DAVID CITY - It's a time of change for the Bone Creek Museum of Agrarian Art.

The museum in David City, the only one in the nation solely dedicated to agricultural art, is moving.

The museum has acquired the old Ford Building in town, and this summer will begin the process of transforming it into the museum's new home, a two-story facility that will offer more room for exhibits, storage, and community events.

"Right now the Bone Creek Museum has 2,100 square feet of art," says Louise Niemann with the museum. "We are moving into a new building that is going to grow us to 21,000 square feet."

Increasing their space ten-fold carries a price tag of over $6 million, but museum officials say their capital campaign has already raised over three-quarters of that, boosted recently by grants from the Peter Kiewit Foundation and a local Community Development Block Grant. It's a response they say is overwhelming.

"When you start a project like this you don't know how it's going to go," says Bone Creek Museum co-treasurer Alice Wood. "It's been gratifying. We've had the community really rise up and get behind us. It's not just individuals, the city and county governments have been behind this project and are supporting us too."

That response shouldn't be surprising, given that the museum's unique collection has drawn visitors from all 50 states and 13 different countries.

"Here we are right in the middle of rural America," says Wood. "A lot of our audience that comes from nearby and neighboring states have the background. So the art is very relatable to these people."

The overhaul of the former car dealership will keep many of the building's historic features while creating a modern space for visitors to enjoy.

"We're looking at what we can do with the capacity of the art, the educational opportunities, and also looking at economic growth for the community too," says Niemann.

Museum officials estimate the new building should be ready by the end of 2024.