In its 10 years on the University of Nebraska-Lincoln campus, the International Quilt Study Center & Museum has shared its mission with visitors to Lincoln and audiences around the world.
Since opening March 30, 2008, the museum has welcomed more than 165,000 visitors through its doors.
"Quilt House is a beautiful building, but it really comes to life when visitors are here," said Executive Director Leslie Levy. "We love seeing our collection and exhibitions through their eyes."
Visitors have seen a range of exhibitions representing the museum's unparalleled collection of antique American, international and art quilts. The museum has shown solo exhibitions from contemporary artists and makers, including Nancy Crow, Michael James and Shizuko Kuroha. It has also featured works from notable private collectors, most recently the private collection of filmmaker Ken Burns.
IQSCM exhibitions and collections have traveled to museums and galleries nationwide, such as the Taft Museum of Art in Cincinnati, the Brooklyn Museum in New York, Muzeo Museum and Cultural Center in Los Angeles. They have also gone to major quilt events in China, France, Japan and the United Kingdom.
"It’s gratifying to know that our collection is known worldwide," said Curator of Collections Carolyn Ducey. "It’s exciting to build relationships that strengthen our exhibitions and our collections."
As the world's largest publicly owned quilt collection, the IQSCM has grown to include more than 5,500 objects. Dating from the 17th Century through today, they come from more than 50 countries. The museum has added a number of contemporary artists and makers to its collection.
With a well-established base in traditional American quilts, in recent years, the museum has turned its focus to expanding its international collection, with quilts and patchwork representing traditions around the world. With significant collections from Southeast Asia, Southwest China and Central Asia, the museum is currently building its collection of works from Africa.
"Expanding our collection to include as many regions of the world as possible is a top priority," said International Curator of Collections Marin Hanson. "By doing this we are documenting and preserving the story of quilting and patchwork for future generations. In addition, by highlighting the commonalities among various global stitching traditions, we're also creating connections between people, cultures and nations. "
The museum has celebrated significant milestones in its 10-year history. In 2009, the IQSCM received the U.S. Green Building Council's Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Silver rating for its environmentally sustainable building. It earned accreditation from the American Alliance of Museums in 2013. This is the highest national recognition for a museum. And in 2015, the museum opened a 13,000-square-foot expansion, which doubled its gallery and collections storage space.
The IQSCM is celebrating its 10th anniversary with an exciting schedule of exhibitions and programs. Upcoming exhibitions include:
"Singular Fascination", May 4-Aug. 30
"War and Pieced: The Annette Gero Collection of Quilts from Military Fabrics", May 25-Sept. 16
"Color and Contour: Provencal Quilts and Domestic Objects", June 15-Oct. 28
"The Mark Dunn Collection", Sept. 7-Jan. 12
"Cheddar Quilts from the Joanna Rose Collection", Sept. 28-Feb. 10
On May 4 from 4-8 p.m., the museum will hold a block party to celebrate the anniversary with the local community as part of its First Friday festivities. Guests of all ages can enjoy a variety of games, activities and refreshments. The String Beans will perform at 5 p.m.
Guest curator Jennifer Keltner will give a talk during a tea reception at 1:30 p.m. on May 5 to commemorate the opening of "Singular Fascination." Keltner is the publisher and chief visionary officer at Martingale and serves on the museum’s International Advisory Board.
And June 1, Annette Gero will give the Byron and Sara Rhodes Dillow Excellence Fund's International Lecture at 5:30 p.m. The presentation will offer insight into "War and Pieced: The Annette Gero Collection of Quilts from Military Fabrics," a collaborative exhibition between the IQSCM and the American Folk Art Museum in New York City.
“We are immensely proud of what we have accomplished in our first decade as a museum,” Levy said. “But we have only touched the surface. We look forward to developing and expanding our collection, exhibitions and research to serve our global audience.”
To view a full schedule of the museum's upcoming exhibitions and programs, visit http://www.quiltstudy.org.
More details at: http://www.quiltstudy.org?utm_campaign=UNL_ENews&utm_medium=email&utm_source=news&utm_content=Quilt House Celebrates 10 Years