Iowa Reptile Rescue is hosting a Chili Cook Off at the main stage. Come & check out the fun! 

Judging will be Sunday at 2pm and there will be a chili feed after.

Come out to the Comedy Cooperative's Annual St. Patrick's Day show! Featuring many of Des Moines' funniest comedians, the show includes all new video, sketch, and standup comedy. Check it out at the Stoner Theater, Saturday, March 13 at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $10 at the Civic Center box office, or through Paypal at www.comedyco-op.com.

Why The Sky? Because Jupiter is bigger than 1,000 Earths! Looking for a great way to spend Spring Break? Check out the Science Center of Iowa's newly enhanced space-themed experience platform, Why the Sky! And it comes free with general admission to SCI! Here's what's new- NEW EXHIBIT! Magic Planet® Travel the world in a whole new way with this amazing new permanent exhibit! With its stunning sphere-shaped display, this digital video globe makes it easy to understand dynamic global systems –whether it’s climate, the biosphere, geologic history or any other global topic. NEW LIVE PROGRAM! Martian Rock SCI is proud to present the world premiere of Martian Rock, an SCI-original science theater program based on the book by Carol Diggory Shields. Join a pair of martians in the Star Theater as they blast off to each of the planets in our solar system looking for life. Check SCI’s daily schedule for this enchanting new program! NEW STAR THEATER SHOW! Black Holes Investigate a place from which nothing escapes, not even light; where time and space literally come to end in BLACK HOLES: The Other Side of Infinity. You’ll zip through other-worldly wormholes, experience the creation of the Milky Way Galaxy, and witness the birth of a black hole in this new 25-minute planetarium show inside SCI’s Star Theater. Don't forget to see new photos of Iowa native, NASA Astronaut Peggy Whitson, and check out one of her actual space suits from a previous mission! All to complement the release of the IMAX Film, HUBBLE, opening Friday, March 19th. Have a fun-filled Spring Break at The Science Center of Iowa starting March 13th!

Iowa's first all women Roller Derby league will host be hosting a March "Mixer"- girls from other leagues in Iowa (Cedar Rapids, Iowa City, Oskaloosa) will travel to Des Moines to split (randomly) into 4 teams to create a double header. Canned goods donated will go to the Des Moines pantry. Tickets available at Skate South

For more information: Dave Sigmund at 210-5224.

On the heels of one of the most exciting nights in mixed martial arts, Midwest Cage Championship has announced the date for their upcoming event. The fight card is already shaping up as fan favorite, Josh "Bull" Christensen (6-2) has agreed to take on "Mean" Dean Bradley (4-2); the heavy handed slugger who just netted the second fastest knock out in MCC history with his destruction of Mike Downey at MCC 24: "Reloaded". In the co-main event of the evening, five-time UFC veteran and Des Moines native, Kevin "The Fire" Burns (7-4) returns to his hometown on his quest for dominance as he takes on one of the hottest up and coming prospects in the game, Justin DeMoney (11-1). Tickets Tickets on sale now! Ticket Prices: $50, $40, $35, $25

Burst Training is a type of exercise that boosts your metabolism and increases weight loss very effectively. It involves exerciseing at a high intensity for 30-60 seconds in order to burn your body's stored sugar, followed by 30-60 seconds of low impact for recovery. This causes your body to burn fat for the next 36 hours to replace your body's vital energy stores. Burst training is effective for all levels because you can do whichever movements work for you. No need to buy a gym membership, you can do this at home or when you are traveling!

Game Divisions: 4v4 Halo 3 & 4v4 Modern Warfare 2 Registration Fee Discounts Available Registration Deadline: 5 p.m., March 11, 2010 Prizes: TBA (you will NOT be disappointed!) - About Jet Set Studio - You’ve experienced our local gaming events at the GoG 5,000 Party, Cyber Ops, Science Center of Iowa, Boston’s Restaurant, Children & Families of Iowa’s Kidsfest, and maybe have seen the big events we’ve been a part of around the country. Whether you saw Jet Set Studio working with BlackBerry at IBM Lotusphere, Massive Inc. in NYC, E3 in LA, or MLG Pro Circuit events around the country...we’re excited to bring this experience, increased prize packages, and pure gaming fun back to the Midwest with the 1st Annual Iowa Pro Gaming Challenge! REGISTER YOUR TEAMS TODAY! Contact us for sponsorship opportunities - IowaProGamingChallenge@GatheringofGamers.com

 March 13, 11 a.m. — The Search for Amelia Earhart. Presenter Rob Blocksome, a Rockwell Collins engineer, has been involved in the search for Earhart’s airplane that crashed in 1937.

All programs are hosted at the museum, 75 E. Army Post Road. For more information, call 282-8060 or go online to www.fortdesmoines.org.

Find alternative approaches to improve your life. Tools you need to start living this decade the way you want. Free workshops; 100+ exhibitors; keynote speakers! For further information/details: www.edgelife.net.

The Friends of the Des Moines Botanical Center have rounded up some of the area's most highly regarded plant & growing experts for this year's Learn on Saturdays Garden Talks. The program continues through March 27. Each week a visiting expert will tackle a different topic. Most sessions feature two topics, each by a different presenter. The sessions are free with the center's regular entry fee of $5 for adults & $4 for seniors. Center members, volunteers & badge-wearing master gardeners do not have to pay. For more information go to www.botanicalcenter.com or call (515) 323-6290. 

Growing Garlic and Salad Greens by Larry Cleverley, 10 a.m., March 13; 11 a.m., All Kinds of Clematis for Iowa Gardens by Rita Minard.

This is a local show. People can visit with hundreds of vendors directly involved with the home builders and home improvement industry. Real-life local experts will give you tips and ideas on making the most of your home or realizing your dreams for a brand-new one! Contact Info: Terry Doling at (515) 251-4800 or terryd@showplacekitchens.com.

This exciting 2-day event is a mix of laughter, music, and stories that will touch your heart. Bring your friends, family, co-workers, neighbors—any woman you know who needs a new perspective . . . a new enthusiasm . . .

Valene and Coleman, two brothers living alone in their father's house after his recent death, find it impossible to exist without the most massive and violent disputes over the most mundane and innocent of topics. Only Father Welsh, the local young priest, is prepared to try to reconcile the two before their petty squabblings spiral into vicious and bloody carnage. Wear green to the St. Patrick's day performance (March 17) and get in for $10!

Super Golf Sale is comprised of local and national golf dealers, wholesalers, distributors, and retailers. They will be selling the brands you trust like Taylor Made, Ping, Callaway, Cleveland, King Cobra, Nike, and many more. The selection is unheard of and the prices are up to 80% off

The Easter Bunny will be in Center Court to visit with boys & girls. Ride the Bunnyland Express train for only $1! Bunny’s hours are Monday-Saturday 10am - 8pm & Sunday 11am - 6pm. Valley West Mall will be closed Easter Sunday.

Dinosaurs are amongst the most fascinating animals to have ever walked the Earth. We are captivated by their enormous size and intrigued by the fact that they disappeared millions of years ago. Done in close collaboration with the foremost scientists of the domain, this film shows groundbreaking computer-generated footage of the Giganotosaurus and the Argentinosaurus. It takes audiences on an unprecedented and unique journey into the world of the largest known dinosaurs and, in the process, explores some of the great paleontological discoveries of modern time. 

Days/Times:

Thursday, March 11: 11am, 1pm & 6pm

Friday, March 12: 10am, Noon & 2pm

Saturday, March 13: 9am, 11am, 1pm & 3pm

Monday, March 15: 10am, Noon & 2pm

Tuesday, March 16: 11am, 2pm

Wednesday, March 17: 10am, Noon & 2pm

Thursday, March 18: 11am, 1pm & 6pm

Performing at The House of Bricks: 

Mar. 11: THE PROMISE, PEACE, LOVE & STUFF, ALL THE RIGHT MOVES, TBA- 5pm - All Ages - $5 - Rock (advance tickets available directly from the bands)

Mar. 12: FREEBASE, LOST APPARITIONS, DAVID GOES TO BOARDING SCHOOL, SEA OF TREES - 5 pm 

Mar. 13: DEAD HORSE TRAUMA, LOST NATION, EMEMY WITHIN 5pm - All Ages - $5 - Rock 

Mar. 13: COLDFILTERED - 9:30 pm - Rock 

Mar. 14: THE BLACK DAHILA MURDER, OBSCURA, AUGURY, HAPESPERE - 5 pm - All Ages - $15 - Rock $ 13 advance tickets available at www.midwestix.com.

Mar. 17: AQUA MARINE DREAM MACHINE, AUTOCRAT, MOOD BESIDE - 5pm - All Ages - FREE - Rock

Join Blue Moon Dueling Piano Bar and Restaurant for drinks, excitement and musical entertainment by Brad Heron, CD Thomas and Dean Madonia. These performers will keep you captivated and on your feet all night long! Enjoy $5 martinis, $5 glasses of wine, $5 Crown drinks, $3 Captain drinks and NO COVER!

Rock to the music of the Beatles in an all new, interactive, concert experience where the audience creates the playlist for the night... EVERY NIGHT! Everyone has a Beatles song attached to an event in his or her life. Share yours with the band and help create the night's playlist. Through laughter and personal stories, Yesterday and Today connects the audience and performers in a way like none other. Each performance becomes a unique and remarkable event. With dead-on musical precision, the Playhouse will be immersed in the sights, sounds, and memories of the 1960s. Don't miss it!

Costaki began to make some noise in the business by reaching the finals of the Seattle Comedy Competition, where he was invited to the prestigious Montreal Comedy Festival. He was just one of ten finalists in Comedy Central’s Laugh Riots national talent search. Over the years, Costaki has performed in 47 states, covering the country’s best clubs, dozens of colleges & some of the worst bars in America. Also a talented writer, Costaki’s jokes have appeared on The Tonight Show, The Late Late Show & Best Damn Sports Show Period. He was a writer for BET, where he was staffed on two of their hit shows. He wrote jokes for Bette Midler’s Kiss My Brass tour. Costaki spent Spring Break one year in Cancun writing on the MTV show Parental Approval. He also wrote daily for The Complete Sheet, a DJ prep service that goes out to almost 500 stations worldwide. But he is easily best known for “The Economonologue,” a weekly segment on the Bob & Tom Radio Show that reaches over 5 million people in 150 markets. This national exposure has opened the door to Costaki’s dream: people coming to see his live performances “on purpose.”

Written and performed by Bo Eason and directed by Larry Moss, RUNT OF THE LITTER opens in the final hour of Jack Henry's lifelong dream, only one thing stands in his way -- his brother. The play looks at what happens to two brothers in a family of over-achievers: when their parents assure their oldest son he is destined for football superstardom, and tell their youngest son he is too small to compete, a line in the family sand is drawn that colors the rest of their lives. Runt of the Litter is, in fact, a semiautobiographical account of Bo Eason's life and career as a defensive back for the Houston Oilers in the 1980s, where he played safety. His determination and killer instincts on the playing field remain the stuff of legend. His brother, Tony Eason was the quarterback who led the New England Patriots to the Super Bowl in 1986. It debuted in New York in 2002 and has subsequently been performed by Bo Eason at theatres around the country. Please note: only children age 5 and over with tickets will be allowed into the theater for this production.

Cheer on Iowa's Best Singers! Vocal Hero is a $10,000 singing competition with a $5,000 grand prize. Tuesdays through April 20, Finish Line Show Lounge @ Prairie Meadows. All contestants must have previously qualified to participate. For more information: www.prairiemeadows.com.

IHSAA Boys State Basketball Tournament presented by the Iowa High School Athletic Association

Featuring a variety of works created by 15 students in Drake's Art and Design Department, the exhibit will run through Sunday, March 28. This year, 79 works were submitted for consideration. Jill Featherstone, museum education director of the Des Moines Art Center, selected 23 for the exhibition. Matt Selsor, exhibit curator and director of the Anderson Gallery, and the Art and Design Department faculty selected a final work for inclusion as the winner of the Provost's Purchase Prize. "I looked for works that demonstrated a competency in execution while retaining an emotional impact," Featherstone said. "I also wanted to recognize works in every program represented by Drake's Department of Art and Design." The exhibit will showcase art by the following students: •Hannah Boom, a senior graphic design, magazines and art history major from Manchester, Iowa •John Cannon, a senior graphic design major from Eldridge, Iowa •Jennifer Cerna, a sophomore psychology major from Milford, Kan. •Andrew De Broux, a senior graphic design major from Windsor Heights, Iowa •Amanda Rae Bruns, a senior drawing major from Newton, Iowa •Alexandra Doffing, a senior advertising and graphic design major from Hastings, Minn. •Meredith Gallivan, a senior graphic design major from Byfield, Mass. •Hannah Hoffman, a junior graphic design and international business major from Whitefish Bay, Wis. •Tatiana Klusak, a junior advertising and graphic design major from Tiverton, R.I. •Olivia Lansing, a senior graphic design major from Delwood, Minn. •Trisha Lightfoot, a senior advertising and graphic design major from Shenandoah, Iowa •Ashley Machacek, a senior painting major from Arvada, Colo. •Ashley Pettit, a senior drawing and graphic design major from Fort Benton, Mont. •Haley Tatom, a sophomore painting and psychology major from Anchorage, Ala. •Sandra Tomer, a senior graphic design major from Ames, Iowa The Anderson Gallery is open from noon to 4 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday. For more information about the exhibit, contact Matt Selsor at 515-271-1994 or matt.selsor@drake.edu. Search Archive Title and ContentTitleContent Go Go to ArchiveLatest News 03/09/2010 Education dinner to honor five outstanding educators 03/04/2010 Drake series to feature leterpress demonstration 03/03/2010 Drake signs exclusive agreement with Licensing Resource Group 03/03/2010 Greater Des Moines recognized as Track Central USA 03/02/2010 Drake pharmacy professor presented with leadership award 03/02/2010 Grad students help launch literacy program at Polk County Jail 03/02/2010 Student-athletes named to the Pioneer Football League Academic Honor Roll 03/02/2010 Professor LouAnn Simpson named university marshal 03/01/2010 Drake Students in Free Enterprise to host 'Brand Yourself' workshop 03/01/2010 Human-rights advocate to give Drake lecture on Survivorship Stories of War

AVATAR takes us to a spectacular new world beyond our imagination, where a reluctant hero embarks on a journey of redemption, discovery and unexpected love, as he leads a heroic battle to save a civilization. Days/Times: Friday, March 5: 1pm, 4pm & 7pm Saturday, March 6: 1pm, 4pm & 7pm Sunday, March 7: Noon & 3pm Monday, March 8: 3pm Tuesday, March 9: 3pm Wednesday, March 10: 3pm Thursday, March 11: 3pm & 7 pm Friday, March 12: 4pm & 7 pm Saturday, March 13: 4pm & 7pm Sunday, March 14: Noon & 3pm Monday, March 15: 3pm Tuesday, March 16: 3pm Wednesday, March 17: 3pm Thursday, March 18: 3pm & 7pm Friday, March 19: 3pm

From the dazzling coral reefs of the Bahamas to the wind-swept seas of Patagonia, DOLPHINS takes audiences under the water's surface for a romp with inquisitive Atlantic spotted dolphins, acrobatic dusky dolphins, & the familiar bottlenose dolphin of Flipper fame. From rarely seen fish-herding behavior to a close-up look at complex communication activities, DOLPHINS will give audiences a fascinating new perspective on the lives of dolphins & their remarkable intelligence. Days/Times: Wednesday, March 3: 11am; Noon, 2pm & 3pm Thursday, March 4: 10am; Noon, 1pm, 3pm & 5pm Friday, March 5: 10am & Noon Saturday, March 6: 10am & Noon Monday, March 8: 10am, Noon & 1pm Tuesday, March 9: 10am, Noon & 1pm Wednesday, March 10: 11am, Noon & 2pm Thursday, March 11: 10am, Noon & 2pm Friday, March 12: 11am, 1pm & 3pm Saturday, March 13: 10am, Noon & 2pm Monday, March 15: 11am & 1pm Tuesday, March 16: 10am, Noon & 1pm Wednesday, March 17: 11am & 1pm Thursday, March 18: 10am, Noon & 2pm Friday, March 19: 11am, 2pm & 4pm

The Great Frame Up is hosting a special fundraising exhibit for HOPE International thru March 31st to help rebuild Haiti after the devastating earthquake. Talented local artists have joined with The Great Frame Up to create a special art exhibit to benefit Haiti. Proceeds from the sale of the originals in the collection will go directly to HOPE International for Haiti and a local charity. This is a wonderful art exhibit with proceeds benefiting Haiti. Local artists featured who have donated their artwork for the event include Jill Wells of Indianola, Bill Gordon of Clive, Jane Robinette of Urbandale and many others.

Beginning March 1, learn to skate; classes are pay as you go!
Just $12 per class! No 4-week session commitment needed...drop in as your schedule (and the weather) permits.
For further information: www.brentonplaza.com.

The Gallery Show of Timothy Florer will be on display during the month of March at St. Mark Lutheran Church, 1115 Grand Avenue in West Des Moines, Room 113 in the east lobby, as part of its Fine Arts Program. The display is open to the public during office hours and during worship services, Saturdays, 5:30-6:30 p.m. and Sundays, 8:30 a.m. – noon. His medium is black and white photography; on display will be works from his first two books: Rural Iowa Ruins and Against The Current. Tim began a serious endeavor into fine art black-and-white photography in 2000. Since 1974, Tim sold life insurance and annuities in rural Iowa and in his travels, he witnessed the decline of rural structures and small towns. He felt the need to capture images of these structures before they became extinct. This mission evolved in 2002 into Tim’s first book, Rural Iowa Ruins. Using the same format, Tim’s second book, Against the Current, was published in 2003; a photographic study of the Upper Mississippi Valley. Tim has had solo shows on the west coast and Midwest, and his works are on display at major corporations and museums. He has been the featured photographer in The Iowa magazine 2005 calendar. He is also the co-founder and director of the 4-H Camera Corps.

Finding themselves suddenly orphaned, Henry, Jessie, Violet, and Benny Alden band together and make a home for themselves in an abandoned railroad car. Based on the book by Gertrude Chandler Warner.

Robyn O'Neil: The World Has Won. A Final Bow Was Taken is a survey exhibition devoted to the Omaha-born, Houston-based artist's work.

First Steps Dance classes are designed to introduce children to the fundamental skills of dance at a cost and time commitment that is minimal to parents. All classes are led by Jennifer McCullough, an instructor who has taught dance for over 12 years. Let your child learn basic dance movements in a non-threatening, recreational environment! Beginning Tap Class NEW! Bring in the Noise!!! Students are introduced to the fundamentals of tap and the foundation of rhythm. The focus is on basic technique and terminology. Students develop body awareness and the ability to express themselves through movement. The program fee covers all 6 weeks of instruction and a long-sleeve t-shirt. Basic children’s tap shoes are available for purchase at The Theatrical Shop in Valley Junction, Mark’s Dancewear in Johnston, or on-line through many retailers. Date(s): Mondays, February 22-April 5 (no class on March 15) Time(s): 6-6:30pm Program #: 10761 Time(s): 6:45-7:15pm Program #: 10762 Location: Raccoon River Park Nature Lodge Ages: 4-6 Fee: $30 PRE-REGISTRATION IS REQUIRED!

Olson-Larsen Galleries will host an opening reception for a group show of artwork by Blair Benz, Karen Chesterman, Mary Koenen Clausen, Peter Feldstein, and Jeanine Coupe Ryding. This event is free and open to the public. The exhibition will be on display through April 3. Butterflies, moths and flowers populate the intricate charcoals of Blair Benz. Benz achieves impossible depth and richness in his small still lifes, which sometimes include landscape elements. His work has been shown in the Gallery of Art in Eugene, Oregon, the Iowa Artists Exhibit at the Des Moines Art Center, and the Midlands Invitational 2000 at the Joslyn Art Museum in Omaha. Karen Chesterman’s recent oil paintings feature hints of unreadable script, Asian symbols and geometric elements. These components both contrast with and complement their backgrounds—the rich, vibrant color fields Karen creates using layers of thin oil paint. Karen’s works hang in Midwestern galleries, private collections, and institutional collections in banks, hospitals, and corporate offices, including those of American Republic Insurance and Kirke Financial Services in Des Moines. Mary Koenen Clausen’s collages are complex and contemplative. Figures composed of mismatched heads and bodies float among animals, icons, musical notes, and foreign texts on backgrounds of thickly layered paint. She was part of the Iowa Artists show at the Des Moines Art Center in 1991 and has been in group shows in Kansas City, Boston, and New York as well as at the Davenport Art Museum and Augustana College in Rock Island, Ill. The most recent series of Peter Feldstein’s inkjet prints feature layers of abstract shapes that appear to be moving and morphing into new configurations. Peter writes that his images “provide an anchor for reflection upon, and hopefully understanding of, my place in my macro community.” Peter’s work has been exhibited at The Center for Creative Photography in Tuscon, the Walker Art Center and the Rhode Island School of Design. In Jeanine Coupe Ryding’s woodcuts, layers of colors, patterns, and shapes are arranged into rhythmic compositions. Her most recent series emphasizes natural imagery such as vines, flower blossoms and leaves. Her prints are in the collections of the Boston Museum of Fine Arts, Des Moines Art Center, New York Public Library, Amoco Corporation, Marshall Fields Company, and Hallmark, Inc. All exhibition works can be viewed at www.olsonlarsen.com on the EXHIBITS page.

Center’s Dome will be filled with brightly colored bulbs, including tulips, daffodils, alliums, hyacinths and a variety of unusual bulbs, February 15-March 31. The garden design is inspired by There was an Old Woman Who Lived in a Shoe and will include a giant shoe, porch swing and children’s toys. Easter lilies will be incorporated for the holiday and children can visit with the Easter Bunny and live animals including bunnies, chicks and ducklings on March 20. Visitors to the Des Moines Botanical & Environmental Center in 2010 will be welcomed with a new horticultural and educational experience as the gardens transform throughout the year, all inspired by popular children’s stories, including Dr. Seuss, Charlie Brown and Eric Carle books. “Story Time in the Gardens” includes seven plant bed changes in the Dome – many bringing the stories alive with life-size props – educational activities, theme-related gift shop items, Riverwalk Café menu choices and special events, all inspired by children’s books. The theme continues into the Show House, with four unique, seasonal designs, and outside to the Herb Garden which is open May through September. Please visit the Des Moines Botanical & Environmental Center throughout the year to see each new garden. The Des Moines Botanical & Environmental Center is a family-friendly environment with plenty of free parking and wheel chair accessible. The Des Moines Botanical & Environmental Center is open daily, 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. The Des Moines Botanical & Environmental Center is one of the most popular cultural attractions in Iowa, providing educational, recreational, and community resources to thousands. More than 150,000 visitors visit the Des Moines Botanical & Environmental Center to see over 200 different kinds of tropical and household plants in the Dome. The Des Moines Botanical & Environmental Center is operated by Des Moines Water Works.

Running out of ideas for winter entertainment for the kids? Your Altoona Hy-Vee has the perfect solution. Every Monday from February 15 until March 15, we will be holding Fun-Day Mondays upstairs in the Club Room from 5-6:30 pm. There will five, themed sessions that will include fun activities, crafts, snacks and games. Your kids will also come home with instructions on how to make the crafts/snacks on their own for a later date! Feb 15- Winter Olympics Feb 22- Oscar Night March 1- PJ Party March 8- Spring Fling March 15- St. Patty's Day Party Please call 967-7676, or stop by Customer Service to register. Please register by 5 p.m. the Saturday before the session you wish to sign up for to ensure we have plenty of supplies and food. Payment is due at time of registration.Classes will be held on the second level of the store in the Club Room. Please drop off your child five minutes early, and pick-up no later than 6:45 p.m. at the Club Room.

Schedule too busy for a 13 week course? Come try our new and exciting mini courses. A wide variety of materials are used in each course to create one complete work of art. The possibilities are endless! Each course meets for TWO Saturday sessions. Ages 6-8 and 9-12 African Masks - February 13 and 20 Gnome Homes and Fairy Houses - February 27 and March 6 Papier Mache Animals - March 27 and April 3 Impressionistic Landscapes - April 10 and 17 Puppet-Making - April 24 and May 1

Artists of the Saturday afternoon Sketch Club.
RECEPTION: Sunday, Feb. 28, 1 - 3 p.m.

“The Dolls of Japan: Shapes of Prayer, Embodiments of Love is sponsored by The Japan Foundation. Japanese dolls reflect the customs of Japan and the aspirations of its people, possess distinctive regional attributes, and over the centuries have developed in many diverse forms. Dolls also provide a showcase for traditional Japanese craft products, such as textiles. In “The Dolls of Japan,” dolls are grouped according to particular events in the Japanese calendar, their method of manufacture, their design and regional characteristics. Included are Japan’s representative dolls, including Hina ningyo (Girls’ Festival dolls) and Gogatsu ningyo (Boys’ Day dolls), which have their origins in ancient customs; dolls connected to traditional performing arts like noh, bunraku and kabuki; regional dolls from throughout the country; and “creative dolls” produced by contemporary craftspeople.

The exhibit traces the history of ACT, Inc. – originally known as American College Testing Program – to a meeting of co-founders E.F. Lindquist, a University of Iowa professor and national expert in educational measurement; Ted McCarrel, UI Director of Admissions and Registrar; and 16 state representatives who met in Iowa’s Old Capitol on the University of Iowa campus on Aug. 21, 1959. That event founded the American College Testing Program, now known as ACT, Inc. The display includes a timeline of major events in ACT history and artifacts from ACT’s past including test documents and components from early test scoring machines. Visitors can also view an audio-video display with recordings from early leaders describing how the organization evolved.