The Beginning
The Museum’s origins came from a small group of visionaries in October of 1989 who realized that the time and opportunity to create something special were then and not some distant point in the future. The Dan Quayle Commemorative Foundation, Inc. was officially organized in 1990. One of their initial projects was to organize a display of Quayle memorabilia at the Huntington County Public Library.
The Dan Quayle Center And Museum
After tremendous turnout for the library exhibit, the DQCF began planning for a museum to house the Quayle materials. A facility, an old Christian Science building, was donated. After renovation, The Dan Quayle Center and Museum was opened to the public on June 17, 1993 and officially dedicated on October 16, 1993. The national media were at the opening in full force, including reporters and photographers from The New York Times, Washington Post, USA Today and TIME. Camera crews from ABC, CBS
and NBC were also on hand.
United States Vice Presidential Museum
In 2002, the board of directors for the DQCF changed the name of the facility from The Dan Quayle Center and Museum to The Dan Quayle Center home of the United States Vice Presidential Museum. This step was to better reflect Vice President Quayle’s wish that the Museum educate the public about the Office of the Vice President and the histories of those who have held it.
The Quayle Vice Presidential Learning Center
In 2008, the board of directors further focused the mission of the Center by changing the name to reflect its dedication of being a focal point of educational excellence in Northeast Indiana.