Current Exhibits

There is a lot to see and learn when you visit The History Center in the historic Douglas Mansion. Our permanent gallery showcases a number of unique and interesting artifacts, photos, stories and information regarding the history of Linn County's culture, people, businesses, neighborhoods and more.

*Please note that all exhibits and galleries are self-guided.

Spirited: Prohibition in America

Coming Soon!

(June 18, 2021 - August 11, 2021)

Join us for a Members-Only Preview

Friday, June 18, 2021

6:00 to 7:30 PM

Wine and hors d’oeuvres provided.

In a tumultuous era spanning thirteen years, Americans could no longer manufacture, sell or transport intoxicating beverages. Prohibition was now a part of the Constitution, holding the same status as freedom of speech and the abolition of slavery. Ratified in 1919, the 18th Amendment stirred up a passionate and sometimes volatile debate between “wets” and “drys” that will forever cement Prohibition’s place in history. Spirited: Prohibition in America, a new traveling exhibition from NEH on the Road, brings visitors back to this period of flappers and suffragists, bootleggers and temperance lobbyists, and real-life legends, such as Al Capone and Carry Nation.

Exhibiting Bias

(November 7, 2020 - May 29, 2021)

Iowa prides itself on its history of advancing civil rights ahead of the nation, but progress is rarely a straight line. Iowa's efforts to ensure the rights of women, people of color, the LGBTQ community and others have sometimes fallen short of fully addressing the inequities endured by these groups. Explore the stories of those most often marginalized by history.

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This exhibit is sponsored by Cedar Rapids Bank & Trust.

UFG: A Business of People

(August 1, 2020 - May 29, 2021)

The History Center is happy to announce a new exhibition in the West Gallery in celebration of UFG’s 75 years of successful business in Cedar Rapids. The exhibition will focus on the people who make UFG great and their contributions to the community.

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Sponsored by UFG Insurance