Iowa Quilt Museum
The Iowa Quilt Museum welcomes quilters, quilt lovers, history buffs, and all appreciators of American art and culture. Our mission is to promote appreciation of the American quilt and the art of quilting through displays of quilts and information about quilt history. The museum changes its exhibit every few months, so there is always something new to view at the museum.
The Iowa Quilt Museum is located in an historic building on the south side of the Winterset square, recognized on the National Register of Historic Places as of January 2016 (along with the entire Winterset Courthouse District). The building was originally a hardware store in 1886. In the early 1900s, H. N. Shaw moved his dry goods store from the west side of the square to this site.
From 1931 to 1997, the J. C. Penney department store was in business here. In 1997, Adel & Winterset Appliance occupied the building, followed by Islandcarragh Rose gift shop, and then Lori Nordstrom Photography. Redeemer Church of Winterset held its church services in the building for a number of months before it was purchased for use as the Iowa Quilt Museum in 2015.
Fundraising for the new museum began in the spring of 2015, with an eye to opening in mid 2016. Prior to opening, several important alterations were needed to make the space appropriate for quilt display. A new concrete floor was poured over the vast dirt one in the basement. Twin HVAC units that keep the humidity at 50%, perfect for textiles, were installed. Walls and ceilings were repainted, and light fixtures were replaced with museum quality LEDs. Moveable walls that would increase our available space for display were designed and built. Lastly, the beautiful wood floors were refinished. Antique items throughout the building are native to Madison County, such as the treadle sewing machines on loan from Tony Jacobson and the Madison County Historical Museum, display cases from historic local merchants, and a four-poster bed from the Madison County Historical Society, currently in use for a “bed-turning” display of additional quilts.
The IQM Board is proud to be writing the next chapter in our historic building’s history, one that we hope will leave a lasting legacy in Winterset. The Iowa Quilt Museum gives visitors to Madison County yet one more reason to spend time in a classic, rural town center.
Category: Arts & Entertainment
Hours
Monday: 10:00 AM – 5:00 PMTuesday: 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Wednesday: 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Thursday: 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Friday: 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Saturday: 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Sunday: 12:00 – 4:00 PM
Contact
68 E. Court
Winterset, IA 50273
(515) 462-5988
