The 2015 Pioneer Museum Quilt Show opened Tuesday with more than 200 quilts on display. The biennial quilt show is one the museum’s most popular events and attracts visitors from all across South Alabama.

Kari Barley, museum director, said the Pioneer Museum Quilt Show always brings the museum to life.

“The museum is alive throughout with colors and shapes and textures,” Barley said. “The quilt show transforms the museum and gives it a different vitality. We are extremely excited to have the quilt show back at the museum.”

Barley said the quilt show is made up of quilts from the museum’s private collection and from quilts on loan to the museum for the biennial show.

“We have quilts on loan from people in Pike County but also from other areas of South Alabama,” she said. “Visitors to the show will be surprised by how many quilts we have from outside the county.”

The oldest quilt in the show is part of the museum’s private collection and dates back to 1776. The show also includes quilts that are “just out of frame.”

“Most of the quilts are what I would call heritage quilts,” Barley said. “Some of the heritage quilts have been passed down through generations and are tattered, torn and loved. Then, we have a lot of quilts that are brand new. We don’t have any restrictions on how the quilts are made so some are hand stitched and some are machine stitched but every one of the quilts complements the show.”

Each quilt is tagged with information about the quilt.

“The quilts have the owner’s name and any information they wish to share,” Barley said. “Some of the tags have the history of the quilt – its age, who made it and how it was passed down. Some tags identify the pattern, and that’s always interesting because the same pattern can have a different name, depending on who made the quilt or where it was made.”

Barley said some variations in the pattern names are understandable, such as Bear’s Paw or claws, tracks and feet. Others are more puzzling, like Hearts and Gizzards or darts and pomegranates.

“Some of the quilt patterns were passed down through the generations and the name of the patterns have some family association,” she said. “It’s interesting to find the name of the pattern and try to think of the ways it might have originated.”

Those who visit the Pioneer Museum Quilt Show will have the opportunity to vote for their favorite quilt.

“In 2013, we initiated the People’s Choice Award, and it was a big success so we are continuing it this year,” Barley said. “Everyone will be invited to vote for their favorite quilt, and at the end of the show on March 30 we’ll announce the first, second and third place winners.”

Regular admission to the museum includes the Pioneer Museum Quilt Show. The museum is offering guided tours of the show to groups of 10 or more. Prior arrangements are required for the guided tours.

Admission to the museum is $6 for adults, $5 for seniors and members of the military and $4 for students. Children under the age of five are admitted free.

Museum hours are 9 a.m. until 5 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday.

For more information or to arrange a guided tour of the quilt show, call 334-566-3597.