Northeast Iowa – Discover Iowa’s agricultural heritage at more than 70 museums throughout Silos & Smokestacks National Heritage (SSNHA) Area during Iowa Museum Week, June 9-15, 2014. On April 14, 2014, Governor Terry Branstad proclaimed this week as a celebration of the role museums play in Iowa. With more than 100 Designed Partner Sites sharing America’s agricultural story in this federally designated 37-county region of Northeast Iowa, museums play an integral part in the Heritage Area.
Iowa Museum Week celebrates the crucial role museums play in preserving the historical fabric and memory of the state through preservation of artifacts; providing educational opportunities for all ages; contributing to local/state economies and enriching the community’s quality of life. Iowa’s museums are supported in their missions by the Iowa Museum Association, a statewide association of museums including art centers/museums, botanical gardens, children’s museums, historic sites, historical societies, living history sites, nature centers, natural history museums, zoos, planetariums and science/technology centers. For more information on Iowa museums or the Iowa Museum Association, visit their website at www.iowamusems.org.
A sampling of the story’s being told at Heritage Area museums include: the WINDerful Tales exhibit at the Jasper County Historical Museum, Newton, IA, which showcases the county’s wind energy history through indoor and outdoor exhibits; the rich exhibits at Heartland Acres Agribition Center, Independence, IA, sharing the importance of agriculture and the overall impact it has on everyone; the story of America’s agricultural frontier being preserved through the Ingalls family stories at the Laura Ingalls Wilder Park & Museum, Burr Oak, IA and many more! To find all the Heritage Area museums, visit www.silosandsmokestacks.org.
“Iowa Museum Week is at a perfect time of the year for families to get out and discover the history of agriculture in Iowa,” commented Don Short, SSNHA President. “The Heritage Area’s museums provide agricultural educational resources and programs which develop learning opportunities for all ages.”
SSNHA is one of 49 federally designated heritage areas in the nation and is Affiliated Area of the National Park Service. The Heritage Area covers 37 counties in the northeast quadrant of Iowa. Interstate 80 borders it on the south and Interstate 35 borders it on the west. Through a network of sites, programs and events, SSNHA interprets farm life, agribusiness, and rural communities—past and present.
Topics: Press Releases
Related Attractions:
Heartland Acres Agribition Center
2600 Swan Lake Blvd.
Independence, IA
319-332-0123
