On Saturday, February 18, 2012, the Arizona Historical Society (AHS) and the Arizona Centennial Quilt Project (a Program of the Arizona Quilters Hall of Fame) will debut “100 Years ~ 100 Quilts,” an exhibition commemorating Arizona’s Centennial.

The exhibit opening event is 1:30-4:30 p.m. at the AHS Arizona History Museum, 949 E. 2nd St., Tucson. Arizona Secretary of State Ken Bennett, Exhibit Honorary Chair, will oversee the ribbon cutting ceremony at 1:30 p.m. Guests will enjoy light refreshments. The “100 Years ~ 100 Quilts” exhibition will be on display through the 2012 Centennial year. The exhibit is made possible in part through a grant from the Arizona Humanities Council.

Celebrate Arizona’s birthday with creative works of art in fabric that display the landscapes, cultures, historical places and events unique to Arizona. Contemporary quilt makers throughout the state have created original quilts specifically for this Arizona Centennial exhibit. The result is a visually stunning collection of art and history.

Paid admission to the AHS Arizona History Museum includes the “100 Years ~ 100 Quilts” exhibition and opening. Museum admission: Adults $5; Ages 60+ $4; Ages 12-18 $4; Ages 11 and younger are free.

The AHS Arizona History Museum will offer a press preview week beginning February 6, 2012, by appointment only. Photos of the quilts, in advance of the opening, are allowed. Please contact Eric Gonzales to schedule a preview.

The official Arizona Centennial Commemorative Quilt will be featured at the museum during the exhibition opening and through March 3, 2012. The quilt was created by a team of dozens of historians, quilters, and artisans from around the state. It will then travel around the state and to Washington D.C. where it will be on exhibit for one week at the Capitol in the Russell Rotunda.

The Arizona Mercantile museum shop will offer special items for purchase that depict the quilts on exhibit. The full-color publication “100 Years ~ 100 Quilts” features the 100 quilts and the Arizona Centennial Commemorative Quilt. Other items for sale include greeting cards, bookmarks, and prints.

The Arizona Centennial Quilt Project was granted Arizona Legacy status for the “100 Years ~ 100 Quilts” exhibition; the publication dedicated to the exhibition; the Arizona Centennial Commemorative Quilt; the Arizona Centennial line of fabric; and the Centennial Fabric Challenge.

The AHS Arizona History Museum is open Monday-Saturday, 10:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m. The Arizona Mercantile is open Monday-Thursday, 11:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m. and Friday-Saturday, 11:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m. Free parking one block west of the museum in the Arizona Historical Society garage at the northeast corner of E. 2nd St. and N. Euclid Ave. Use the E. 2nd St. entrance.

The Arizona Historical Society is the state’s oldest cultural organization, founded in 1864, with museums in Flagstaff, Tempe, Tucson, and Yuma.