The International Quilt Museum developed World Quilts to share its premiere collection and hallmark scholarly perspective on the significance of quilts and quiltmaking with the world. It also moves existing quilt studies scholarship beyond disciplinary boundaries to integrate quilts within a broader art and humanities context. The James Story relates the history and importance of the Ardis and Robert James Collection, the group of quilts that sparked the founding of the International Quilt Museum in 1997. Portions of this module have been excerpted and/or adapted from the catalog and exhibition materials for the exhibition series, An Evolving Vision: The James Collection, 1997-2022.

The American Story was the first component of World Quilts, followed by The Amish Story, The Central Asian Story, The Crazy Quilt Story, and The 1971 Story. Future modules are slated to cover other geographic and thematic areas. With more than 8,500 quilts—too many to show in any physical gallery—the IQM values sharing its quilts and their historical and cultural context virtually.

The IQM is the the world’s largest publicly held quilt collection. Established in 1997, the IQM opened a new museum in 2008 and an expansion in 2015. The museum’s mission is to build a global collection and audience that celebrate the cultural and artistic significance of quilts. The IQM is an academic museum within the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.