*OPENING*
Helping Shape America:
German Americans in the U.S. Congress from 1789 to the present

On December 6, 2011, the German-American Heritage Museum will open its newest exhibit: Helping Shape America: German Americans in the U.S. Congress from 1789 to the present.

The German-American Heritage Museum has joined with the U.S. Capitol Historical Society to create a new series of exhibits on the contributions of German Americans to the historyof the United States Congress. This 14-panel exhibit tells the story of two of the first three German Americans in the First Congress -Frederick and Peter Muhlenberg of Pennsylvania - with information about the Congressional Study Group on Germany, the German-American Caucus, and current Members of Congress with German ancestry.

German Immigration to the US:
1600-Present

For almost 400 years, Germans have been helping build America. Since the arrival of the first Germans in Jamestown in 1608, German-Americans have distinguished themselves through their cultural, economic, scientific and political contributions to life in the United States.

German Music in the US

The exhibition takes a look at the role of German music and musical life throughout the history of German immigration and Germans living in America.

America & Germany: The Shaping of Images in Poetry and Prose

America, the land of unlimited possibilities" has always held a very special place in German literature, hearts and minds. This small exhibition illustrates how captivating stories about America and German bestsellers in the US have shaped the images of both countries.

German Families and Clubs

Our exhibition on German families and clubs offers our visitors the unique opportunity to learn about German club life and history in the US and personal accounts from German immigrants.

Germany Today

This multimedia kiosk in cooperation with the German embassy in Washington, Deutsche Welle and the German National Tourist Board informs visitors about Germany as it is today.

Dec 6 - Feb 26, 2012
On Exhibit
Helping Shape America:
German Americans in the U.S. Congress from 1789 to the present

Read the "Germany.info" article here.

Oral History Research Project

The German-American Heritage Foundation of the USA® (GAHF) asks for your support in researching and preserving the rich heritage of German-American immigrants and the many achievements they have made in building the United States.
We are implementing a cutting-edge research project as a valuable source for academic research and foster common knowledge about the role German-Americans have played in history.

The project is funded through the European Recovery Program, a German governmental program to foster transatlantic relations.By recording, evaluating, archiving and publishing audio-visual testimonials from Americans of German descent, we are following our primary mission of preserving the rich cultural heritage of German- Americans.

To learn how you can get involved, please contact info@gahfusa.org.

The Heritage Museum has partnered with the American Association of Teachers of German (AATG) to develop educational programs and resources for students and teachers of German. The museum also welcomes school classes to visit the museum on field trips.