AMES, IOWA – April 29, 2024 – The Farm House Museum, University Museums affiliate, Iowa State University (ISU), 601 Farm House Lane, Ames, Iowa, will have its roof replaced this May along with exterior painting and repair. The museum will be closed to the public during the project, which is scheduled for May 13 through May 31, 2024.  

At 160+ years, the Farm House Museum is the oldest building on campus. It is a National Historic Landmark and campus icon. The Farm House Museum has weathered many storms, including the 2020 derecho. Though the building sustained minimal loss in the derecho, during inspections in the weeks following, evidence was presented that it was time to invest in major roof repairs, exterior rot repairs, and painting to protect the campus treasure and National Historic Landmark for the future. To best preserve the exterior envelope, a new cedar shingle roof system will be installed. 

PG Customs, LLC (PGC) of Harlan, Iowa has been contracted to complete this project. Owner and founder Perry Gross is an Iowa State University alumnus (B.A.’20) and started his business while still earning his degree. University Museums received a major grant from the Iowa Department of Cultural Affairs (now a part of the Iowa Economic Development Authority) Historic Resource Development Program to help fund the roof restoration.

After the roof has been replaced and exterior work has concluded, the Farm House Museum will reopen on Monday, June 3, 2024, barring any unforeseen circumstances. Like all the University Museums at ISU, the Farm House Museum is open to the public with free admission, though there is a suggested donation of $8. Open hours are Monday through Friday from noon to 4:00 p.m. in June and July. The University Museums will close Saturday, July 27, 2024, for a break. The museums will reopen with regular hours on the first day of the fall semester, August 26, 2024. 

Consulting preservation architect Steve Wilke-Shapiro of Sequel Architecture will join Allison Sheridan, curator of the Farm House Museum, for the free program Preservation of the Farm House Museum on Sunday, September 15, 2024 at 2:00 p.m. Wilke-Shapiro and Sheridan will discuss the roof replacement and exterior painting and how this project leads into a celebration of the Farm House Museum reaching 50 years as a public museum. This program will occur during Open House Weekend where both the Farm House Museum and Christian Petersen Art Museum inside Morrill Hall, 603 Morrill Road, have open weekend hours during ISU's Cyclone Family Weekend. 

Questions regarding the Farm House Roof Replacement project can be directed to: 

Allison Sheridan, Farm House Museum Curator, University Museums, ISU 

aclone@iastate.edu 515-294-3342 

Perry Edholm, Chief Operations Officer, PG Customs, LLC 

p.edholm@pgcustomusa.com 760-672-5132 

Mark Huss, Assistant Director for Capital Project Management, Facilities Planning and Management (FP&M), ISU 

mhuss@iastate.edu 515-520-0169 

The Farm House Museum is the oldest building on Iowa State University’s campus. Originally constructed in 1860, the Farm House Museum first served the school as a living quarters for various farmhands, deans, professors, and early presidents. In the 1970s a six-year restoration of the Farm House Museum revitalized the space into a public museum. Today, the Farm House Museum, an affiliate of University Museums at Iowa State University, serves the public and student body of Iowa State by displaying numerous antiques, with a particular emphasis on the beginning of 1860 to 1910. Visit museums.iastate.edu to learn more. 

Museum Hours 

Monday–Friday, noon–4:00 p.m. 

Closed University Holidays and Breaks 

Admission is free. Donations are welcome. 

museums.iastate.edu

University Museums is a distinctive organization that encompasses two art museums, a National Historic Landmark historic home museum, a sculpture garden, and one of the largest campus public art collections in the nation. University Museums brings world-class exhibitions with educational programming to Iowa State University, actively acquires works of art to add to the more than 30,000 permanent collection objects, conserves and preserves collections, conducts and publishes curatorial scholarship, and fosters student engagement.

museums.iastate.edu

Founded by owner Perry Gross of PG Customs started as a limited contracting company that has grown into a multifaceted roofing and construction company. From rural and difficult-to-access farm properties to Iowa State properties that serve the community, PG Customs faithfully and passionately servs its customers in the greater western Iowa region. 

pgcustomsusa.com  

Header: Photo of the Farm House Museum

Photo of the Farm House Museum.

Photo of the Farm House Museum roof from the second floor showing the cedar shingles, damage, and debris.