116 3rd St SE
Cedar Rapids, Iowa 52401
Hoover museum receives $5 million grant toward renovation
The museum that honors Iowa’s only U.S. president is in the midst of a $20 million fundraising campaign for the renovation
Oct. 7, 2022 4:12 pm
DES MOINES — A $5 million grant will aid an overhaul of the Herbert Hoover Presidential Library and Museum in West Branch, the state announced Friday, the same day former President George W. Bush was in Cedar Rapids to help raise funds for the museum’s renovation.
The grant was issued by the state’s economic development agency through a program that promotes tourism. The grant is funded by federal pandemic relief funding, which Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds originally opposed.
Herbert Hoover is the only U.S. president born in Iowa. The museum features information about Hoover and his wife, First Lady Lou Henry Hoover.
The Hoover Presidential Foundation is in the midst of a $20 million capital campaign to renovate the museum’s permanent galleries and exhibit galleries. The project will include the addition of 2,250 square feet of updated and interactive displays, and a modernized visitor experience, according to a news release from the state.
Former President Bush was scheduled Friday to receive a humanitarian award and headline a fundraiser for the museum. The event was not open to the media, per an agreement with Bush’s staff.
The new $5 million grant is part of the $100 million Destination Iowa program which, according to the state, “invests in transformational projects that will bolster the quality of life in Iowa communities and attract visitors and new residents.”
Other projects that received new grants Friday from the state program include:
- $4.5 million to the City of Mason City and Cerro Gordo County for biking trails and a bike park.
- $4 million to the Central River District Park and Discovery Center in Fort Dodge, which will include meeting spaces, indoor and outdoor classrooms, a large interpretive area, and a scenic overlook of the Des Moines River.
- $600,000 to Cinema Paradiso in Davenport, to turn an unoccupied building into a two-screen movie theater that promises to feature exclusive events attended by actors and local filmmakers.
Projects funded through the Destination Iowa program must be completed by June 30, 2026.
Comments: (515) 355-1300, erin.murphy@thegazette.com
Herbert Hoover Museum and Library entrance. (The Gazette)
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