Meet Our Staff — Lauren Jones

18 Nov 2020 10:38 AM | Anonymous

Our museum has two full-time staff members the Executive Director and the Grants and Development Coordinator. We are so thankful for the work that they do to help our museum run. Today Lauren Jones is sharing a little about herself so you can get to know her more! 

  Meet Lauren Jones

                                             Grants and Development Coordinator

Hello all!

I was born and raised in Iowa. While my family lived in a small town, my parents wanted my siblings and I to experience cities as well. Each summer we would take a road trip to a new city. To pass the time on these road trips my dad would quiz my siblings and I on mental math problems. I quickly realized that math did not come naturally to me, instead I enjoyed the museums we would visit once we reached our destination.

I have always been interested in history; when I went to college, I decided to major in Event Management because I wanted to work with people. Yet, after starting the program I was unsure if I wanted to plan events for a living. I flipped back and forth between majors my first two years at Iowa State. I finally decided I should take a class I enjoyed, so I took a class about European history. This class encouraged me to change my major to History with a minor in Event Management.

My favorite part of history is that there is always something to learn. I joined the Shelby County Historical Museum in May of 2020. Each day has taught me new things about the unique history of Shelby County and I am able to work with people everyday.

Since moving to Shelby County I have found new hobbies. If I am not at work, I am most likely walking my dog Kevin, cooking, or doing DIY projects around my house.

Stop by the museum and say hello!


The Shelby County Historical Museum is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization founded in 1964. This four building complex is located at 1805 Morse Avenue Harlan, Iowa 51537.

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