Mississippi Spoon Gallery — Attraction in Davenport

Visiting the Spoon Gallery Museum was an absolutely wonderful experience! From the moment I stepped into the main room, I was captivated by the diverse collection of spoons from around the world. The exhibits showcased spoons from America, China, Japan, Africa, England, and more, offering a fascinating glimpse into different cultures and histories. My favorite exhibits were the tiny, exquisite salt spoons, the painted Japanese spoons, and the spoons inspired by kid’s cartoons and comics. There is also a chandelier made of spoons! Some other notable ones were spoons gifted to Princess Diana and Prince Charles at their wedding, unique pieces from the Chicago World Fair, spoons of Chief Blackhawk, and a beautiful Chinese dragon spoon!

The museum's atmosphere is artfully curated and so eye-catching. It’s evident that the owners put immense thought and care into creating visually appealing displays. The main displays on the second floor were particularly beautiful, and I didnt know where to look first!

Camellia, the person who gave me the tour, was an absolute delight. Her passion for the collection was infectious, and she shared captivating stories behind each spoon in an engaging manner. The tour was both entertaining and educational, and I’m excited to return as soon as I can!

Accessibility is also a plus, with a carpeted ramp leading to the second floor, making it wheelchair accessible. As for location, while it's conveniently downtown with parking available at the back, it might be slightly easy to miss due to its position on the edge of town.

Considering the quality of the exhibits, the tour, and the reasonable admission price of $7 (with a student rate of $5), the Spoon Gallery Museum offers excellent value for a memorable experience. You can come with family, friends, or alone! I highly recommend a visit to anyone interested in history, spoons, or simply curious about what a spoon gallery...

On the second day of a "fall pleasure trip", I & a friend entered the Mississippi Spoon Gallery in the morning of the final day of September 2024. Randy Pohl cordially greeted us & with his fun, relaxed, easygoing manner he began to show & tell us about the array of historic spoons in the "initial display room". WE WERE HOOKED!!! I had read about & seen pictures of the spoon gallery & thought I was prepared, but simply put---"it took our breath away" upon entering the room with the "grand display"!!! There we met Cammie Pohl & recalling her incredible treasure-trove of knowledge, we began to learn about the 10,000 historical spoons on display, some from many different countries. Cammie's upbeat aura was illuminating!! With the help of Randy, Cammie arranged the innovative displays, designed the effective layout, made the "spoon-dileer" hanging over the long table, & cordially guides you through the history of spoons, housed within the 100+ year old building. Her narrative, passion, & sheer eloquence emotes from her soul, regarding their unique collection! Cammie had to leave for an appointment, so Randy adeptly finished the tour! We spent almost 3 hours there---the time "flew by"!! With another 17,000 additional spoons---they have already "outgrown" their building. Cammie & Randy---PLEASE get your "grant writer", expand your collection, increase your display, & make the incredible Mississippi Spoon Gallery known throughout the "world of spoons"!!! I regret that I live so far away!! In the middle of winter, I would love nothing more than to re-visit the gallery over & over, volunteer in any way, & simply drink in the captivating essence of the Pohls, their passion, & their delightful cordiality! It's contagious! Our MANY MANY THANKS for an "overwhelmingly grandiose experience"!! IT BLEW OUR SOCKS OFF!!! Davenport is "very lucky" to have this GEM!!!...

Our group of friends chose to meet up in Davenport in November 2023 as a midway point since we live on opposite coasts, and as we were perusing things we could do together, we found the spoon museum. We chose not to look at the photos and go as a surprise to experience something new. As we pulled up and went inside the entrance, we weren’t sure what to expect, although there were plenty of spoons to look at. We were greeted by the curator’s husband, who was a kind, enthusiastic man who was extremely knowledgeable about both the history of Davenport and the spoon-making trade. He showed us around the room, providing information about each of the initial displays, before he led us into the main showroom. Let me tell you, seeing this collection in person is even more mind-blowing than the photos. After leading us from display to display for a tour, we were left to explore the collection ourselves. There is a spoon for just about everything you can imagine: see-through spoons with stained glass, spoons for each of the stories of the Canterbury tales, spoons made of seashells, spoons for every state, and even a spoon with a spoon collection on it. It was so much fun to see it all. The curator later showed up and introduced us to some special parts of the collection and explained the history of how they came to be. I never in a million years thought that I’d be so excited and fascinated by spoons, but their enthusiasm rubbed off on me. Long story short, the Mississippi Spoon Gallery is a rare find and something worth visiting, if not for the spoons, then to support the lovely...