Past Exhibitions

View our past exhibitions

We are happy to bring new, fresh, exhibitions to the museum multiple times a year. Scroll below to view our past exhibtions.

Past Exhibtions

Some of our exhibitions are available for rental. To inquire about borrowing an original exhibition from the GAHC&M, contact [email protected].

+ Available for rental

What’s New? Recent Acquisitions to the Collection February 15 – June 1, 2025

With You, I Am Myself January 12 – April 6, 2025

Beer Beyond Germany: History of Brewing in the Quad Cities June 2 – October 20, 2024

Immigration Then and Now: Finding Refuge in the Quad Cities May 26 – September 15, 2024

Sweet Treats: German Influence on the QC Candy Industry March 5 – May 19, 2024

Breaking Barriers: Walls Throughout History February 6- May 5, 2024

Art from the Archives September 10, 2023 – February 18, 2024

Klassiks for Kinder: German Toys with Joy August 13th, 2023 – January 7th, 2024

Los Desconocidos: The Migrant Quilt Project May 30th – August 27th, 2023

Todos Somos Luchadores Inmigrantes – We Are All Immigrant Warriors June 13th– August 27th, 2023

Neighbors to the North: German Influence in New Ulm, Minnesota March 12th – July 30th, 2023

+ Preserving a Dyeing Art: German Blueprint September 18th, 2022 – May 21st, 2023

The White Rose Student Resistance Against Hitler: Munich, 1942-43 October 2nd, 2022 – February 26th, 2023

Witness to the Holocaust: The Mattes Family Letters October 16th-November 27th, 2022

Our Neighbors, Our Friends: Unsere Nachbarn, Unsere Freunde February 18th – September 18th, 2022

+ Hidden Habsburgs: Immigrants in Iowa, 1846-1868 April 24th – August 28th, 2022

Jugendstil: Art for All July 11th, 2021 – January 9th, 2022

Power Frauen February 16th – June 14th, 2020

GoldCoast Glass: Works from the German Home November 3rd, 2019 – January 12th, 2020

Better than Sliced Bread: German Scientists and Inventors June 9th – October 27th, 2019

An Austrian Overture: Classical Composers May 19th – September 15th 2019

ON INSTAGRAM

German American Heritage Center and Museum

germanamericanheritagecenter

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

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. …

Happy World Emoji day! What emojis best represent you? We think 🧳🌲📚🍄🍫 represent us pretty well.

Happy World Emoji day! What emojis best represent you? We think 🧳🌲📚🍄🍫 represent us pretty well. …

Collectors & Artist Talk: Fever Dreams
Hear from art collectors David and Sarojini Johnson and artist Joseph Lappie about the Fever Dreams: German Expressionism exhibition featuring German prints at the @figgeartmuseum.

The German American Heritage Center and Museum will stay open until 5 pm for visitors to view German Expressionist Prints from the Johnson Collection at the GAHC+M before heading over to the Figge for an artist talk with the collectors.

Thursday July 24th | 6:00 pm
FREE and open to the public

5:00 p.m. | Bar Open (cards only)
6:00 p.m. | Collectors & Artist Talk

Figge Art Museum | 225 W 2nd St. | Davenport, Iowa

Collectors & Artist Talk: Fever Dreams
Hear from art collectors David and Sarojini Johnson and artist Joseph Lappie about the Fever Dreams: German Expressionism exhibition featuring German prints at the @figgeartmuseum.

The German American Heritage Center and Museum will stay open until 5 pm for visitors to view German Expressionist Prints from the Johnson Collection at the GAHC+M before heading over to the Figge for an artist talk with the collectors.

Thursday July 24th | 6:00 pm
FREE and open to the public

5:00 p.m. | Bar Open (cards only)
6:00 p.m. | Collectors & Artist Talk

Figge Art Museum | 225 W 2nd St. | Davenport, Iowa …

The term "mirror with a memory" coined by Oliver Wendell Holmes Sr. in 1859, refers to the early process of photography. The term's poetic nature helps us reflect on how photographs captures a moment in time, a memory.

This is a circa 1900 photograph of the Lady Germania fountain that once stood at the gateway to Davenport, IA.

Take a moment to look at this image, what do you see? Who do you see? How does this photograph make you feel?

Sadly, the fountain was removed post-WWI in the wake of German-Immigrant discrimination. The date of the fountain's removal is unclear. Today, a reconstructed statue by Jeff Adams honorably stands in its memory.

The term "mirror with a memory" coined by Oliver Wendell Holmes Sr. in 1859, refers to the early process of photography. The term`s poetic nature helps us reflect on how photographs captures a moment in time, a memory.

This is a circa 1900 photograph of the Lady Germania fountain that once stood at the gateway to Davenport, IA.

Take a moment to look at this image, what do you see? Who do you see? How does this photograph make you feel?

Sadly, the fountain was removed post-WWI in the wake of German-Immigrant discrimination. The date of the fountain`s removal is unclear. Today, a reconstructed statue by Jeff Adams honorably stands in its memory. …

Unlock the world of 20th century creative visionaries at the German American Heritage Center and Museum:

Currently on display are 20th century, German Expressionist Prints from the David and Sarojini Johnson Collection. Come visit us now through December 14th to have the chance to see original works from artists like Max Beckmann and Käthe Kollwitz.

Admission is free for the entire month of July. Thank you to Cal and Jill Werner for making free admission possible.

We are open:
Tues-Sat 10am to 4pm
Sun 12pm-4pm
Closed on Mondays

Unlock the world of 20th century creative visionaries at the German American Heritage Center and Museum:

Currently on display are 20th century, German Expressionist Prints from the David and Sarojini Johnson Collection. Come visit us now through December 14th to have the chance to see original works from artists like Max Beckmann and Käthe Kollwitz.

Admission is free for the entire month of July. Thank you to Cal and Jill Werner for making free admission possible.

We are open:
Tues-Sat 10am to 4pm
Sun 12pm-4pm
Closed on Mondays …

Best of the Wurst was amazing! After a day of sampling and voting, this year's winner was the Black Forest wurst from Jerry's Market. 🌭🇩🇪

You can visit Jerry's Market in Moline, IL to get more bratwurst and other delicious foods to take home. Visit their old-fashioned grocery store and butcher shop at
📍1609 17th St, Moline, Illinois.

Thanks to our premier sponsor, Zimmerman Honda for making this event possible. Thank you to WVIK, Quad Cities NPR and Hy-Vee for their in-kind sponsorships.

Also, a big thank you to @twinspanbrewing for collaborating with us and brewing a special hefeweizen, Hefenstein's Monster, for our event! You can get this exclusive brew in cans at the museum gift shop. Prost! 🍻

Best of the Wurst was amazing! After a day of sampling and voting, this year`s winner was the Black Forest wurst from Jerry`s Market. 🌭🇩🇪

You can visit Jerry`s Market in Moline, IL to get more bratwurst and other delicious foods to take home. Visit their old-fashioned grocery store and butcher shop at
📍1609 17th St, Moline, Illinois.

Thanks to our premier sponsor, Zimmerman Honda for making this event possible. Thank you to WVIK, Quad Cities NPR and Hy-Vee for their in-kind sponsorships.

Also, a big thank you to @twinspanbrewing for collaborating with us and brewing a special hefeweizen, Hefenstein`s Monster, for our event! You can get this exclusive brew in cans at the museum gift shop. Prost! 🍻 …

Cans in progress for Best of the Wurst on Sunday! We will have Hefenstein’s Monster, a 5.1% abv Hefeweizen on tap Sunday during the event. Cans will be available in the gift shop to take home 🍻
16 oz, 4 pack is $14.
Museum members get a 10% discount and all purchases are tax free! ☀️
If you haven’t been to @twinspanbrewing, take a trip to the restaurant and brewery and try all of their yummy brews!

Cans in progress for Best of the Wurst on Sunday! We will have Hefenstein’s Monster, a 5.1% abv Hefeweizen on tap Sunday during the event. Cans will be available in the gift shop to take home 🍻
16 oz, 4 pack is $14.
Museum members get a 10% discount and all purchases are tax free! ☀️
If you haven’t been to @twinspanbrewing, take a trip to the restaurant and brewery and try all of their yummy brews! …

Get ready for the 8th annual Best of the Wurst sausage competition, this Sunday, July 13th from 12:00 am- 4:00 pm! Members get in free to this fun competition where you can sample local brats, purchase a variety of delicious food, enjoy an ice cold beer or pop, and vote for your favorite “wurst!” This year we will also ice cream from Here's the Scoop to taste! Live music, ice cream, and balloon twisting are just some of the special activities we have planned. $5 entry per person, kids under 12 and members are free. Tickets are available at the door, cash or card is accepted. Take a look at some of the highlights from last year's Best of the Wurst competition here:

Get ready for the 8th annual Best of the Wurst sausage competition, this Sunday, July 13th from 12:00 am- 4:00 pm! Members get in free to this fun competition where you can sample local brats, purchase a variety of delicious food, enjoy an ice cold beer or pop, and vote for your favorite “wurst!” This year we will also ice cream from Here`s the Scoop to taste! Live music, ice cream, and balloon twisting are just some of the special activities we have planned. $5 entry per person, kids under 12 and members are free. Tickets are available at the door, cash or card is accepted. Take a look at some of the highlights from last year`s Best of the Wurst competition here: …

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