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    • TOURS
    • Accessibility
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    • BECOME A MEMBER
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    • The German Immigrant Experience
    • German Expressionist Prints
    • The Prints of David and Sarojini Johnson
    • Past Exhibitions
  • Learn
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    • Resources
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    • Book Discussions​
    • Travel
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German Forty-Eighters in America

September 24, 2023 |
 2:00 pm -
 3:00 pm
$0-5

Register Here

Learn about the tumultuous 1848 revolutions in Europe and the mass immigration to the United States that followed.

German Forty-Eighters in America: Characteristics & Contributions

2023 marks the 175th anniversary of the 1848 Revolution in Europe. It began in France and spread throughout the states of the German Confederation and Austria, lasting until 1849. After its failure, thousands of Forty-Eighters, as refugees of the revolution were called, fled and immigrated to the U.S. Who they were and what their contributions were to American society in general, and to the German element in particular will be discussed, preceded by an overview of the conditions in Europe that led to their emigration.

This event is virtual only and will not be recorded.

Register for the live session here.

Dr. Don Heinrich Tolzmann is the retired Director of the German-American Studies program at the University of Cincinnati and is the former Curator of the German-Americana Collection at the University of Cincinnati Libraries. Tolzmann served as President of the Society for German-American Studies from 1981 to 2006. He led the 1987 campaign to establish October 6th as German-American Day. He has been called the “Father of German-American Day” in recognition of this achievement. A prolific author, he has written, edited, translated or composed 370 works in 605 publications, in both German and English.

Need help registering for virtual events? Click here.

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German American Heritage Center and Museum

germanamericanheritagecenter

1,331 1,647

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

Open
🕰️ Here's a look at our hours this week! We will be closed on Thursday November 27th for Thanksgiving. 

🦃  Wishing everyone a safe and joyful holiday.

🕰️ Here`s a look at our hours this week! We will be closed on Thursday November 27th for Thanksgiving.

🦃 Wishing everyone a safe and joyful holiday.
…

Open
The pickle hunt is on!! 🥒 🎄 ❄️ ⛄

Starting November 20th, search downtown Davenport for hidden pickles!

Find 10 pickles to win a pickle ornament for your own tree and be entered into a drawing for a chances to win downtown gift cards and a Grand Prize Basket. This year's prize pickles are made out of clay by a local artist.

🏆 Pick up an official card at one of the participating businesses to play. Turn in your completed card into one of the following locations: 

🇩🇪 German American Heritage Center (712 W. 2nd St.) 
Tuesday – Saturday 10 am – 4 pm
Sunday 12 – 4 pm

📚 Davenport Public Library (321 N. Main St.) 
Monday 9 am - 8 pm
Tuesday - Saturday 9 am – 5:30 pm

**the last day to pick up prize pickles at the GAHC+M is Tuesday December 23rd (while supplies last). (We are closed Dec 24th -Jan 1st).

The pickle hunt is on!! 🥒 🎄 ❄️ ⛄

Starting November 20th, search downtown Davenport for hidden pickles!

Find 10 pickles to win a pickle ornament for your own tree and be entered into a drawing for a chances to win downtown gift cards and a Grand Prize Basket. This year`s prize pickles are made out of clay by a local artist.

🏆 Pick up an official card at one of the participating businesses to play. Turn in your completed card into one of the following locations:

🇩🇪 German American Heritage Center (712 W. 2nd St.)
Tuesday – Saturday 10 am – 4 pm
Sunday 12 – 4 pm

📚 Davenport Public Library (321 N. Main St.)
Monday 9 am – 8 pm
Tuesday – Saturday 9 am – 5:30 pm

**the last day to pick up prize pickles at the GAHC+M is Tuesday December 23rd (while supplies last). (We are closed Dec 24th -Jan 1st).
…

Open
🍻 BEER SALE THIS WEEKEND! 
We're marking down our 4 packs to $12.  Build your own 4 pack from our selection of German beers and special brews from Twin Span Brewing. 
➡️ Member price $9.60 

🇩🇪 Our member weekend starts tomorrow Friday 11/21 and goes through Sunday 11/23. Members get 20% off all gift shop purchases this weekend. 

🎁 $25 gift card raffle entry with a purchase. Non-members are welcome!

🍪  Visit us Saturday during Downtown Davenport's Cookie Crawl for special markdowns, new items like holiday chocolates and sweets, FREE cookies, and much more.

🍻 BEER SALE THIS WEEKEND!
We`re marking down our 4 packs to $12. Build your own 4 pack from our selection of German beers and special brews from Twin Span Brewing.
➡️ Member price $9.60

🇩🇪 Our member weekend starts tomorrow Friday 11/21 and goes through Sunday 11/23. Members get 20% off all gift shop purchases this weekend.

🎁 $25 gift card raffle entry with a purchase. Non-members are welcome!

🍪 Visit us Saturday during Downtown Davenport`s Cookie Crawl for special markdowns, new items like holiday chocolates and sweets, FREE cookies, and much more.
…

Open
Unfortunately, we will be closed today, Thursday November 20th until further notice due to a water main break in our area. 

Check our social media pages for updates. We will post when our water turns back on!

Unfortunately, we will be closed today, Thursday November 20th until further notice due to a water main break in our area.

Check our social media pages for updates. We will post when our water turns back on!
…

Open
🧸 We are a Toys for Tots drop off location!

🚂 Bring your new, unwrapped toys and place it in the donation box in our lobby. Donations are accepted until the first week of December. 

🎄Toys for Tots is a program run by the United States Marine Corps Reserve which distributes toys to children whose families cannot afford to buy them gifts for Christmas.

🧸 We are a Toys for Tots drop off location!

🚂 Bring your new, unwrapped toys and place it in the donation box in our lobby. Donations are accepted until the first week of December.

🎄Toys for Tots is a program run by the United States Marine Corps Reserve which distributes toys to children whose families cannot afford to buy them gifts for Christmas.
…

Open
Our member sale is this weekend 11/21-23!

✅ Stop by and get all of your favorites and see our new arrivals. Members get 20% off all purchases Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. 

🇩🇪 All of our ornaments come from Ingeglas imported from Neustadt bei Coburg, Germany. These hand-blown and hand-painted glass ornaments are truly unique and authentic. They make wonderful additions to your collection, or given as gifts.

🎁 All of our ornaments are carefully packaged in Ingelas tissue and boxes to ensure your treasures are safe for years to come. All ornament purchases come with an informational booklet from the manufacturer that explains their family-owned business, the craftsmanship, and process for creating these ornaments.

Our member sale is this weekend 11/21-23!

✅ Stop by and get all of your favorites and see our new arrivals. Members get 20% off all purchases Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.

🇩🇪 All of our ornaments come from Ingeglas imported from Neustadt bei Coburg, Germany. These hand-blown and hand-painted glass ornaments are truly unique and authentic. They make wonderful additions to your collection, or given as gifts.

🎁 All of our ornaments are carefully packaged in Ingelas tissue and boxes to ensure your treasures are safe for years to come. All ornament purchases come with an informational booklet from the manufacturer that explains their family-owned business, the craftsmanship, and process for creating these ornaments.
…

Open
👀 Must-sees at the German American Heritage Center and Museum ⬇️ 

🛂 Immigrant Passport Experience - listen to stories of immigrants who settled in the Quad Cities!

🧳 Immigrant trunk belonging to Miss Frederike Henningsen. She came to Davenport as a young, single woman around 1864. 

👞 Step into My Shoes - hear stories of immigrants and their challenges, sucesses, and impact in the Quad Cities.

🕯️ Immerse yourself into our 1800s restored hotel room. Thousands of German immigrants stayed in our building when it was a hotel. For many, it was their first place they stopped after their long journey from Europe.

🖼️ Visit our rotating exhibition, German Expressionist Prints, to see works by famous artists, Käthe Kollwitz and Max Beckmann. These are on display until December 14th!

👀 Must-sees at the German American Heritage Center and Museum ⬇️

🛂 Immigrant Passport Experience – listen to stories of immigrants who settled in the Quad Cities!

🧳 Immigrant trunk belonging to Miss Frederike Henningsen. She came to Davenport as a young, single woman around 1864.

👞 Step into My Shoes – hear stories of immigrants and their challenges, sucesses, and impact in the Quad Cities.

🕯️ Immerse yourself into our 1800s restored hotel room. Thousands of German immigrants stayed in our building when it was a hotel. For many, it was their first place they stopped after their long journey from Europe.

🖼️ Visit our rotating exhibition, German Expressionist Prints, to see works by famous artists, Käthe Kollwitz and Max Beckmann. These are on display until December 14th!
…

Open
This framed needlework sampler is one of many new objects on display in our permanent exhibition. This piece was brought with Christina Roes when she immigrated to Davenport. 

Framed Needlework Sampler - c. 1840
Christina (Dorric) Roes (1829-1905) created this sampler as a young girl in Mannheim, Germany. Samplers served as references for specific handiwork rather than written instructions. Christina, daughter of Mannheim's wealthy burgermeister, owned a hardware store with her husband Johann. Despite their prosperity in Germany, they moved to America after Christina's brother Yacob wrote home about the U.S. and “painted it with such glowing colors in his letters.” They wanted to spare their youngest sons from Germany's compulsory military training and the constant threat of war. War was always imminent, and Christina feared her sons would be killed in battle.

You can see this artifact up close and learn more about immigrant stories this weekend on our next seasonal guided tour of the museum. This Saturday November 8th, explore the museum with our education coordinator and get a deeper dive into the history of Davenport. The tour is open to the public and included with regular admission.

🧑‍🧑‍🧒 The tour begins at 11:00 am in the lobby. No RSVP required. The tour will last until approximately 12:30.

🇩🇪 Visitors will explore our permanent exhibition, The German Immigrant Experience, along with our two rotating galleries.

🧸 Open to all ages. We have children’s activity kits and sensory kits available at the front desk for visitors to use for free during their visit.

Learn more on our website: https://gahc.org/events/guided-museum-tour/

This framed needlework sampler is one of many new objects on display in our permanent exhibition. This piece was brought with Christina Roes when she immigrated to Davenport.

Framed Needlework Sampler – c. 1840
Christina (Dorric) Roes (1829-1905) created this sampler as a young girl in Mannheim, Germany. Samplers served as references for specific handiwork rather than written instructions. Christina, daughter of Mannheim`s wealthy burgermeister, owned a hardware store with her husband Johann. Despite their prosperity in Germany, they moved to America after Christina`s brother Yacob wrote home about the U.S. and “painted it with such glowing colors in his letters.” They wanted to spare their youngest sons from Germany`s compulsory military training and the constant threat of war. War was always imminent, and Christina feared her sons would be killed in battle.

You can see this artifact up close and learn more about immigrant stories this weekend on our next seasonal guided tour of the museum. This Saturday November 8th, explore the museum with our education coordinator and get a deeper dive into the history of Davenport. The tour is open to the public and included with regular admission.

🧑‍🧑‍🧒 The tour begins at 11:00 am in the lobby. No RSVP required. The tour will last until approximately 12:30.

🇩🇪 Visitors will explore our permanent exhibition, The German Immigrant Experience, along with our two rotating galleries.

🧸 Open to all ages. We have children’s activity kits and sensory kits available at the front desk for visitors to use for free during their visit.

Learn more on our website: https://gahc.org/events/guided-museum-tour/
…

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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