There will be two extra reasons for the German American Heritage Center & Museum in Davenport to celebrate this fall.

Its assistant director and curator, Clare Tobin, will be honored by the Iowa Museum Association (IMA) as a 2023 Rising Star Award recipient. And the GAHC&M (at 2nd and Gaines streets) will be part of hosting the annual IMA conference, with a kickoff event Oct. 1, 2023.

Clare Tobin has been GAHC assistant director since October 2021.

The Western Illinois University Museum Studies program — with the Figge Art Museum and the Putnam Museum — will host the 2023 Iowa Museum Association (IMA) Annual Conference, “Power of Place: Celebrating our Museum Community.”

The conference will take place Monday-Tuesday, Oct. 2-3 (split among the Figge and Putnam, and WIU-QC campus in Moline) with a kickoff at the German American Heritage Center Sunday, Oct. 1.

The IMA Rising Star Award recognizes people who have worked or volunteered in the Iowa museum field for 3-5 years and have helped their museum broaden its audience through engagement activities.

Clare Tobin is one of two recipients in Iowa of this year’s award; the other is Kristin Glomstad-Yoon, curator of historic collections for the National Mississippi River Museum and Aquarium in Dubuque.

Tobin is a graduate of St. Ambrose University (2019) and the WIU-QC’s Museum Studies Graduate Program (2021).

“I have worked with many assistant directors in my 12-year tenure as executive director of GAHC and now Vice President of Museum Experiences at the Putnam Museum and Clare stands out as a tireless worker and advocate for her museum and the possibilities that the GAHC&M can achieve,” said Kelly Lao, according to the IMA in announcing the award.

Kelly Lao is former executive director of the GAHC&M, 712 W. 2nd St., Davenport.

“She is a role model for other young professionals in what you can achieve with thoughtful and consistent work in the field,” Lao said.

Tobin has worked to bring diverse immigrant stories and voices to the museum in fulfillment of its mission to share the immigrant experience, the IMA said. She worked with community groups and local and national artists to co-curate shows such as “Our Friends Our Neighbors: Tapestry Farms,” which was recognized by the Consul General of Germany in Chicago. This collaboration connected the GAHC&M with local, recent immigrants to the area and shared stories of diverse and unique immigration experiences that reflect commonalities with the German immigrant experience.

Tobin was instrumental in getting a traveling Immigrant Quilt exhibit from Arizona, “Los Desconocidos: The Migrant Quilt Project,” which displays and captures modern immigrant issues as well as the collaboration with artist Miriam Alarcón Avila in the exhibition “Todos Somos Luchadores Immigrantes — We Are All Immigrant Warriors.”

The latter exhibit is an exploration that shares the connections between immigrants of German origin and Latino immigrants who have moved throughout the American continent and have established themselves in the U.S.

Brian Allen is current executive director of the German American Heritage Center (photo by Jonathan Turner).

“Clare Tobin wears many hats in her role as assistant director at the German American Heritage Center and strives for excellence in everything she does,” GAHC executive director Brian Allen said. “She curates thoughtful exhibitions, creates meaningful programs, and engages the community by running the social media and weekly communications.”

“I can think of no better way to prepare professionals for successful careers than to provide them opportunities to learn from and network with current leaders in our industry,” WIU Museum Studies Director Heidi Lung said of the October conference in the QC.

“The Iowa Museum Association is the only professional organization supporting museums and museum professionals in Iowa. Hosting this event on the WIU Quad Cities campus is an honor and privilege,” she said.

The conference schedule includes:

  • Sunday, Oct. 1, from 6-8 p.m., kickoff event to the 2023 Iowa Museum Association Annual Conference at the German American Heritage Center and Museum in downtown Davenport. Snacks, appetizers and beverages will be provided to all attendees.

Optional activities include a modified version of the “Haunted Walking Tour” around a historic neighborhood at 6:30 p.m. and a guided tour of the permanent exhibition, “The German Immigrant Experience” at 7:15 p.m.

  • Monday, Oct 2: Sessions will divide between the Figge Art Museum and the Putnam Museum in Davenport; attendees will hear from keynote speakers, attend breakout sessions and participate in informal networking opportunities. Lunch will be at the Figge Art Museum.
  • Tuesday, Oct. 3: The WIU Museum Studies program will host conference attendees at the WIU Quad Cities campus with views overlooking the Mississippi River. Attendees will hear from keynote speakers, attend breakout sessions and be given opportunities to meet with industry experts and businesses.

The deadline to register for the conference is Wednesday, Sept. 20. For assistance registering, contact or (319) 239-2236.