When we learned the National Czech and Slovak Museum & Library in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, was only a 30-minute drive away, we had to visit. Jon’s maternal grandparents were immigrants from Eastern Europe, and we couldn’t pass up a chance to learn more about their history. We refused to let the cloudy skies and rain dampen our drive to Cedar Rapids on October 23, 2023.

Like many museums, the Czech Fine Arts Foundation began small in 1974 with a few volunteers. They gathered artifacts, shared them at local events, and gave talks in the community. In 1978, a three-room house provided space to display their collections and attract more volunteers.

In 1984, the organization expanded by hiring their first employees, securing more funding, and continuing to add to their collections. They also changed the name to National Czech and Slovak Museum & Library.

Over the years, ongoing growth demanded larger spaces until 1993 when the organization broke ground for a new 16,000 square foot building. October 21, 1995, was a big day for the organization. That day, presidents Bill Clinton of the United States, Vaclav Hável of the Czech Republic, and Michal Kovác of the Slovak Republic presided over the new building’s dedication.

The exhibit “A Thousand Years of Czech Culture: Riches from the National Museum in Prague,” attracted 30,000 visitors in 1997. The library’s collection doubled with the addition of Benedictine University’s Slavic materials in 2000. A major renovation and remodel of the building also began that year.

Eight years later, a flood caused $11 million damages to the building and to some of the collection pieces. Restoration efforts continued for three years and in 2011, Expert House Movers relocated the building with much fanfare. The museum reopened to the public in 2012 and became a Smithsonian Affiliate in 2018.

The building now stands 480 feet from its original site and 11 feet higher in elevation, which is 3 feet higher than the height of the flood. Interested in watching a short video of the move? You can find it on YouTube as of this post’s publish date, at this link: National Czech & Slovak Museum & Library (NCSML) Move – June 8th 2011

This is but a thumbnail sketch on the historical timeline of the organization and there is so much more to see at the museum than what we’ve presented here. For more detail, visit the museum’s website: https://ncsml.org/. A virtual tour is also available there.

Seeing the museum in person, though, would be so much more educational and enjoyable. Studying the history of these countries shed light on current problems that exist in countries around the world today. May they all experience peace someday.

If it hadn’t been raining, we would have liked to walk around downtown Cedar Rapids after touring the museum. We settled for a bowl of soup at the Hangry Lady.

Walking to and from the car, we spotted a few unusual sights. Looking for a place to stay in downtown Cedar Rapids? How about this quaint little cottage?

Or, maybe this historic firehouse?

The Raygun store offers an array of clothing, household goods, and art. Looking for an item with a unique saying printed on it? They have plenty of those.

We enjoyed our visit to the Czech and Slovak Museum and Library and would have loved to spend more time in town. Perhaps we will make our way back someday. If we do, the Brucemore Estate, Czech Village and New Bohemia District, Indian Creek Nature Center, Cedar River Trail, and the Palisades-Kepler State Park are on my must see list.

Up Next: Another rainy day in the Amana Colonies

Safe Travels