International Quilt Study Center & Museum

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International Quilt Study Center & Museum, Lincoln, NE, USA

The International Quilt Study Center & Museum http://www.quiltstudy.org at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln in Lincoln, Nebraska is the home of the largest known public collection of quilts in the world.

The International Quilt Study Center & Museum was founded in 1997 when native Nebraskans Ardis and Robert James donated their collection of nearly 950 quilts to the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Their contribution became the centerpiece of what is now the largest publicly held quilt collection in the world.

Through private funds from the University of Nebraska Foundation and a lead gift from the James family, the center opened in its new location in 2008. The glass and brick “green” building, designed by Robert A.M. Stern Architects, houses more than 3000 quilts, as well as state-of-the-art research and storage space, and custom-crafted galleries.

The new facility enhances the center’s ability to pursue its mission: to collect, preserve, study, exhibit, and promote discovery of quilts and quiltmaking traditions from many cultures, countries, and times.

The quilts range from outstanding early examples of American quilts to contemporary studio quilts and international quilts. The comprehensive collection now numbers more than 3000 quilts from twenty four countries, dating from the early 1700s to the present.

The museum is located at 1523 N. 33rd Street in Lincoln, NE (zip 68502). Galleries are open Tuesday-Saturday 10:00 A.M. to 4:30 P.M. and Sunday 1:00 - 4:30 PM. Admission is $5 for adults, $3 ages 5-18, Free under 5, two adults with children $10.

The International Quilt Study Center & Museum is an academic program of the Department of Textiles, Clothing and Design in the College of Education and Human Sciences at UNL. The department offers a unique masters degree in Textile History with a quilt studies emphasis, which is the only program of its kind in the world.

The plaza sculpture “Reverie” was created by artist Linda Fleming and commissioned by the family of Betty Duncan: Robert Duncan, Dianne Duncan Thomas and Kathryn Duncan.

Academic Program

A unique graduate program in quilt studies is offered via the International Quilt Study Center [1] in Lincoln, Nebraska, USA. The University of Nebraska-Lincoln Department of Textiles, Clothing and Design offers a "hybrid" distance delivery masters program that allows students to concentrate their coursework in textile history with a quilt studies emphasis. This graduate program is offered through a combination of distance technology and on-campus instruction. Students need access to a computer with the capability to download materials from the Internet and an e-mail address. Students are able to complete coursework at times convenient for them in addition to having multi-way interaction with the instructor and other students in class. Students are required to come to the Lincoln campus for one semester (January-May) and for the internship presentation and final oral examination at the conclusion of their program. In consultation with a faculty adviser, each student plans an individualized course of study linking his/her background interests with the research or creative interests of departmental faculty and the educational resources of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. This non-thesis degree option is a 36-credit hour program. Up to nine graduate credit hours may be transferred from another fully accredited institution in the field of textiles, clothing and design or in a supporting field such as history, art history of museum studies subject to the approval of the supervisory committee. Who should consider this program? Students with an undergraduate degree in history, art history, American studies, or women's studies are best prepared for this masters program. Therefore, they are given preference for admission when applications are reviewed. The program is designed for persons interested in analyzing the complex ways gender, class, ethnicity, aesthetics, politics, religion and technology find expression in the textile arts, quilt making traditions, design and culture. Graduates of this program are prepared for careers or career advancement in museums, historic houses, galleries, auction houses and government agencies in the areas of collections care and management, education and research.