Donate to the Museum Capital Campaign Today!
The Bix Museum is excited to finally announce the museum’s timeline for the move to our new home located in the City Square Building at 112 W 2nd St, Davenport, IA, and our future plans to make our organization a long-term fixture of downtown Davenport. In this multi-phase plan, the museum aims to accomplish the relocation, settle in, then transform the space to grow our organization and keep the museum both relevant and fresh for both new and returning visitors. We will be closing our doors in the Redstone building June 6th to begin deconstruction. Through June, we will move our displays to be constructed in the design shown above with the goal of re-opening early to mid-July, having our grand opening Bix weekend (July 26th) to welcome the tens of thousands of people who walk down 2nd street that day. The following weekend, we welcome thousands to the Bix Festival and the Association of Midwest Museums conference, which we are a participating organization in both. A couple of weeks later, Alternating Currents uses the Skybridge Courtyard outside our doors, same as Common Chord’s weekly Live @ 5s throughout the summer.
Thanks to supporters like YOU, we have been able to make these steps as you’ve helped us raise $90,000 of our $120,000 goal so far. Over the next 2 months, we aim to reach these goals, and there are several ways you can help. We have created a list of sponsor opportunities to help us reach our goal and accomplish specific projects we want to tackle during the move. We are also looking for volunteers to help accomplish our goals. Once reopened, Bix Museum will move to an admission price to help provide more stable funding and provide value to our membership program. We would love it if we could make our first month free for all the people who want to see our new location!
After we have settled into the new space, we have a second phase of our project to transform our permanent exhibit with a rotational exhibit space. While the museum has consistently added new artifacts to our exhibit each year since 2020, a rotational gallery encourages more repeat visits and gives us the opportunity to show artifacts that don’t fit the main exhibit like exhibits on other topics related to Bix, Davenport, the 1920s, and Jazz, and better collaborate with likeminded organizations on joint projects and artifact lending. For this project, we anticipate needing $50,000 to begin developing it and want to start by Spring 2026. If you would like to support our relocation campaign, consider sending a donation today, or look below where we have our campaign sponsorship list that will help us reach specific milestones. Thank you again for your support.
Miff Mole’s F.E. Olds Trombone
Funding for the Acquisition of the Miff Mole Trombone provided by the following donors
Thank you for your support in bringing this artifact into our collection!
Nick Ball
Mike Davis
Josh Duffee
Harry Evans
Charlie Halloran
David Horniblow
Randy Sandke
An Anonymous Donor
Design of the new exhibit Space.
Your tax-deductible donation ensures the success of our relocation. Consider monthly or multi-year pledges to help secure long-term sustainability for our organization! Your tax-deductible donation is essential for the preservation of Bix’s legacy and the cultural history of our community. Additionally, we would love to hear from you if you have any questions or comments on how to serve the museum best.
You can donate by mail or online by sending donations to
Bix Beiderbecke Museum & World Archives
PO Box 3052, Davenport IA 52808
or donate through our secure link above.
If you are considering a multi-year pledge to help secure long-term sustainability for our organization, please contact Director Nathaniel Kraft at director@bixmuseum.org or (563) 293-4046 to plan your pledge.
Make a Memorial Contribution
Have someone you want to make a memorial contribution to? Click the link below to donate online in their name. Make sure to check that it is a memorial donation and write in the name the donation is for. All memorials will be recognized in our upcoming Annual Report, which all contributors to a memorial donation will receive mailed to them in the Spring. Contact director Nathaniel Kraft at director@bixmuseum.org or (563) 293-4046 with any questions.
Bix William Sandke Memorial Fund
Since 2022, over 60 donors have raised over $18,000 to honor the life of Bix William Sandke who died on September 25th, 2022 in a car accident at the age of 15. We will continue to grow the fund as more contributions come in. All funds have been designated to help go towards museum programming and operation to fulfill our mission of preserving and teaching the life and musical legacy of jazz legend Bix Beiderbecke, a cause near and dear to both Randy and Karen. Your support of this fund has helped the museum through a time of economic uncertainty and allows us to continue offering free tours and admission to our museum, live jazz concerts, and the ongoing development of online content we make available on our site and through an upcoming mobile app. The Bix Museum, Randy, and Karen thank you so much for your gracious contributions, kind words, and support of our mission to keep Bix’s life and legacy alive.
All donors of the Bix Sandke Memorial Fund will be recognized in our Annual Report in memory of Bix Sandke. All contributors to the fund will receive the report mailed in the Spring of the following year. If you are considering contributing to this fund's continued growth, click the link above to donate online.
The Bix Museum thanks everyone for their outpouring of love and support toward Randy's family during this tough time. If you have any questions or need help making a contribution, you can contact director Nathaniel Kraft at director@bixmuseum.org or (563) 293-4046.
Thank YOU to our $100 for 100 Years Club Members!
100 years ago on February 18, 1924, Bix Beiderbecke and the Wolverines made their first recordings at the Gennett Records studios in Richmond, Indiana. The songs were "Fidgety Feet" written by Nick LaRocca and Larry Shields from the Original Dixieland Jazz Band, and "Jazz Me Blues" written by Tom Delaney. This would be the first time Bix Beiderbecke's unique soloing was recorded.
The Wolverines would go on to record 15 total sides for Gennett Records between February and October 1924 before Bix would return on January 26th, 1925 to record his first original composition “Davenport Blues”. Many of these records are considered jazz standards still played and recognized today as significant recordings of jazz history.
Join the Bix Museum in celebrating 100 years of recorded music this decade! From now until September 15, 2030, donate $100 to the museum as part of our $100 for 100 Club to honor the centennial of Bix’s recording career. We will conclude the campaign on the 100-year Anniversary of “Georgia on My Mind”. Please share this campaign and show off your support by telling us about your favorite Bix recording. All funding from this campaign allows us to continue our operations as a publicly available museum, fund live jazz concerts, clean and maintain the instruments in our collection, and continue the ongoing development of our visitor experience! All $100 for 100 donors will be listed on our site and Annual Reports for their contributions alongside their picks for favorite Bix Recording!
2024 $100 for 100 Club Members
Bill Cardiff and Lynda Kuehn
David Mahon
Alison McCrary- "Mississippi Mud"
Bernadine McGuire
Trevor Nicholls
Leslie Rosenbaum- "Davenport Blues"
Michael Scott
Fred Tadrowski
Allen Welsh- "Crying All Day"
Barry Winograd
Monica and Rob Ausdal
Josh Duffee
Grandison Gardner- "Wringin' An' Twistin'"
Albert Haim- "Sugar"
Noel Howell
Bob and Stephanie Jacobsen
Dan and Jennifer Kraft
Nathaniel Kraft- "Clarinet Marmalade"
Harold and Rosanne Krubsack
Charles Larrabee
Steve Lech
Become a Museum Sponsor
Looking to join the Bix Beiderbecke Museum Partner Program? To better serve our mission of preserving the legacy of Bix Beiderbecke, the Bix Museum offers programs to the public. These programs include public jazz performances, presentations on Bix related topics, hosting a free museum filled with Jazz Age artifacts, and presenting the Bix Lives award to distinguished individuals who exemplify keeping Bix’s Legacy Alive.
Concert/Speaker Event Sponsorship
Orchestra Sponsor ($3,500)
Sextet Sponsor/Trio Sponsor ($2,5000)
Concert Supporting Sponsor ($1,000)
Speaker Sponsor ($250)
*Band/Speaker fees may vary based on travel and board
Exhibit/Virtual Content Sponsorship
Exhibit Sponsor ($25,000)
*Become the headline museum sponsor for a year.
Exhibit Section Sponsor ($5,000)
*Sponsor displays in 1 of our 10 museum exhibit sections for a year.
Museum Operations Sponsor ($10,000)
*Support daily operations/maintenance/preservation of exhibit, artifacts, and office.
Signage Sponsor ($6,000)
*Sponsor the fabrication of our new exterior signage.
Admissions Sponsor ($5,000)
*Sponsor a month of free admission for museum guests
Museum Store Sponsor ($3,000)
*Help develop our merchandise for sale (shirts, CDs, calendars, etc.)
Digital Content Sponsor ($3,000)
*Support our virtual content/tours, web development, tours app.
Museum Bench Sponsor ($2,500)
*Dedicate a bench in the museum to whomever and add new seating.
Museum Lifetime Membership ($1,000)
*Free admission, Discounts on special events/gift shop items, Personal Invitations to events for your family for life.
Annual Bix Birthday Celebration
Presenting Sponsor ($5,000)
Band Sponsor ($2,500)
Table Sponsor ($500)
Contact director Nathaniel Kraft at director@bixmuseum.org or (563) 293-4046 to discuss your options.
All Sponsors will be recognized based on the total level of support on our museum sponsor wall, printed materials, and marketing for sponsored programs based on these levels:
$1,000-$1,499; $1,500-$2,499; $2,500-$4,999; $5,000-$9,999; $10,000-$14,999; $15,000-$19,999; $20,000-$24,999; $25,000-$49,000; $50,000-$74,999; $75,000-$99,000; & $100,000+
Make a Donation through Alternative Methods
Want to donate to the museum using Stocks, Mutual Funds, DAF, Crypto, etc.? The Bix Museum is partnered with every.org to make that happen seamlessly. Click the button below to contribute.
Looking to make a Legacy Gift?
Want to support the Bix Beiderbecke Museum and World Archives through Legacy Gifting using an estate provision? Please download and fill out the Statement of Intent form below with your personal commitment and send it to the museum. We would love to talk to you about your intentions as well, so contact director Nathaniel Kraft at director@bixmuseum.org or (563) 293-4046 with any questions.
Your online donation today can be very flexible. When making a donation, you can make a single donation, or divide your donation into convenient monthly pledge payments. Consider becoming a monthly supporter for as little as $5 today!
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If you would like to support us but have questions, please see the contact information below.
Representation/ Press inquiries
Nathaniel Kraft (Director)
director@bixmuseum.org
(563) 293-4046
The Bix Museum would like the thank the following sponsors for their contributions for dedicating the benches to Ray Voss and Rich Johnson.
Carol Schaefer
Catfish Jazz Society
Chris Barry
Dixie Melquist
Glenda Childress
Jim Petersen
Mary Williamson
Muriel Voss
Randy Sandke
Robert Rothberg
Thank you for helping renovate our Permanent exhibit!
The museum has been fundraising to cover the costs of the $12,000 project that will put Don Murray's Saxophone and Bix's Tuxedo Jacket and Traveling Trunk during the Whiteman years on permanent display in the museum. Thanks to the help of over 30 donors we have raised just over $13,000! All donors who contribute $100 or more have their name listed on a donor label near Bix’s Tux as a thank you for your support. Any unused funds from the project will be used to cover the operation costs that keep the museum open.