North Iowa Cultural Center and Museum

The North Iowa Cultural Center and Museum will create the "Ritchie" Immersive Museum Exhibit, an exhibition celebrating the life and legacy of Ritchie Valens, to be displayed at the Surf Ballroom’s new Music Enrichment Center (MEC). Leveraging the Ballroom’s historic and cultural ties to Valens, a pioneering figure in Chicano rock, the exhibit will connect visiting audiences to his legacy through interactive storytelling and educational programming. The project team will also develop a history-based curriculum for grades 5-8 which will explore resilience, identity, and cultural heritage, benefiting K-12 students, teachers, and Iowa residents by providing a culturally relevant educational resource. The project will be shared through online resources, partnerships with local schools, and targeted marketing, with the goal of making visitors feel authentically represented and inspired by music history.