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The Pioneer Museum of Alabama will host its bi-annual quilt show beginning March 4 to run for two weeks.

Barbara Tatom, museum director, said entries of quilts of all times and kinds will be accepted until March 2.

Tatom said no matter when a quilt was made or by whom, it is eligible for entry in the Pioneer Museum of Alabama Bi-Annual Quilt Show.

“The quilts may be handmade or machine made; they may be full-sized quilts or lap quilts or wall hangings,” she said. “We want to celebrate and highlight the art of quilt making.”

Tatom said quilts were a huge part of pioneer life. Quilts were functional, not decorative.

Pioneers had to travel by wagon but, once a family reached its destination, quilts were needed for uses other than bed coverings. Rather than keep rain and wind out of the wagon, the quilts were used to cover windows and doors of their log cabins or dugouts and to partition off a room.

Tatom said today’s quilts are used primarily for bed coverings and often as decorative wall hangings.

“The Pioneer Museum will feature quilts of different kinds and with many different patterns,” she said. “We welcome all quilts.

Quilts may be entered in the show during regular museum hours, from 9 a.m. until 4 p.m. Thursday through Saturday. There is no charge for entry.

Tatom said the museum staff has a secure entry system in place.

“We assign a number to a quilt as soon as it is brought in,” Tatom said. “The owner’s information is logged in with that number, along with name, phone number and address.”

Additional information about the quilt, ownership, age, pattern and history is appreciated but not required.

Tatom said the Pioneer Museum of Alabama’s collection of quilts will be included in the show.

“The museum’s oldest quilt, is the 1774-1775 Passmore quilt,” she said. “It was originally made in South Carolina and brought to Pike County from there.”

The Pioneer Museum of Alabama’s Bi-Annual Quilt Show is included in the museum admission.