CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa — Visitors returned to the African American Museum of Iowa for the first time in more than a year to celebrate the museum’s grand reopening.
Closed for renovations since August 2022, the museum, at 55 12th Ave. SE, offered $1 admission as part of its reopening on Saturday, May 11, 2024.
The celebration included self-guided tours through the museum’s permanent exhibit, Endless Possibilities, and new temporary exhibit, Thirty Years of the AAMI, an exploration of the museum’s 30-year history and exhibits.
Spurred by construction of the city of Cedar Rapids flood wall, renovations included relocating the entrance, an expanded lobby with a new reception desk and merchandise counter, and a genealogy lab to research family history.
NewBo City Market announced its $6 million Next Level Local capital campaign at the same time Saturday as the museum’s reopening. That campaign will fund a second level and other changes at the indoor market, 1100 Third St. SE.
NewBo City Market’s $6 million capital campaign was announced at the same time as the African American Museum of Iowa’s grand reopening on Saturday, May 11, 2024. (photo/Cindy Hadish)
The African American Museum of Iowa was started in 1993 by members of the Mt. Zion Missionary Baptist Church in Cedar Rapids.
Constructed in 2003, the museum building was inundated with 5.5 feet of floodwaters during the record 2008 flood and reopened one year later.
As of earlier this week, the museum was just $300,000 shy of its $5 million goal for the renovation, funded in part by grants, corporate donations and hundreds of individuals.
Donations are accepted at: www.blackiowa.org/VIP
Museum hours will be noon to 4 p.m. Tuesday through Friday and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturdays.
Read more: Museum meetup at African American Museum of Iowa and see more photos from the grand reopening, below:
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