HoubyDaysBooklet 2025 digital - Flipbook - Page 27
National Czech & Slovak
Museum & Librar y
In 1974, a group of descendants of Czech
immigrants founded the Czech Fine Arts Foundation in Cedar Rapids, with the purpose of preserving Czech heritage and culture. The
group worked to gather Czech cultural artifacts, to share them at local events, and to give talks about Czech culture.
By 1978, they opened the Czech Museum & Library, in a
house in Czech Village. The collections grew and in 1981, the collections were moved to a larger building near the 16th Avenue bridge.
In 1984, the group acquired a 19th-century immigrant home, restored
it and moved it next to the museum. Plans began for a new 16,000
sq. ft. building and fund raising began.
On October 21, 1995, then President Bill Clinton, along with,
Václav Havel of the Czech Republic and Michal Kováč of the Slovak Republic presided over the new building’s dedication. The
NCSML continued to add more items to its artifact and library collections. That progress was halted with the Flood of 2008, which
caused more than $11 million in damage. Eight feet of water flowed
through the museum and library. Some of the damaged artifacts and
books were cleaned, repaired and restored.
To protect the building from future flooding, the museum and
library board pursued the idea of moving the physical structure (all
1500 tons of it) from its location near the Cedar River to a site 480
feet away and 11 feet higher. The newly elevated and expanded museum and library opened its doors with a Grand Opening celebration
July 14-15, 2012. Today, the NCSML features five gallery spaces, a
research library and archives, an award-winning museum store, and
more. Information about upcoming programs and events can be
found at www.NCSML.org.
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