DES MOINES – March is Iowa History Month and the State Historical Society of Iowa is taking a deep dive into the state’s past with programs and activities.
Today kicks off the month-long celebration with an official proclamation from Gov. Kim Reynolds noting the people, places and points of pride that have defined Iowa for generations.
“Since 1857, the State Historical Society of Iowa has been the official keeper of Iowa’s history,” State Historical Society of Iowa Administrator Susan Kloewer said. “There’s no better time to learn about our state’s rich and complex past than during Iowa History Month, and we encourage Iowans of all ages across the state to join us and discover the stories that have shaped our state.”
Beginning with the proclamation, Iowa History Month offers a wide array of in-person and online programs organized by the State Historical Society of Iowa, a division of the Iowa Department of Cultural Affairs. Iowans and others can tune in to online presentations, take part in family-friendly activities, and take guided tours at the state’s flagship museum, the State Historical Museum of Iowa, 600 E. Locust St. in Des Moines.
Here are a few highlights, including programs and activities during Spring Break, March 10-17:
Iowa History 101
Be sure to register for the Iowa History 101 programs that take place online in March, and throughout the rest of the year.
- March 9, Noon
Uncommon Ground: Grant Wood and Russell Lee’s Divergent View of Iowa - March 23, Noon
Fort Madison in Pre-Statehood Iowa: The U.S. Army as a Predecessor to Anglo-American Settlement
Each program is recorded and made available online. More information is available at Iowa History 101.
Iowa History Book Club
Our 2023 Iowa History Book Club online programs explore a number of books related to Iowa history, from the formative years of the American Midwest and an Iowan’s ties to Oskar Schindler to First Lady Lou Henry Hoover and the suffrage movement. Here’s the schedule for March and future months:
- March 30, 7 p.m.
“The Good Country” by Jon Lauck - May 11, 7 p.m.
“Saved by Schindler: The Life of Celina Karp Biniaz” by William B. Friedricks - Sept. 7, 7 p.m.
“A Woman of Adventure: The Life and Times of First Lady Lou Henry Hoover” by Annette Dunlap - Nov. 30, 7 p.m.
“Woman Suffrage and Citizenship in the Midwest, 1870-1920” by Sara Egge
Spring Break Activities during Iowa History Month
- March 10 and 13-17, 9 a.m.-4:30 p.m.
Drop-in Activity Stations - March 14, 10 a.m. and 2 p.m.
Family Exhibit Tour of “Iowa’s People and Places” - March 15, 9:30 a.m.
Goldie Family Day Camp
(Register in advance) - March 16, 10 a.m.
Family Museum Collection Tour
(Register in advance) - March 16, 2 p.m.
Adult Museum Collection Tour
(Register in advance)
Goldie’s Kids Club
Participate in Goldie’s Kids Club online to introduce Iowa history to children ages 12 and under – starting with Goldie the eastern goldfinch, the state bird.
- March 4, 10 a.m.
History Mystery Live
Learn about objects related to Women’s History Month. - March 4, 10 a.m.
Innovative Iowans
Learn about the Great State Seal of Iowa. - March 15, Open hours
Storytime
Read “Ten Beautiful Things” by Molly Beth Griffin.
Iowa Culture App
Download the Iowa Culture App to discover historic sites in neighborhoods from all 99 Iowa counties.
Visit the State Historical Museum of Iowa
- The State Historical Museum of Iowa offers visitors numerous opportunities to explore exhibits, including “Iowa and the Civil War,” “Hollywood in the Heartland” and “Hands on History.” If you can’t visit in person, tour the museum’s “Iowa’s People & Places” virtual exhibit from your home.
Iowa History Research Center
- Explore the newly renovated State Historical Library & Archives Iowa History Research Center at the State Historical Building in Des Moines, now open 9 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. Wednesday – Friday. Visitors will find numerous upgrades and improvements and can dive into collections filled with state government records, books and periodicals, newspapers, county records, manuscripts, photographs and more.
- Iowans can also access the Iowa History Collections Catalog, a unified, user-friendly online catalog that provides greater access to the state’s collection of more than 200 million pieces of Iowa history, available to anyone with an internet connection, anywhere in the world.
“History Happens Here” T-shirt
- Show your support of Iowa history with an History Happens Here T-shirt and other merchandise from Raygun.
For more information, visit iowaculture.gov or call 515-281-5111.
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