Flood Relief Fund

Image of: Iowa University Museum of Art under water
University of Iowa Museum of Art
Credit: Tom Jorgensen, University Relations

Image of: Ice House Museum under water
Ice House Museum in Cedar Falls, IA
The Association of Midwest Museums (AMM) has established a Flood Relief Fund to assist museums in the Midwest affected by the damaging floods. You can help by making a tax-deductible donation to the Association of Midwest Museums — Flood Relief Fund. It appears the most significant damage to museums has occurred in Iowa, particularly those located in communities in the path of the Cedar River flooding, most notably Cedar Falls, Waterloo, Cedar Rapids, and Iowa City. Initially, we intend to target donations to help affected museums in Iowa; however, several state, regional and national organizations are working together to assess the damages to museums in other states, including Wisconsin, Illinois, and Missouri.

Museums and relief organizations are still trying to assess the damage, but it is clear that the extent of the damages is significant in various parts of the Midwest. While affected museums are struggling to salvage their collections and archives, they must also contend with a disruption of operating revenue due to closure. These museums will need assistance to help with the clean up, conservation of their collections, and administrative support.

The AMM Flood Relief Fund is being launched with $1,000 donated by individual members of the AMM Board of Directors. Additional support from the museum community is needed and encouraged! AMM will coordinate with the American Association of Museums and other national organizations to publicize this initiative and help raise funds.

AMM will work with the Iowa Museum Association to distribute funds where the need is greatest for affected museums in the state of Iowa. AMM will also work with other state museum associations in the region, such as the Wisconsin Federation of Museums and Illinois Association of Museums to identify museums impacted by the flood that are in need of assistance and target funds where the need is greatest.

If you would like to contribute to the AMM Flood Relief Fund, please send a check (made payable to AMM) by August 31, 2008 to: AMM, PO Box 11940, St. Louis, MO 63112 or click Donate.


Flooded Museums Need Supplies
As museums affected by the floods sort through the damage, they will need supplies to care and conserve their artifacts and archives. Please consider making a contribution of archival materials to these museums. Following are some suggested items - please augment this list with items you use in the daily care and storage of collections. If you wish to purchase supplies from Gaylord Archival to be shipped directly to the collection points noted below, be sure to use discount code #5048 to receive a 15% discount.
  • Rolls of Melinex
  • Archival acid-free lignin free boxes
  • Rolls of unbuffered acid-free tissue
  • Acid-free magazine holders
  • Archival pens
  • Acid-free boxes in any size for textiles, papers, artifacts
  • Envelopes and sleeves
  • Folders
  • Archival cleaners

Please ship your supplies (via FedEx or UPS) to the Cedar Falls Historical Society, 308 West Third Street, Cedar Falls, Iowa 50613 or Brucemore, 2160 Linden Drive SE, Cedar Rapids, IA 52403. In each box, please include your name, contact information and a complete list of supplies you are sending. Donated supplies will be available to any museum or cultural organization that needs them.