Remember the museums of your childhood? Although I have been to many wonderful modern museums, I still have the image of a dusty, cram packed room full of hundreds of artifacts when I read/hear the word “museum”. So, when my husband suggested a trip to Nebraska to the International Quilt Museum as a bribe for me to agree to a trip to the minor league ball parks in Lincoln and Omaha, I wasn’t that excited. In fact, I told him, “Just take me to several quilt shops and I will be happy”. Sometimes, the excitement of creating another quilt is more satisfying than looking at what someone else has done. I had been to Paducah, Kentucky to the National Quilt Museum…could anything beat that? But he was insistent that we go after he read that the Museum has the largest collection of quilts in the world. So, I looked the International Quilt Museum up online. Guess What??? The featured exhibit was The Joanna S. Rose Red and White Collection!
Oh, my goodness! The fates were smiling at me! I had wanted to see these quilts since 2011 when this collection of 651 red and white quilts were shown in New York City. Joanna Rose’s husband had arranged for her to see all her quilts together as an 80th birthday present. The quilts were displayed so fanciful, so non-museum like. The photos below are from the https://folkartmuseum.org/exhibitions/infinite-variety-three-centuries-of-red-and-white-quilts/.
Since I wouldn’t be able to see the exhibit and knowing my love of red and white quilts, my daughter-in-law gave me the hardbound book containing all the quilts and photos from the show. My favorite quilt book!
After Mrs. Rose’s death, all 651 quilts were donated to the International Quilt Museum and 80 were on display when we were Lincoln. How lucky was I? I would have set through ten games in the July heat to see these quilts!
Right off the cover of the book–Oh I would have loved to meet this artist!
Take aways from this exhibit—simple is as striking as elaborate, even the best quilters make mistakes and lived with them, and put a label on your quilt so later generations know a bit about you!
This was the high light of the visit, but the Museum is great—nothing like the museums of yesteryear. The building is light and airy with open spaces between displays. (Lesson here for quilters, our eyes/brain needs space to appreciate designs/colors in a quilt.)
The Museum came about with the donation of hundreds of quilts by Ardis and Robert James to the University of Nebraska. This University was chosen because the James had close ties to one of the professors of Fiber Arts. The main purpose of the Museum now is to catalog and preserve these fabric treasures. There are over 6,000 quilts. A quilt is only shown once in every ten years; the other nine years it is kept in a acid free container at a specific temperature and refolded every two years.
Three main galleries showcase three different types of quilts. The first gallery was international items –a story quilt from Africa, a whole cloth quilt of silk from China, a quilted flag from a former British colony.
I sent this photo to my daughter who had served in Uzbekistan with the Peace Corps and the room divider reminded me of photos she had sent me.
The middle gallery contained more of the traditional antique quilts I had expected.
A huge quilt that had celebrated the Chicago World’s Fair huge in this gallery—it was one of thousands that were entered in a contest by Sears and Roebuck. It didn’t win. But look at the hand quilting and the detailed appliqué.
The third large gallery was devoted to contemporary quilts. This was my favorite–made by a male U of N professor/artist.
Small displays were in hallways — graphic designs on the main floor and on the third floor a charming group of 30’s to 50’s floral quilts.
We chose to join a docent giving a tour but it would not have been necessary to have enjoyed the museum. There was a small gift shop. We spent a couple of hours –my husband’s feet were finished and I was satisfied and inspired. So–if my husband manages a trip to the College World Series in Omaha some spring, we will go through Lincoln—it will be an entire new group of quilts on display!
Best of all I shall live by Joanna S. Rose’s quote-
“Quilts look better when you have a lot of them”
Quilts, Etc. 
What a wonderful experience for you, Judith! Thanks for the tour!
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