A Hidden Gem: Karpeles Manuscript Library Museum

Editor's Note: The Karpeles Manuscript Library and Museum permanently closed in 2023 

There’s treasure to be found in the repurposed historic Church of Christ Scientist building located in Rock Island’s Broadway Historic District.  And it needs to be found.

For more than a decade, this marvelous architectural facility has housed the Karpeles Manuscript Library and Museum. The museum is one of 11 locations across the United States created, collected and curated by David Karpeles and Marsha Karpeles.  Their collection is described as the largest private holding of more than a million historically significant original manuscripts from the fields literature, science, religion, political history, exploration, and the arts.

The Rock Island collection includes permanent and rotating exhibits. While I had visited the museum before, on a recent weekday, I stopped in yet again to see what new exhibits would bring to light.

I was delighted to discover another facet of Amelia Earhart’s career, as March is Women’s History Month.  Infamous for her aviation career and disappearance, Earhart also was a fashion designer. Ahead of her time, she sought to create affordable clothing for women of all sizes who led active lives.  Sold in such stores as Marshall Field’s, the line did not take off when it was introduced during the Great Depression. 

As I moved about the exhibit space, I found an 1885 proclamation from President Grover Cleveland regarding violence in Tacoma, WA, and the expulsion of Chinese settlers from the city.  Cleveland warned that military force would be used if anti-Chinese agitation did not cease. With anti-Asian violence rearing its ugly head in more recent years, this document provided historical context for this abhorrent piece of United States history. 

While this particular exhibit was a reproduction of the original documents, many of the documents that are on display at any given time are originals.  Regardless of which are on view at any given time, the handwriting, signatures, historic language and context are invaluable for learning more about the featured subjects and fostering a desire for further exploration.

Another hidden jewel of the Karpeles collections are the mobile museums.  One that made an impact on me was the Just a Normal Day of School Classes that I viewed at the Moline Public Library at the beginning of the 2021 fall semester.  It features a  report card from courses taught by several well- known scientists including Max Planck and Albert Einstein, providing new insights into these STEM legends.

The jewel case of the collection is the building itself, which can be rented for weddings and special events.  The museum’s dome is as wondrous as the manuscripts found within.  The wood and decorative lighting in the event space enhances the ambience.  While not typically open to the general public, the staff on occasion will permit visitors to view this magnificent space.

Visitors will find the knowledgeable staff ready and willing to answer any questions and to provide tours, if they have been scheduled in advance.  The museum is ideal for adults, but also a wonderful find for school aged students and families who will want to explore the museum’s collection of communication devices, including antique telephones.  

Stop in and visit T-F 10:30 am-3:30 pm and Sat-Sun 10-4. While this museum is a valuable asset in our community, admission is free.

What manuscript will you determine to be the crown jewel of our local Karpeles’ collection?

Lisa Powell Williams is a local retired public services librarian and a museum aficionado with a passion for history and the arts.