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Time to lift local museums from obscurity
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Last week I made the point that many of our great festivals could benefit by working together to trying and cross-pollinate each other's loyal customer base. Chances are that if someone comes to the Quad-Cities for one festival event, they might visit another one -- if they knew about it. If they came to town for one day, maybe we could get them to stay for two or three. But any gains that might be made there pale in comparison to the benefits that could be realized if our local museums did the same thing. We have many great museums. Some labor along on a shoestring because they don't have the finances to promote themselves. But what if they banded together to promote one another? Here's a test. Without looking at the accompanying list, how many museums can you count in the Quad-Cities region? Five? 10? Is 15 a stretch? Actually, the number that I came up with after some work is 37!! There are probably some that I have overlooked. Some are obvious and draw many visitors. The John Deere Pavilion, for instance, is one of the top tourist attractions in Illinois. The Figge is the top art museum in Iowa. Every school child in the region has been to the Hauberg Indian Museum and the Karpeles Manuscript Museum displays some of the world's rarest documents. The Iowa 80 Trucking Museum is right on America's Main Street with tens of thousands passing by each day. Rock Island County history is safely tucked away at the Historical Society Museum. But there are others that are well worth a one-time visit or a periodic trip just to see what is new. The problem is that some we have never heard of, some are off the beaten path and some, sadly, remain too obscure for the great history they preserve. Recently Joe Taylor, president of the Quad Cities Convention and Visitors Bureau, launched a trial balloon suggesting that a new home be considered for the Rock Island Arsenal Museum. It was just an idea, but in his mind a way to create greater visibility for, and more traffic to, this historic museum. I wonder how many of you even know that there is a museum on the Rock Island Arsenal that is home to many artifacts of significant national historical importance? I have lived in the Quad-Cities quite some time and raised a family here, yet I have not yet been to half of the museums on the accompanying list. I suspect that is the case with most of you. What we need to do is get visitors to one museum to also visit others. Luring in Quad-Citians should be the first test, but there is a great opportunity to share those who visit from out of town too. What if every person who visited one of the museums was handed a brochure that detailed all of the others? What if every museum had a big display inside the door promoting exhibits at other museums? What if the website for every local museum had links to all of the others? What if each had its own social media following and used it to promote the other museums and their special activities as well? What if every museum guest received a punch card and when you had visited all 37, you get a weekend on the town -- all expenses paid by the museums. A key to some of these sites -- which are open only on a part-time basis -- is getting information out about when guests are invited. Others need to constantly remind visitors that they exist. They are all amazing resources, filled with priceless displays from which we can learn endless lessons. Of course that should come as no surprise given the history-rich area in which we live. Museums and living activity centers attract a unique type of visitor who likely will be attracted to similar attractions elsewhere. It's not rocket science to think that they could effectively work together to promote their many great offerings to a shared audience. Why that isn't already happening throughout the Quad-Cities region is a question they all should be asking each other. Roger Ruthhart is managing editor of The Dispatch and The Rock Island Argus. He can be reached at rruthhart@qconline.com. Q-C area museums ILLINOIS * Hauberg Indian Museum, Rock Island * Bishop Hill Historic Site * John Deere Pavilion, Moline * Colonel Davenport Home, Arsenal Island, Rock Island * Karpeles Manuscript Museum, Rock Island * Rock Island Arsenal Museum, Rock Island * Center for Belgian Culture, Moline * Fryxell Geology Museum, Augustana College, Rock Island * Galesburg Railroad Museum, Galesburg * Geneseo Historical Museum, Geneseo * Jenny Lind Chapel, Andover * John Deere Planetarium, Augustana College, Rock Island * Rock Island County Historical Society Museum, Moline * Martin House Museum, Fulton * Heritage Canyon, Fulton * Carl Sandburg Historic Site, Galesburg * Dutch Windmill, Fulton * Deere-Wiman House, Moline * Butterworth Center, Moline * Deere & Co. Administrative Center, Moline * Discovery Depot Children's Museum, Galesburg * Galesburg Historical Society Museum, Galesburg * Warren County Historical Museum, Monmouth * Wyatt Earp Birthplace, Monmouth * Ronald Reagan Birthplace, Tampico * Illinois Citizen Soldier Museum, Galesburg IOWA * Putnam Museum and Nat. Geo. Giant Screen, Davenport * Village of East Davenport * Figge Art Museum, Davenport * German American Heritage Center, Davenport * Buffalo Bill Museum, LeClaire * The Family Museum, Bettendorf * River Music Experience, Davenport * Jackson County Historical Museum, Maquoketa * Clinton Engines Museum, Maquoketa * Iowa 80 Trucking Museum, Walcott, Iowa * Dan Nagle Walnut Grove Pioneer Village, Long Grove 
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Today is Friday, May 24, the 144th day of 2013. There are 221 days left in the year.
1863 -- 150 years ago: A military escort will be at the square at 9 a.m. tomorrow forthe funeral of Lieut. Joseph Eaton. The county judge is absent in Chicago, which willaccount for his not being in the procession.
1888 -- 125 years ago: Rock Island's City Council last night appropriated $95,000 forexpenses for the 1888 and 1889 fiscal year.
1913 -- 100 years ago: Mrs. F.W. Reimers last night was re-elected president of the RockIsland Musical Club at a meeting in the New Harper Hotel.
1938 -- 75 years ago: Seven members of Boy Scout Troop 21 got their Eagle badges lastnight. They were Ralph Hurt, Robert Nelson, Howard Schersten, Cecil Nelson, RobertFryxell, Clarence Stone and Rollin Hurt.
1963 -- 50 years ago: Mayor Morris Muhleman has resorted to a form letter in an effort toanswer objections to the wheel tax increase. "It was my hope that I could, in some way,restore the faith of the citizens in our city. In order to do this I knew I must face the factthat I would become very unpopular."All they are trying to do is protect the citizensproperty and build their town.
1988 -- 25 years ago: RICCA, the Rock Island County Council on Addictions, inconjunction with the Quad City Downs, will hold its annual "Night at the Races" June 2.The benefit "Night at the Races" will raise funds locally to assist in maintaining the twohalfway houses, New Hope Lodge (for women) and Beacon House (for men).
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