Strawberry Point’s Wilder Memorial Museum to reopen

After being closed for the past year because of COVID-19, the Wilder Memorial Museum, located at 123 W. Mission St. in Strawberry Point, Iowa, plans to have a grand reopening on Saturday, May 29, at 10 a.m.

The museum, which has no connections to the renowned author Laura Ingalls Wilder, features exhibits with thousands of beautiful historical artifacts and antiques in 25 different display areas using about 8,000 square feet.

The museum is known for its extraordinary doll collection and this year the Prairie Rapids Doll Club of Iowa will be especially honored by a recognition plaque for the more than 2,000 volunteer hours they put in renovating the museum's doll collection a few years ago.

The Wilder Museum has one of the best antique doll collections in the Upper Midwest. But the museum can also boast about its other collections, which include a multitude of military items, historical artifacts, Victorian furniture, wonderful 19th-century hanging and “Gone with the Wind” lamps, large exquisite porcelain figurines, dollhouses, and toys. Some of the collection includes lamps made of cranberry glass with hanging cut glass prisms. They have numerous 36-inch tall hand painted porcelain figurines. Some figurines are rare and of French origin while others are Meissen or Dresden. In another display areas the museum has an 1847 loom along with other 19th Century spinning and weaving devices. This area also includes era appropriate quilts. There are numerous Victorian rooms which display elegant furniture and lamps from that period. Military uniforms, weaponry, and equipment also are exhibited. There are a number of huge dollhouses displayed with elaborate furnishings. The extensive “Gone With The Wind” lamp collection include examples with handblown, hand painted shades.

The museum will be open all weekends in May, September and October, and open seven days a week from Memorial Day through Labor Day. Hours are Sunday through Thursday from 1 to 4 p.m., and Friday and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. There is a nominal admission fee.

At this time the museum will ask people to observe social distancing along with the use of face masks and hand sanitizer will be provided at the front door. Call (563) 933-4615 or follow the museum at www.wildermuseum.org.