Caucus Iowa interactive exhibit to open at the State Historical Museum October 5

Posted on October 4, 2007 in Iowa Caucuses, Politics by DM

caucus iowa banner image Updated: Exhibit photos on Webshots - this thing is COOL!

The State Historical Museum will put Iowa’s unique brand of citizen-democracy on display beginning October 5 when it opens “Caucus Iowa,” a new 10,000-square-foot exhibit that explores the history of the Iowa caucuses. (CaucusIowa Exhibit website)

Open through January 2009, the exhibit offers museum visitors a first-hand look at the Iowa caucuses – how they work, why they work, their affect on candidates and how they differ from every other step to the White House. It also features interactive polling kiosks, documentaries, an issues forum, and voter registration.

The State Historical Museum is at 600 E. Locust Street in Des Moines’ Historic East Village. Hours are 9 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Monday-Saturday and Noon-4:30 p.m. Sunday. Admission is free and open to the public. More information is available at www.iowahistory.org.

“Caucus Iowa” showcases the Iowa caucuses’ rise to national prominence in the 1970s and explores the “retail politics” in a typical coffee shop and recreates a gymnasium and living room on caucus night. The exhibit also includes interactive kiosks where visitors can vote on issues and be part of a special straw poll of current candidates.

The exhibit also examines the impact the media has had on the caucuses transforming it into an international event. A public forum space will be available to political campaigns, groups, organizations and schools for special programming.

One of the first events hosted in the exhibit space will be the Caucus Iowa Political Button Show on October 6 from 9 a.m. - 2:30 p.m. (free admission), presented by the American Political Items Collectors. APIC is a non-profit membership organization, dedicated to promoting the collection, preservation and study of materials relating to political campaigns and the U.S. presidency. Meet up to 15 individual collectors who will be sharing their vast political collections of pins and other memorabilia. APIC will also offer independent appraisals of your own political treasures.

Also, author Brad Koplinksi will be selling and signing his book, Hats in the Ring, a compendium of in-depth interviews with past presidential candidates.

Share this with friends: These icons link to social bookmarking sites where readers can share and discover new web pages.