International Quilt Museum

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International Quilt Museum
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International Quilt Study Center & Museum Lincoln NE.jpg
The International Quilt Museum in 2008
International Quilt Museum
Former name
International Quilt Study Center and Museum
Established1997
Location1523 N. 33rd Street
Lincoln, Nebraska
Coordinates 40°49′43″N96°40′25″W / 40.82861°N 96.67361°W / 40.82861; -96.67361
Type Textile museum
Website www.internationalquiltmuseum.org

The International Quilt Museum (formerly the International Quilt Study Center and Museum) is a textile museum at the East Campus of the University of Nebraska–Lincoln in Lincoln, Nebraska. Founded in 1997, the museum moved to its current location in 2008 and houses the largest known public collection of quilts in the world. [1]

Contents

History

The International Quilt Museum was founded in 1997 under the University of Nebraska–Lincoln. The museum began when Ardis and Robert James donated their collection of almost 950 quilts to the university. The museum originally began as the International Quilt Study Center and the collection included Quilts From the Heartland, Mennonite Quilts, World Quilt '98, and Fanciful Flowers. [2]

Originally located inside of the Home Economics Building, the University of Nebraska–Lincoln announced that it would move to a new location. The building would be 37,000 square feet (3,400 m2) large, and would be adjacent to the university's East Campus. [3] Designed by Robert A. M. Stern Architects, ground was broken for the museum in July 2006. [4] [5] The museum officially opened in its new location in March 2008. Upon its opening, the museum had 2,300 pieces of artwork valued at $10 million. [6]

In May 2015, the museum made an expansion to the West side of the building. The addition was 13,200 square feet (1,230 m2) and was made possible by a donation from the Robert and Ardis James Foundation. Additionally, a digital gallery was added. [7] In July 2019, its name was changed to the International Quilt Museum. [8]

Collection

The collection includes early examples of American and European quilts as well as contemporary studio quilts and international quilts. It numbers more than 9000 quilts from over sixty countries, dating as far back as the seventeenth century. Faculty and curatorial staff, visiting scholars and graduate student researchers study the world's quilt heritage at the center, and an ongoing acquisitions program seeks to document the full scope of global quilting traditions. The museum's current focus is expanding the scope of its international and contemporary collections. [9]

The museum publishes catalogues to accompany some of its exhibitions, which have included Wild by Design, Quilts in Common, American Quilts in the Modern Age 1870 - 1940, Perspectives: Art, Craft, Design and the Studio Quilt, and Marseille: The Cradle of White Corded Quilting.

References

  1. ↑ Barbara W. Sommer (2012). Quilt House: The International Quilt Study Center & Museum. University of Nebraska Press. p. 66. ISBN   9780803246461. OCLC   808316452.
  2. ↑ "First showings of James quilts set for 1998". The Grand Island Independent. August 13, 1997. p. 27. Retrieved September 11, 2025.
  3. ↑ "UNL is sewing up funding to give noted quilt collection a new home". Omaha World-Herald. September 4, 2004. p. 16. Retrieved September 11, 2025.
  4. ↑ "New International Quilt Study Center celebrates groundbreaking". Lincoln Journal Star. July 1, 2006. p. 76. Retrieved September 11, 2025.
  5. ↑ "Outdoor sculpture 'Reverie' to be dedicated at quilt museum", University of Nebraska–Lincoln , May 6, 2008
  6. ↑ "Renowned collection now has a home of its own". Omaha World-Herald. March 17, 2008. p. 1. Retrieved September 11, 2025.
  7. ↑ "Quilt House to open expansion". Lincoln Journal Star. May 31, 2015. pp. D2. Retrieved September 11, 2025.
  8. ↑ "Quilt museum's new name reflects growing global reach". University of Nebraska–Lincoln . Retrieved October 13, 2020.
  9. ↑ Kateri Hartman (February 22, 2023). "Quilt Museum preserves fabric of history". University of Nebraska–Lincoln . Retrieved July 21, 2024.
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