Museum History

Highlights from the National Czech & Slovak Museum & Library's history

1974
A group of second and third-generation descendants of Czech immigrants founded the Czech Fine Arts Foundation in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, with the purpose of preserving Czech heritage and culture. The group worked hard to gather Czech cultural artifacts, to share them at local events, and to give talks about Czech culture. 

1978
Their burgeoning artifact and document collections impelled the group to open a Czech Museum in a three-room house. The museum attracted more volunteers and collections.

1981
The collections were moved to a commercial building on the current museum campus with the intention of making them permanently available in public exhibition.

1983
The group acquired a 19th-century immigrant home and moved it to the campus as well. The home was restored and appropriately furnished to the 1880-90 period, and remains one of the institution's most popular exhibits.

1983-1989
The fledgling museum began to employ staff. Local residents of Czech and Slovak descent continued to support the organization financially as well as through collections donations and thousands of volunteer hours. But the organization also began to attract attention, collections, and financial support throughout the Midwest and the nation. The name was changed to reflect this increasing significance.

1992
On July 2, the Congressional Record officially recognized the National Czech & Slovak Museum & Library. By this time, the collections and activities of the museum/library were taxing the original 2200 sq. ft. building beyond its capacity. With admirable foresight, the group's leadership made ambitious plans for organizational growth. An architect created plans for a new 16,000 sq. ft. building, fund raising began.

1993
On October 28, the ground breaking took place for the new building.

1995
Two years later, on October 21, presidents Bill Clinton of the United States, Václav Havel of the Czech Republic and Michal Kovác of the Slovak Republic presided over the current building's dedication, underscoring the international significance of the event and the NCSML. With the new facility in place, the group's leadership turned its attention to raising the level of professionalism in exhibits, collections growth and care, programs, outreach, and audience expansion.

1997
International exhibition, A Thousand Years of Czech Culture: Riches from the National Museum in Prague opened May 24, 1997, attracting more than 30,000 visitors from around the U.S. and the world.

1998
Professionally-designed core exhibit, Homelands: The Story of the Czech and Slovak People, opened.

1999
NCSML hosted its first history and culture conference.

2000
Renovation and remodeling took place on the former museum building to create additional secure, climate-controlled collections storage. In the museum building, the social/rental hall was halved, creating a secure, climate-controlled venue for temporary exhibits. An exciting schedule of temporary exhibits was added to the annual program of events and activities. Library collection doubled with acquisition of Slavic language collection from Benedictine University. NCSML began publication of its history and culture journal, Slovo.

2001
Rapid growth continued, with membership expanding more than 40%, exciting additions to library and museum collections, and increased programming, including a second scholarly conference. NCSML also began the process of acquiring additional property for a combined research center and performing arts center, and initiated a fund raising campaign to build endowment to $5 million by 2005.

2002
NCSML membership expanded to more than 1,900. The long-awaited exhibit, Kroje—Dress for the Dance of Life! opened, and was so popular that it was extended through Jan. 19, 2003. NCSML hosted two special conferences: the annual meetings of the Czech Glass Collectors Guild and the Czech-Slovak Genealogical Society International.

2008
An epic flood inundated the NCSML campus, creating over $11 million in damage.

2009
The NCSML is on the road to recovery. Plans for rebuilding the exhibition center and library are underway.