`re here, check out our gift shop for early holiday gifts, Oktoberfest goodies, local books, beer, and more.

📍 712 W 2nd St. Davenport, Iowa
…

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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