Davenport, Iowa (October 10, 2013) - Another new exhibition will be opening at the Figge Art Museum. This Saturday, just in time for Halloween, the Figge is pleased to welcome Medieval Monsters to the second floor gallery. The exhibition will explore how images of monsters in the European Middle Ages embodied fears, expressed ideologies and exercised the medieval imagination.

Included in the exhibition will be rare illuminated manuscript pages and stained glass from the collections of Augustana College, Rock Island; Saint Louis Art Museum; Olin Library Manuscripts Collection, Washington University in St. Louis, as well as several other public and private collections.

Curated by Sherry C.M. Lindquist, Ph.D., assistant professor of art history at Western Illinois University, the exhibit offers an opportunity to see rarely viewed artistic treasures, and the remarkable monsters that manifested through the hands of medieval artists. Monsters that personify our particular fears of the unknown, of technology run amok and of the end of the world that pop up in unexpected contexts.

Medieval Monsters is sponsored by John Deere and will be on view through December 15.

About the Figge Art Museum

The Figge Art Museum is located on the riverfront in downtown Davenport at 225 West Second Street. Hours are from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Tuesday through Saturday and Sundays 12-5 p.m. Thursdays the museum is open until 9 p.m. Admission to the museum and tour is $7. Admission is free to Figge members and institutional members and free to all on Thursday evenings from 5 p.m. - 9 p.m.. To contact the museum, please call 563.326.7804, or visit www.figgeartmuseum.org.

-end-

Visit every floor, peek into closed rooms, and satisfy curiosity through this all-access pass to the Brucemore Mansion during the Nooks and Crannies Tour - November 7 and 21 at 6:00 p.m. Marvel at the Skinner pipe organ room, discover the architectural oddities in the attic, and experience the sight and sound of a "rain storm" in the basement Tahitian Room. Examine the superior craftsmanship and learn about ongoing preservation work. The tour is not recommended for children under ten or individuals who have difficulty walking or climbing stairs. Admission is $15 per person and $12 per Brucemore member. Space is limited; purchase tickets online at www.brucemore.org or by calling (319) 362-7375.

The Nooks and Crannies Tour is part of Brucemore's Thursday Night Lineup. Every Thursday night, Brucemore will feature a different specialty tour focusing on topics for all interests, including arts and culture, Midwestern industry, gardening, landscape design, architecture, preservation, behind-the-scenes at Brucemore, and growing up in the early twentieth century. For more information on the Thursday Night Lineup or the fall schedule, visit www.brucemore.org or call (319) 362-7375.

About Brucemore

Experience Brucemore, an unparalleled blend of tradition and culture, located at 2160 Linden Drive SE, Cedar Rapids, Iowa. At the heart of the historic 26-acre estate stands a nineteenth-century mansion filled with the stories of three Cedar Rapids families.  Concerts, theater, programs, and tours enliven the site and celebrate the heritage of a community.  For more information, call (319) 362-7375 or visit www.brucemore.org.

 ###

Children are invited to Brucemore for a festive and memorable evening of holiday tradition?Santa, Snacks, and Stories on Sunday, December 1 and Tuesday, December 3 from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. The Mansion's holiday décor and the estate's seasonal spirit add to the evening's activities. In the Visitor Center, children will be delighted by caroling and a snack making station. In the Mansion, children will participate in a craft, listen to holiday stories, and give Santa their wish-lists. In between activities, children and parents are invited to view the first and second floors of the Mansion and to ask any questions to the available stationary guides.

Admission is $7 per child and $5 per child of a Brucemore member. One adult is free per child admission; each additional adult is $5.  Space is limited; purchase tickets online at www.brucemore.org or by calling (319) 362-7375. Santa, Snacks, and Stories is sponsored by US Bank.

Experience Brucemore, an unparalleled blend of tradition and culture, located at 2160 Linden Drive SE, Cedar Rapids, Iowa. At the heart of the historic 26-acre estate stands a nineteenth-century mansion filled with the stories of three Cedar Rapids families.  Concerts, theater, programs, and tours enliven the site and celebrate the heritage of a community.  For more information, call (319) 362-7375 or visit www.brucemore.org.

 ###

The Friends of the Muscatine Art Center are seeking donations of wreaths and gingerbread houses for this year's Festival of Wreaths.

Each year, the Festival of Wreaths event raises over $5,000 to help keep the arts alive in our community! Funds raised by this event provide vital support to the Friends of the Muscatine Art Center, a 501(c)(3) organization that sponsors hundreds of art classes, outreach programs, guided tours and special events that spark the imaginations of students and families in the Muscatine area.

Each wreath, table-top tree, door swag, table centerpiece or gingerbread house must be the creative masterpiece of the participant. Greens should be artificial. If any lights are included, the lights must be new. All wreaths and other donated items will be auctioned by bid during the Gala Finale on Saturday, November 16th. Creators should provide a title for each piece submitted for auction. The deadline to sign up is October 10, 2013. Items are due to the Art Center by October 30, 2013 and will be on public display from November 7th through 16th.

A panel of judges will give awards for best wreath, best gingerbread house, best holiday décor and best student submission. Judges will evaluate creativity, artistic implementation, effort and presentation. Attendees will vote for the People's Choice Award - presented at the close of bidding during the Gala Finale.

For more details, contact the Muscatine Art Center at 563-263-8282.

The Muscatine Art Center is located at 1314 Mulberry Avenue in Muscatine, Iowa. Hours are Tuesday through Friday from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Thursday evenings until 7:00 p.m., and Saturday and Sunday from 1:00 to 5:00 p.m. Admission is free. Donations are appreciated.