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List of museums in Iowa facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts

This list of museums in Iowa is a list of museums, defined for this context as institutions (including nonprofit organizations, government entities, and private businesses) that collect and care for objects of cultural, artistic, scientific, or historical interest and make their collections or related exhibits available for public viewing. Museums that exist only in cyberspace (i.e., virtual museums) are not included.

Museums

To use the sortable table, click on the icons at the top of each column to sort that column in alphabetical order; click again for reverse alphabetical order.

Name Location County Region Area of study Summary
4-H Schoolhouse Museum Clarion Wright Central School Located at Heartland Museum Complex, operated by Heartland Museum
Abbe Creek School Cedar Rapids Linn East Education One-room schoolhouse, operated by the Linn County Conservation Board
Abbie Gardner Sharp Cabin Arnolds Park Dickinson West Historic house Operated by the State Historical Society of Iowa, restored to 1856 appearance, history of 1857 Spirit Lake Massacre
Ackley Heritage Center Ackley Hardin Central Local history website includes museum and soda shop, Prairie Settlement I-House, one room schoolhouse
Adair County Heritage Museum Greenfield Adair West Open air Includes country school, church, a late 19th-century historic house, museum with local history artifacts, railroad depot, operated by the Adair County Historical Society
Adams County House of History Corning Adams West Local history Located in a former jail
African American Museum of Iowa Cedar Rapids Linn East African American African American heritage and culture of Iowa
Airpower Museum Ottumwa Wapello Central Aviation Includes historic aircraft, engines, propellers, photos and original art
Albert City Historical Museum Albert City Buena Vista West Local history
Allamakee County Historical Museum Waukon Allamakee East Local history Located in the former county courthouse, log cabin also on grounds, operated by the Allamakee County Historical Society
Allee Mansion Newell Buena Vista West Historic house Operated by the Newell Historical Society, Victorian-period house and museum with of coffee pots, art work and artifacts from around the world
Alton Public Library & Historical Museum Alton Sioux West Local history website
Altoona Area Historical Society Museum Altoona Polk Central Local history website
Amana Community Church Homestead Iowa East Religious 1865 Amana Community church building, one of seven Amana village churches of the Community of True Inspiration, operated by the Amana Heritage Society
Amana Heritage Museum Amana Iowa East Religious website, religious and cultural history of the Amana Colonies displayed in three 19th-century buildings
American Gothic House Eldon Wapello Central Art Site of the house used as the background for Grant Wood's painting American Gothic
Ames History Center Ames Story Central Local history website, operated by the Ames Historical Society
Anamosa State Penitentiary Museum Anamosa Jones East Law enforcement History of the Anamosa State Penitentiary
Andy Williams Birthplace Home Wall Lake Sac West Historic house 1930s home of singer Andy Williams
Ankeny Art Center Ankeny Polk Central Art website
Ankeny Area Historical Society Museums Ankeny Polk Central Local history website
Antique Car Museum of Iowa Coralville Johnson East Automotive website, includes over 90 cars ranging from year 1899 to the mid-1970s, an early 20th-century Skelly Oil gas station
Antique Tractor Showcase Carlisle Warren Central Tractor Facebook site, open by appointment, tractors are rotated through showcase
Appanoose County Historical & Coal Mining Museum Centerville Appanoose South Mining website, coal mining, transportation, local history
Armstrong Heritage Museum Armstrong Emmet West Local history website, open by appointment
Armstrong House Britt Hancock Central Historic house Victorian house, operated by the Hancock County Historical Society
Arts on Grand Spencer Clay West Art website, community visual arts center with exhibitions
Audubon County Historical Society Museum Exira Audubon West Local history Located in the county's first courthouse
Audubon Public Library & Cultural Center Audubon Audubon West Doll website houses the John James Audubon Cultural Center with an antique doll and toy museum
Bedstemor's House Elk Horn Shelby West Historic house Operated by Museum of Danish America, also known as the Christensen House, 1910 period house
Behrens-Rapp Service Station Museum and Tourist Center Cedar Falls Black Hawk East Local history Operated by the Cedar Falls Historical Society, 1925 historic gas station with visible glass pumps, vintage signage, and other gas station items
Belinda Toy And Antique Museum Chariton Lucas West Toy Toy airplanes, tractors, dolls, trains, and tin and cast-iron toys, open by appointment
Belle Plaine Area Museum Belle Plaine Benton East Local history website
Belmond Museum Belmond Wright Central Local history website, operated by the Belmond Historical Society
Bennett School West Des Moines Polk Central School [ website], operated by the West Des Moines Historical Society, mid 20th-century one-room schoolhouse
Big Creek Historical Society Museum Polk City Polk Central Local history website, located in the historic City Hall
Bily Clocks Museum & Antonín Dvořák Exhibit Spillville Winneshiek East Multiple website, hand-carved clocks, exhibit about Czech composer Antonín Dvořák, log cabin
B.J. Palmer Mansion Davenport Scott East Historic house Part of Palmer College of Chiropractic, Victorian mansion
Blakesburg Community Museum Blakesburg Wapello Central Local history website, operated by the Blakesburg Historical Preservation Society
Blanden Memorial Art Museum Fort Dodge Webster Central Art website, collection includes modem American and European paintings, African sculptures, and 16th-20th-century American, European and Japanese prints
Blue Bunny Ice Cream Parlor and Museum Le Mars Plymouth West Food website, history of ice cream, history of Wells Dairy, simulated production room
Bob Feller Museum Van Meter Dallas Central Biographical Baseball player Bob Feller
Boone and Scenic Valley Railroad Boone Boone Central Railroad Operated by the Iowa Railroad Historical Society, heritage railroad and museum
Boone County Historical Center Boone Boone Central Local history Operated by the Boone County Historical Society
Bremer County Historical Society Museum Waverly Bremer East Local history website, located in the Waverly House
Brucemore Cedar Rapids Linn East Historic house 21 room Queen Anne mansion
Brunnier Art Museum Ames Story Central Art Part of Iowa State Center of Iowa State University, features a fine and decorative arts collections including ceramics, glass, dolls, ivory, jade, enameled metals, prints, paintings, sculptures, textiles, carpets, wood objects, lacquered pieces, silver, and furniture
Buena Vista County Historical Society Museum Storm Lake Buena Vista West Local history website
Buffalo Bill Cody Homestead McCausland Scott Central Biographical 1847 boyhood home of Buffalo Bill Cody
Buffalo Bill Museum Le Claire Scott East Local history Exhibits about Buffalo Bill Cody, engineer James Buchanan Eads and inventor James Ryan, life along the Mississippi River
Burlington Northern Depot & WWII Memorial Museum Red Oak Montgomery West Military website, restored 1903 railroad depot containing collection of materials and artifacts pertaining to sacrifices of Montgomery County Iowa citizens on the war front and home front during WWII, railroad history research library, gift shop, and meeting facilities.
Butler County Museum Allison Butler Central Local history Open during the Butler County Fair
Calhoun County Museum Rockwell City Calhoun West Local history
Calkins Square Wyoming Jones East Historic house website, open by appointment, mid 19th-century house, includes authentic country doctor's office
Calliope Village Hawarden Sioux West Open air Re-creation of Sioux County's first county seat, 16 buildings
Camanche Depot Camanche Clinton East Railroad Open by appointment, restored 1951 Milwaukee/Soo Line caboose and railroad depot
Camanche Historical Museum Camanche Clinton East Local history Open by appointment with the Clinton County/Gateway Genealogical Library
Camp Algona POW Museum Algona Kossuth West History website, site of a German POW camp in World War II
Cannonball 457 Mason City Cerro Gordo Central Railroad website, restored 1920s-period Minneapolis & St Louis Railroad steam locomotive #457
Carlisle Area Historical Society Museum Carlisle Warren Central Local history website, Randleman House open for events
Carnegie Cultural Center New Hampton Chickasaw East Toy website, toys, dolls, model trains, model circuses, doll houses, local history
Carrie Chapman Catt Girlhood Home Charles City Floyd Central Biographical website, home of suffragette Carrie Chapman Catt
Carnegie Historical Museum Fairfield Jefferson Local history website, located in a former Carnegie library building
Carroll County Historical Museum Carroll Carroll Local history Operated by the Carroll County Historical Society in a former Carnegie library building
Carstens 1880 Farmstead Shelby Pottawattamie West Agriculture website, open for events
Carter House Museum Elkader Clayton East Historic house Operated by the Elkader Historical Society, 19th century period mansion
Cass County Historical Museum Griswold Cass West Local history website
Catholic Historical Center at St. Boniface Clinton Clinton East Religious Area Catholic heritage
Cedar Rapids Museum of Art Cedar Rapids Linn East Art Includes large collection of works by Grant Wood
Cedar County Historical Society Museum Tipton Cedar East Local history website, features a local history museum and a prairie village
Cedar Rock State Park Quasqueton Buchanan East Historic house Also known as the Walter House or Lowell E. Walter House, designed by Frank Lloyd Wright
Central Community Historical Society Museum DeWitt Clinton East Local history website
Christian Petersen Art Museum Ames Story Central Art Part of Iowa State University, includes large sculpture collection of Christian Petersen, also site of Elizabeth and Byron Anderson Sculpture Garden
Clarinda Carnegie Art Museum Clarinda Page West Art Located in a former Carnegie library,
Clark Museum Of Area History/ Clark's Antique Acres Milford Dickinson West Local history Includes photos, memorabilia, signs, and Amusement Park game displays
Clarke County Historical Museum Osceola Clarke Local history Operated by the Clarke County Historical Society
Clay County Heritage Center Spencer Clay West Local history website, operated by the Clay County Heritage
Clear Lake Arts Center Clear Lake Cerro Gordo Central Art website, community visual arts center with galleries
Clermont Historical Society Museum Clermont Fayette East Local history Open by appointment
Clinton County Historical Museum Clinton Clinton East Local history website, operated by the Clinton County Historical Society
Clive Historical Society - Swanson Campus Clive Polk Central Local History http://clivehistoricalsociety.org/ Operated by Clive Historical Society
Columbus Community Heritage Center Columbus Junction Louisa East Local history Operated by the Louisa County Historical Society
Communal Agriculture Museum South Amana Iowa East Agriculture Tools and equipment used on Amana's communal farms, operated by the Amana Heritage Society
Communal Kitchen & Cooper Shop Museum Middle Amana Iowa East History Restored 1932-era communal kitchen for the local Amana Colonies, operated by the Amana Heritage Society
Conrad Heritage Hall and Museum Conrad Grundy East Local history website, open by appointment
Correctionville Museum Correctionville Woodbury West Local history
Country Life Center Orient Adair Central Biographical website, birthplace farm of Henry Cantwell Wallace, operated by the Wallace Centers of Iowa
Country School Museum Lake Mills Winnebago Central School Operated by the Lake Mills Historical Society
Curtis Mansion Clinton Clinton East Historic house Restored Victorian home
Dairy Center Calmar Winneshiek Central Agriculture website, dairy education center that includes the Iowa Dairy Museum, milking parlor and barns, operated by the Northeast Iowa Dairy Foundation
Danish Windmill Museum Elk Horn Shelby West Mill website, authentic working Danish windmill
Davis County Historical Society Museum Bloomfield Davis Open air Includes the Findley home, a Mormon log cabin, livery barn, school, and church
DeBoer Grocery Museum and Little House Museum Ashton Osceola West History Period grocery store and 1882 house
Delaware County Historical Museum Complex Hopkinton Delaware East Open air Includes nine buildings
Depot and Rail Museum Vinton Benton East Railroad Operated by the Benton County Historical Society
Des Moines Art Center Des Moines Polk Central Art Collection of paintings, sculpture, modern art and mixed media
Des Moines County Heritage Center Museum Burlington Des Moines East Local history website, operated by the Des Moines County Historical Society, also operates the Phelps House and Hawkeye Log Cabin
Dexter Historical Museum Dexter Dallas Central Local history website
Dickinson County Museum Spirit Lake Dickinson West Local history website, operated by the Dickinson County Historical Society in a former depot
Donna Reed Heritage Museum Denison Crawford West Biographical website, life of actress Donna Reed, located in the Donna Reed Performing Arts Center
Dorothy Pecaut Nature Center Sioux City Woodbury West Natural history Located in Stone State Park
Dover Museum New London Henry East Local history website, operated by the Dover Historical Society, period room and business displays
Dow House Dow City Crawford West Historic house Operated by the Crawford County Conservation Board, late 19th-century house
Dubuque Museum of Art Dubuque Dubuque East Art website, concentrates on 20th-century American art with an emphasis on American Regionalism
Dumont Museum Sigourney Keokuk East Agriculture website], includes tractors, horse drawn equipment, buggies and gas engines, toys, dolls, and dishes, Roy Rogers memorabilia collection, model train layout
Dysart Historical Center Dysart Tama Central Local history website
Eagle Grove Historical Museum Eagle Grove Wright Central Local history
Eddyville Historical Museum Eddyville Wapello Central Local history Open by appointment and for events
Edinburgh Pioneer Village Scotch Grove Jones East Open air website, operated by the Jones County Historical Society, reconstructed village includes a one-room schoolhouse, blacksmith shop, church, railroad depot and log houses
Effigy Mounds National Monument Harpers Ferry Allamakee East Native American Archaeology and natural history of the more than 200 prehistoric mounds built by Native Americans
Eldon Depot Museum Eldon Wapello Central Railroad website, located in a historic Rock Island Railroad depot
Ellston Pioneer Museum Ellston Ringgold East Open air Includes restored Cornwall Pioneer Home, a rural school, and the National Old Thresherman's Hall of Fame
Emmet County Historical Society Museum Estherville Emmet West Open air Includes the museum, school, church, blacksmith shop, farm heritage building
Family Museum Bettendorf Scott East Children's website
Farmall-Land U.S.A. Avoca Pottawatomie West Agriculture website, tractors and farm equipment
Farnham Galleries Indianola Warren Central Art website, part of Simpson College in Mary Berry Hall
Farm House Museum Ames Story Central Historic house Part of Iowa State University, 19th-century farm house, open by appointment, 1860 farm home with 19th- and early 20th-century decorative arts, furnishings and material culture reflecting Iowa State and Iowa heritage
Faulconer Gallery Grinnell Poweshiek East Art Part of the Bucksbaum Center for the Arts at Grinnell College
Felix Adler Children's Discovery Center Clinton Clinton East Children's website
FFA Historical and Ag Museum La Porte City Black Hawk Central Local history website, antiques, local memorabilia; also operates the Rural Iowa Heritage Center
Figge Art Museum Davenport Scott East Art Known for its extensive collection of Haitian, Colonial Mexican and Midwestern art, particularly pieces by Thomas Hart Benton, Marvin Cone and Grant Wood
Floyd County Historical Museum Charles City Floyd Central Local history website, operated by the Floyd County Historical Society
Fonda Museum Fonda Pocahontas West Local history Antiques, small-town memorabilia
Forest Park Museum and Arboretum Perry Dallas Central Open air Arboretum and complex of historic buildings with period and local history exhibits
Fort Atkinson State Preserve Fort Atkinson Winneshiek East Military Mid 19th century U.S. Army frontier post created to keep the peace between various Native American tribes as well as prevent white settlers from encroaching on Indian lands
Fort Des Moines Museum and Education Center Des Moines Polk Central Military Honors the U.S. Army's first officer candidate class for African American men in 1917, and the establishment of the first Women's Army Auxiliary Corps in 1942
Fort Museum Fort Dodge Webster Central Open air website, frontier trading post, military and 19th century furniture exhibits
Fossil & Prairie Center Rockford Floyd Central Natural history website, Devonian fossils and natural history of the Fossil & Prairie Park Preserve
Franklin County Historical Museum Hampton Franklin Central Local history website, operated by the Franklin County Historical Society, includes period kitchens, clothing, entertainment, military history, machinery hall
Franklin Pearson House Keosauqua Van Buren East Historic house website, maintained by the Van Buren County Historical Society, 1840s house that was a station on the Underground Railroad
French Icarian Colony Living History Museum Corning Adams West Living website, history of six Icaria Colonies in America in the 1840s
Froelich Village McGregor Clayton East Open air website, includes history of the tractor invented by John Froelich, 1886 one-room school, 1891 General Store museum, 19th-century shipping warehouse
Garnavillo Historical Museum Garnavillo Clayton East Open air Operated by the Garnavillo Historical Society in a former church
George Maier Rural Heritage Center Elkader Clayton East History Artifacts from rural Iowa history (1890 - 1950)
George M. Verity River Museum Keokuk Lee East Maritime Riverboat museum of Upper Mississippi River history
German American Heritage Center Davenport Scott East Ethnic History of German-Americans in the Midwest region
Gilbertson Conservation Education Area Elgin Fayette East Multiple website, includes Gilbertson Nature Center, Mavis & Conner Dummermuth Building with farm tools and antiques, 1890s period Hart Dummermuth Historical House, petting zoo and trails
Glenn Miller Birthplace Museum Clarinda Page West Biographical website, life of musician Glenn Miller
Glick-Sower House Marshalltown Marshall Central Historic house Operated by the Historical Society of Marshall County by appointment
Graceland University Galleries Lamoni Decatur Central Art website, Constance Gallery in the Helene Center for the Visual Arts, Helene Center Student Gallery, Shaw Center Gallery
Grafton Heritage Depot Grafton Worth Central Railroad Operated by the Worth County Historical Society, open by appointment
Granger House Museum Marion Linn East Historic house website, 1870s period home
Grant Wood Art Gallery Anamosa Jones East Art website, life and paintings of Grant Wood
Greater Shenandoah Historical Society Museum Shenandoah Page West Local history website, exhibits include area Mormon settlers and old time radio
Greene County Historical Museum Jefferson Greene Central Local history
Greene Historical Museum Greene Butler Central Local history
Grout Museum Waterloo Black Hawk East Multiple Complex includes Grout Museum of History & Science, Bluedorn Science Imaginarium, Rensselaer Russell House Museum, Snowden House, and future Sullivan Brothers Iowa Veterans Museum
Grinnell Historical Museum Grinnell Poweshiek East Historic house website, late 19th-century period McMurray House
Grotto of the Redemption West Bend Palo Alto West Religious Catholic shrine featuring nine grottos depicting scenes in the life of Jesus, includes museum with a collection of minerals, precious and semiprecious stones from throughout the world
Grundy County Heritage Museum Morrison Grundy Central Local history website, operated by the Grundy County Conservation Office, local and natural history, aquariums, a one-room schoolhouse, railroad building, and heritage Center & Agricultural Hall
Guthrie County Historical Village Panora Guthrie Central Open air website
Hanlontown Community Bank Museum Hanlontown Worth Central Local history Operated by the Worth County Historical Society
Hardin County Farm Museum Eldora Hardin Central Agriculture Agriculture equipment, agricultural practices, life styles, and history of Hardin County farm families and agri-businesses during the period of 1850-1950
Harker House Storm Lake Buena Vista West Historic house website, 1875 house with three generations of family furnishings
Harlan-Lincoln House Mount Pleasant Henry East Historic house Open by appointment, part of Iowa Wesleyan College, features memorabilia related to Senator James Harlan and Abraham Lincoln
Harriman Nielsen Farm Hampton Franklin Central Historic house Operated by the Franklin County Historical Society, late 19th-century farmhouse
Harrison County Historical Village Missouri Valley Harrison West Open air website, includes 19th century log cabin, general store and school, operated by the Harrison County Conservation Board
Hearst Center for the Arts Cedar Falls Black Hawk East Art website
Heartland Acres Agribition Center Independence Buchanann Central Agriculture website, agriculture exhibits, farm equipment, period displays, one-room school, automobiles, animals
Heartland Museum Clarion Wright Central Agriculture website, farm equipment, store displays, teddy bears, streetscapes, operated by Heartland Museum Foundation
Hemken Collection Williams Hamilton Central Automotive website, features American convertibles
Herbert Hoover National Historic Site West Branch Cedar East Biographical Birthplace of President Herbert Hoover, includes Herbert Hoover Presidential Library and Museum
Heritage Park Museum Primghar O'Brien Open air Open by appointment
Higgins Museum of National Bank Notes Okoboji Dickinson West Numismatic Collection of National Bank Note issues
Historic General Dodge House Council Bluffs Pottawatamie West Historic house Victorian period home of Grenville M. Dodge
History Center Cedar Rapids Linn East Local history website, history of Linn County, operated by the Linn County Historical Society
History on the Hill Winterset Madison Central Open air website, operated by the Madison County Historical Society, includes Madison County Historical Museum, Bevington-Kaser Mansion, Winterset Train Depot, Zion Church, Field Mercantile Store, Stone Barn
Hitchcock House Lewis Cass West Historic house Mid-19th-century house that was a station on the Underground Railway
Hockett House Museum Earlham Madison Central Historic house Operated by the Earlham Historical Society, settler's house
Hoggatt School Ames Story Central School website, operated by the Ames Historical Society
Homestead Blacksmith Shop Homestead Iowa East History Original village blacksmith shop and forge, working offset printing press and Linotype machine, operated by the Amana Heritage Society
Homestead Store Museum Homestead Iowa East History Amana Colonies' industries and products, operated by the Amana Heritage Society
Horridge House Vinton Benton East Local history Operated by the Benton County Historical Society
Hotel Williams Museum Wyoming Jones East Local history website, also known as Wyoming Historical Museum
Howard County Historical Preservation & Education Center Cresco Howard North Local history website, operated by the Howard County Historical Society and the Howard County Agricultural Society, open during the Howard County Fair and by appointment
Hub City Heritage Corporation Railway Museum Oelwein Fayette East Railroad website
Humboldt County Mill Farm Historical Museum Dakota City Humboldt West Open air Includes the Victorian-period Corydon Brown House, school, barn with store displays, log cabin, antique vehicles and farm equipment, chicken house and jail
Ice House Museum Cedar Falls Black Hawk East History Operated by the Cedar Falls Historical Society, ice house, tools and implements
Independence State Hospital Independence Buchanan Central Medical Former psychiatric hospital, tours by appointment
Indian Creek Historical Museum Emerson Mills West Agriculture website, operated by the Indian Creek Historical Society, includes antique farm equipment and machinery, a one-room school, pioneer log cabin and barn
International Fire Museum Davenport Scott East Firefighting
Iowa 80 Trucking Museum Walcott Scott East Transportation website, antique trucks and memorabilia
Iowa Aviation Museum Greenfield Adair West Aviation Iowa's aviation heritage
Iowa Children's Museum Coralville Johnson East Children's website
Iowa Civilian Conservation Corps Museum Strawberry Point Delaware East History Activities of the Civilian Conservation Corps in Iowa state parks; located in Backbone State Park
Iowa Gold Star Military Museum Johnston Polk Central Military website, Iowa's military past from statehood to the present, operated by the Iowa National Guard at Camp Dodge
Iowa Great Lakes Maritime Museum Arnolds Park Dickinson West Maritime website, boating in Iowa Great Lakes region, located in Arnolds Park Amusement Park
Iowa Masonic Library and Museum Cedar Rapids Linn East History Masonic artifacts, colonial, Indian and foreign exhibits, evolution of the written and printed word
Iowa Rock 'n Roll Music Museum Arnolds Park Dickinson West Music website, includes a reproduction recording studio, 60s era radio broadcast booth, vintage recording equipment and hall of fame memorabilia
Iowa Rural Schools Museum Odebolt Sac West School Rural one-room schoolhouse
Iowa State Capitol Des Moines Polk Central History
Iowa Transportation Museum Grinnell Poweshiek East Transportation website, planned museum under construction
Jackson County Museum Maquoketa Jackson East Local history website, includes collection of agriculture equipment
Jasper County Historical Museum Newton Jasper Central Open air website, includes Iowa Native American diorama, theater, quilt exhibit, agriculture equipment, washing machine collection, 1930s period house, 1875 barn, general store, post office, barber shop, country school, church and dress & millinery shop
Jefferson Telephone Museum Jefferson Greene Central Technology Historic telephone equipment
Jenison-Meacham Memorial Art Museum Belmond Wright Central Open air website, includes art center/museum, prairie farmstead, rural schoolhouse, working farm and machinery museum, operated by the Belmond Area Arts Council
John L. Lewis Memorial Museum of Mining and Labor Lucas Lucas Central Mining website, exhibits about John L. Lewis, coal mining, labor and related topics
Johnny Carson Birthplace Corning Adams West Historic house Birthplace home of entertainer Johnny Carson
Johnny Clock Museum Lockridge Jefferson Horology website, carved clocks
Johnson County Historical Society Museum Coralville Johnson East Local history website, also operates the 1876 Coralville Schoolhouse, the Coralville Old Town Hall, and the Johnson County Historic Poor Farm by appointment
John Wayne Birthplace Museum Winterset Madison Central Biographical website, birthplace home of actor John Wayne
Jordan House West Des Moines Polk Central Historic house 1880s Victorian period house, includes local history exhibits and Underground Railroad exhibit
Kalona Historical Village Kalona Washington East Open air website, includes 13 authentically restored buildings about Amish and Mennonite history and culture
Kalona Quilt & Textile Museum Kalona Washington East Textile website
Kate Shelley Depot Moingona Boone Central Biographical website, story of Kate Shelley and area railroad history, open by appointment with the Boone County Historical Society
Kellogg Historical Museum Kellogg Jasper East Open air website includes main museum building, factory/bank museum, country school, church and blacksmith shop, operated by the Kellogg Historical Society
Kellow House Cresco Howard North Historic house Operated by the Howard County Historical Society, open by appointment, Victorian home
Kensett Community Church Museum Kensett Worth Central Local history Operated by the Worth County Historical Society
Kinney Pioneer Museum Mason City Cerro Gordo Central Open air Iowa frontier life and pioneer village, includes a one-room school house, log cabin, jail, blacksmith shop
Kiwanis Railroad Depot Museum Complex Onawa Monona West Railroad
Kline Museum Prescott Adams West Transportation Antique cars and farm vehicles, local memorabilia
Lake View Historical Museum Lake View Sac West Local history Operated by the Lake View Historical Society, includes mounted bird collection, model train, log cabin, schoolhouse
Laura Ingalls Wilder Park and Museum Burr Oak Winneshiek East Biographical website, Masters Hotel, childhood home of Laura Ingalls Wilder
Lewelling Quaker Museum Salem Henry East Historic house website, station on the Underground Railroad
Liberty Hall Lamoni Decatur Central Historic house 1880s Victorian home of Joseph Smith III, president of Community of Christ
Lidtke Mill Lime Springs Howard North Mill Water-powered grist mill
Little Red School House Cedar Falls Black Hawk East School Operated by the Cedar Falls Historical Society, 1909 one-room schoolhouse
Littleton & Chatham Historical Society Chatham (rural Independence) Buchanan East Museum Former Pleasant Grove Presbyterian Church on the National Register. Exhibits on education, mercantile, agriculture, military and the Richard O'Brien scale models of Littleton and Otterville buildings.
Living History Farms Museum Urbandale Polk Central Living Farm life in the years of 1700, 1850 and 1900 and 1875 small-town life
Lockmaster's Heritage House Museum Guttenberg Clayton East Historic house Operated by the Guttenberg Heritage Society, 19th-century lockmaster's house by Lock and Dam No. 10
Locust School Decorah Winneshiek East School 1854 one-room schoolhouse, operated by the Winneshiek County Historical Society
Louisa County Heritage Center Wapello Louisa East Local history Operated by the Louisa County Historical Society, open by appointment
Lucas County Historical Museum Chariton Lucas West Open air website, operated by the Lucas County Historical Society, includes a 1900s A.J. Stephens House, schoolhouse, church, 1800s barn and 1850 log cabin
Lyon County Historical Society Museum Complex Rock Rapids Lyon West Local history Includes a renovated depot and caboose, a Victorian-period house, livery stable, windmill
Maasdam Barns Fairfield Jefferson Agriculture website, history of the Evergreen Ridge Stock Farm, features three barns and the farmhouse
MacNider Art Museum Mason City Cerro Gordo Central Art American art and life, special collection of Bil Baird marionettes, hand puppets and ephemera
Madrid Historical Museum Madrid Boone Central Local history website, operated by the Madrid Historical Society, includes doll collection and replica underground coal mine
Mamie Eisenhower Birthplace Boone Boone Central Biographical website, operated by the Boone County Historical Society, birthplace of Mamie Eisenhower, wife of President Dwight Eisenhower
Marble Rock Museum Marble Rock Floyd Central Local history website, operated by the Marble Rock Historical Society
Marion County Historical Village & Museum Knoxville Marion Central Open air website, operated by the Marion County Historical Society, includes the museum, one-room schoolhouse, log cabin, railroad depot, general store, stage coach inn, church and machine annex
Marion Heritage Center & Museum Marion Linn East Local history website, operated by the Marion Historical Society in a former church
Marquette Depot Museum Marquette Clayton East Railroad Railroad artifacts, information center and gift shop
Marshall Center School Cedar Falls Black Hawk East School website, part of University of Northern Iowa, 1920s period one-room school
Marshall County Historical Museum Marshalltown Marshall Central Local history website, operated by the Historical Society of Marshall County
Matchstick Marvels Museum Gladbrook Tama Central Art website, contains a museum with scaled models of lifelike sculptures, intricate machines, and world renown architecture made from matchsticks
Mathias Ham House Dubuque Dubuque East Historic house 1856 Victorian period house, 1833 settler's log cabin and a one-room schoolhouse, operated by the Dubuque County Historical Society
Matthew Edel Blacksmith Shop Haverhill Marshall Central Historic house website, operated by the State Historical Society of Iowa, early 20th century blacksmith shop
McCallum Museum Sibley Osceola West Local history Operated by the Osceola County Historical Society
McGregor Historical Museum McGregor Clayton East Local history website, operated by the McGregor Historical Society
McHenry House Denison Crawford West Historic house Operated by the Crawford County Historical Society, Victorian period home
Melcher-Dallas Coal Mining and Heritage Museum Melcher-Dallas Marion Central Mining Reconstructed coal mine and mining exhibits
Meskwaki Cultural Center and Museum Tama Tama East Native American
Mid America Museum of Aviation & Transportation Sioux City Woodbury West Aviation & Transportation website
Midwest Old Threshers Heritage Museums Mount Pleasant Henry East Open air Includes Midwest Electric Railway, rural life period displays, agriculture tools and equipment, dolls, printing presses, theater museum, steam and gas engines and more
Midwest Central Railroad Mount Pleasant Henry East Railroad website, heritage railway
Mills County Historical Museum Glenwood Mills West Open air website, operated by the Mills County Historical Society
Mitchell County Historical Museum Osage Mitchell Local history website, operated by the Mitchell County Historical Society in the former Cedar Valley Seminary, also owns Fort Severson, Walnut Grove School, Union Number 1 Schoolhouse & Log Cabin, Docken Cabin around the county
Monona County Historical Museum Onawa Monona West Local history Operated by the Loess Hills Historical Society
Monona County Veteran's Memorial Museum Onawa Monona West Military
Monona Historical Museum Monona Clayton East Local history website, operated by the Monona Historical Society
Monroe County Historical Museum Albia Monroe Central Local history Includes artifacts from 19th century homes, farms, and coal mines, operated by the Monroe County Historical Society
Montauk Mansion Clermont Fayette Central Historic house website, operated by the State Historical Society of Iowa, home of Iowa's 12th governor, William Larrabee
Montgomery County History Center Red Oak Montgomery West Local history website, operated by the Montgomery County Historical Society
Moorehead House Museum Ida Grove Ida West Historic house Also known as the Ida County Historical Society Museum, Victorian-period house
Moorehead Stagecoach Inn Ida Grove Ida West Historic site Mid 19th-century stagecoach inn, barn and schoolhouse
Moulton Historical Society Moulton Appanoose South Local history
Mount Ayr Depot Museum Mount Ayr Ringgold East Railroad website
Muscatine Art Center Muscatine Muscatine East Art website
Muscatine History and Industry Center Muscatine Muscatine East Local history website, formerly the Pearl Button Museum
Museum of Danish America Elk Horn Shelby West Ethnic History and culture of the Danish-American experience
Music Man Square Mason City Cerro Gordo Central Biographical website, includes the boyhood home and museum about composer Meredith Willson
Nathaniel Hamlin Park and Museum Audubon Audubon West Multiple Former County Home Farm, includes a Victorian House museum, machinery building with antique farm and home artifacts, one room schoolhouse, blacksmith shop, barns, farm windmills and a walkout gazebo to see and feed the elk family
National Balloon Museum and Ballooning Hall of Fame Indianola Warren Central Sports Exhibits history of ballooning and memorabilia, includes the U.S. Ballooning Hall of Fame
National Czech & Slovak Museum & Library Cedar Rapids Linn East Ethnic Czech and Slovak history and culture
National Farm Toy Museum Dyersville Dubuque Central Toy Toy farm equipment
National Hobo Museum Britt Hancock Central Culture website, hobo artifacts collection, may be closed
National Mississippi River Museum & Aquarium Dubuque Dubuque East Maritime Operated by the Dubuque County Historical Society, aquarium, William M. Black (dredge) and other historic boats, and Fred W. Woodward Riverboat Museum with cultural and natural history exhibits
National Motorcycle Museum Anamosa Jones East Transportation Motorcycles and memorabilia
National Sprint Car Hall of Fame & Museum Knoxville Marion Central Automotive sprint cars, racers and memorabilia
National Wrestling Hall of Fame Dan Gable Museum Waterloo Black Hawk East Sports Includes the Glen Brand Wrestling Hall of Fame of Iowa
Nelson Pioneer Farm Museum Oskaloosa Mahaska Central Open air website, operated by the Mahaska County Historical Society, mid-19th-century farmhouse, farm and other historic buildings
Nishna Heritage Museum Oakland Pottawatamie West Local history Operated by the Oakland Historical Society
Nodaway Valley Historical Museum Clarinda Page West Open air website, local history, historic household items, farm equipment, railroad depot, general store, barber shop, blacksmith shop, store/doctor's office, jail
North Lee County Historical Museum Fort Madison Lee East Open air website, located in the Santa Fe Railway Depot Complex, local and railroad history
Octagon Center for the Arts Ames Story Central Art website
Odebolt Historical Museum Odebolt Sac West Local history website, open by appointment
Okoboji Classic Cars Okoboji Dickinson West Automotive website, restored American classic cars in Main Street displays
Old Bradford Pioneer Village Museum Nashua Chickasaw East Open air website, includes a log cabin, one-room school, cottage, general store, doctor's office, toy shop, church and jail, operated by the Chickasaw County Historical Society
Old Capitol Museum Iowa City Johnson Central Multiple Part of the University of Iowa, changing history, art, culture exhibits
Old Creamery Museum Northwood Worth Central History Operated by the Worth County Historical Society, 19th century period household tools and antiques
Old Fort Madison Fort Madison Lee East Living website, 1812 period frontier fur trading post
Old Jail Museum Dubuque Dubuque East Prison Operated by the Dubuque County Historical Society, also local history artifacts
Old Schoolhouse Museum Earlham Madison Central School Operated by the Earlham Historical Society, town's first public school
Old Stone House Hampton Franklin Central Historic house Operated by the Franklin County Historical Society by appointment, mid 19th-century farmhouse
Oxford Junction Heritage Museum Oxford Junction Jones East Local history website
Palmer Museum of Chiropractic History Davenport Scott East Medical website, part of Palmer College of Chiropractic
Palo Alto County Historical Museum Emmetsburg Palo Alto West Local history Operated by the Palo Alto County Historical Society, open by appointment
Parker Museum Spencer Clay West Local history website, operated by the Clay County Heritage
Pat Clark Art Collection Iowa Falls Hardin Central Art website, part of Ellsworth Community College
Pearson Lakes Art Center Okoboji Dickinson West Art website
Peirce Mansion Sioux City Woodbury West Historic house Victorian period mansion, open for quarterly events, operated by the Sioux City Public Museum
Pella Historical Village Pella Marion Central Open air website, operated by the Pella Historical Society, over 20 historic buildings in a Dutch village setting and the Vermeer Mill
Peterson Pioneer Home Odebolt Sac West Historic house 1886 pioneer home for a family of seven
Peterson Point Historical Farmstead Wallingford Emmet West Farm Historic farmstead, includes house, barn, blacksmith shop complex, cook/wash house, chicken coop, hog house, and sheep barn, operated by the Emmet County Conservation Department
Pharmacists Mutual Companies Museum Algona Kossuth West Medical
Pine Creek Gristmill Muscatine Muscatine East Mill Located in Wildcat Den State Park
Pixley Log House Northwood Worth Central Historic house Operated by the Worth County Historical Society, restored 1870s period log home and furnishings
Plum Grove Historic House Iowa City Johnson Central Historic house Operated by the Johnson County Historical Society
Plymouth County Historical Museum Le Mars Plymoth West Local history website
Pocahontas County Historical Museum Rockwell City Pocahontas West Local history
Porter House Museum Decorah Winneshiek East Historic house Victorian home of a naturalist and artist, includes collection of exotic butterflies
Prairie Learning Center Prairie City Jasper Central Natural history website, museum and education center for the Neal Smith National Wildlife Refuge
Prairie Trails Museum Corydon Wayne Central History website
Putnam Museum Davenport Scott East Natural history
Quasdorf Blacksmith and Wagon Museum Dows Wright Central History Operated by the Dows Historical Society
Quasqueton Area Historical Society Museum Quasqueton Buchanan East Local history website
RailsWest Railroad Museum Council Bluffs Pottawatamie West Railroad Operated by the Historical Society of Pottawattamie County, Iowa, railroad depot museum and model railroad display, outdoor railroad car displays
Ray House Vinton Benton East Historic house Operated by the Benton County Historical Society, 1893 Victorian house
REA Power Plant Museum Hampton Franklin Central Technology Operated by the Franklin County Historical Society, former power plant, exhibits show changes in farm life after the electrification of rural America
Richardson-Jakway House Aurora Buchanan East Historic house 19th-century house, operated by the Buchanan County Conservation Board in Jakway Forest Area
River History Museum Lansing Allamakee East Maritime Includes exhibits about steam-boating, commercial fishing, pearl button industry and ice harvesting
River Music Experience Davenport Scott East Music America's music, especially the music of the Mississippi River
Rock Island Depot Museum Clarion Wright Central Local history Located in a restored depot, local and railroad history
Roland Museum Roland Story Central Local history website, operated by the Roland Historical Society
Rural Free Delivery Museum Morning Sun Louisa East History Oldest rural-free delivery post office in Iowa; historic post office display
Russell Historical Society Museum Russell Lucas Central Local history website
Sac City Museum Village Sac City Sac West Open air Includes museum, an old-time general store, church, doctor's office, post office
Salisbury House Des Moines Polk Central Historic house 1920s manor home
Samuel F. Miller House and Museum Keokuk Lee East Historic house Operated by the Lee County Historical Society
Sanford Museum & Planetarium Cherokee Cherokee West Multiple website, local history, natural history, art, archaeology, paleontology, geology
The Sawmill Museum Clinton Clinton East Forestry website, importance of forests and wood products, area lumber industry, restored 1920s sawmill
Schildberg Antique Car Museum Greenfield Adair West Automotive Open by appointment and for special local events
Scholte House Museum Pella Marion Central Historic house website, mid-19th century 20 room house of Dutch pioneers
Science Center of Iowa Des Moines Polk Central Science website
Sergeant Floyd River Museum and Welcome Center Sioux City Woodbury West Maritime Historic inspection boat of the United States Army Corps of Engineers, exhibits on Lewis and Clark Expedition and Missouri River transportation
Shelby County Historical Museum Harlan Shelby West Local history website, operated by the Shelby County Historical Society
Sheldon Prairie Museum Sheldon O'Brien Open air Located in the Carnegie Library (Sheldon, Iowa)
Shell Rock Historical Museum Shell Rock Butler East Local history website
Sioux City Art Center Sioux City Woodbury West Art
Sioux City Lewis & Clark Interpretive Center Sioux City Woodbury West History website, history of the Corps of Discovery's time in the Sioux City area in 1804, and the Betty Strong Encounter Center that commemorates a history of encounters that occurred before and after the expedition
Sioux City Public Museum Sioux City Woodbury West Local history City history, culture, agriculture, transportation
Sioux City Railroad Museum Sioux City Woodbury West Railroad website, operated by the Siouxland Historical Railroad Association
Squirrel Cage Jail Council Bluffs Pottawatamie West Prison Operated by the Historical Society of Pottawattamie County
St. Ansgar Heritage Museum St. Ansgar Mitchell Central Local history website
St. Lucas German American Museum St. Lucas, Iowa Fayette East Ethnic Operated by the St. Lucas Historical Society, exhibits and library about area German immigrants and heritage, local history and genealogy
State Historical Museum of Iowa Des Moines Polk Central History Operated by the State Historical Society of Iowa
Stockman House Mason City Cerro Gordo Central Historic house 1908 house designed by Frank Lloyd Wright
Story City Museum Story City Story Central Local history website, operated by the Story City Historical Society, includes the 1903 Queen Anne period Bartlett Museum, pre-Civil War school house and the Carriage House Museum
Swedish American Museum Swedesburg Henry East Ethnic Operated by the Swedish Heritage Society, area Swedish heritage
Swensrud School Northwood Worth Central School Operated by the Worth County Historical Society, 19th-century period schoolhouse
Tama County Museum Tama Tama East Local history website, operated by the Tama County Historical Society
Taylor County Historical Museum Bedford Taylor Local history website
Taylor#4 School Marshalltown Marshall Central School website, operated by the Historical Society of Marshall County by appointment
Terrace Hill Des Moines Polk Central Historic house Official residence of the governor of Iowa
Theatre Museum of Repertoire Americana Mount Pleasant Henry East Theatre website, memorabilia and artifacts of early repertoire theatre
Todd House Tabor Fremont West Historic house Operated by the Tabor Historical Society, mid 19th-century house with exhibits about the town's involvement with the Underground Railroad
Toolesboro Indian Mounds Toolesboro Louisa East Native American Operated by the State Historical Society of Iowa, group of Hopewell mounds and education center
Traer Historical Museum Traer Tama Central Local history Open by appointment
Trainland U.S.A. Colfax Jasper Central Railroad website, Lionel model railroad layouts, trains and accessories
Twombly Museum Keosauqua Van Buren East Local history website, operated by the Van Buren County Historical Society for events
Union County Historical Village Creston Union Open air Includes a schoolhouse, home, general store, printing shop, log cabin, church, blacksmith shop, depot and a museum
Union Pacific Railroad Museum Council Bluffs Pottawatamie West Railroad website, exhibits on the Union Pacific Railroad, development of the railroad and the American West
University of Iowa Athletics Hall of Fame Iowa City Johnson Central Hall of fame Legendary and influential Iowa Hawkeye sports heroes
University of Iowa Medical Museum Iowa City Johnson Central Medical website, located on the 8th floor of the Colloton Pavilion
University of Iowa Stanley Museum of Art Iowa City Johnson Central Art Collections include paintings, sculpture, prints, drawings, photographs, ceramics, textiles, jade and silver
University of Iowa Museum of Natural History Iowa City Johnson Central Natural history Includes birds, mammals, and Native American artifacts
University of Northern Iowa Gallery of Art Cedar Falls Black Hawk East Art Collection includes American and European art
University of Northern Iowa Museum Cedar Falls Black Hawk East Natural history website, exhibits on geology, biology, history, anthropology at the Rod Library
Ushers Ferry Historic Village Cedar Rapids Linn East Living website, 1908 historic village
Van Buren Historical Society Museum Keosauqua Van Buren East Local history website, located in the historic Twombly Building
Vander Haag's Yesterday's Memories Sanborn O'Brien West History Open by appointment, historic cars, trucks, tools, toys, dresses, household items
Vermeer Museum Pella Marion Central Technology website, history of the Vermeer Company, manufacturer of agricultural, environmental and construction equipment
Vernon Schoolhouse #5 Dows Wright Central School Operated by the Dows Historical Society, open by appointment
Vesterheim Norwegian-American Museum Decorah Winneshiek East Cultural
Victorian Home and Carriage House Museum Cedar Falls Black Hawk East Historic house Operated by the Cedar Falls Historical Society, late 19th century Victorian home and museum of local history, includes Lenoir Model Railroad Collection
Victorian Museum on Main Emmetsburg Palo Alto West Historic house Victorian period house
Villisca Axe Murder House Villisca Montgomery West Multiple Historic Josiah B. and Sara Moore House where several people were murdered in 1912
Voas Nature Area & Museum Minburn Dallas Central Natural history website, 705-acre park with museum of rocks, fossils and minerals
Wabash Depot Museum Moravia Appanoose South Railroad Includes railroad artifacts, an operational model train layout and a restored railroad section car
Wagaman Mill Lynnville Jasper Central Mill website, operated by the Lynnville Historical Society
Waldemar A. Schmidt Art Gallery Waverly Bremer East Art website, part of the Bachman Fine Arts Center at Wartburg College
Wallace House Museum Des Moines Polk Central Biographical Life of the Wallace Family, farm leaders
Walnut Grove Pioneer Village Long Grove Scott East Open air 1860s village with 18 historic buildings
Wapello County Historical Museum Ottumwa Wapello Central Local history website, operated by the Wapello County Historical Society
Wapsipinicon Mill Independence Buchanan Central Mill Operated by the Buchanan County Historical Society, 1870s grist mill and artifacts
Waterloo Center for the Arts Waterloo Black Hawk East Art website
Watson's Grocery Store Museum State Center Marshall Central History Period grocery store
Wayland & Midwest Memories Museums Wayland Henry East Local history website
West Bend Historical Museum West Bend Palo Alto West Local history
Western Historic Trails Center Council Bluffs Pottawatamie West History website, operated by the State Historical Society of Iowa, exhibits about four western expansion trails: Lewis & Clark, Mormon Pioneer, California and Oregon
Westport Rural School Museum Okoboji Dickinson West School One room schoolhouse
Wilder Memorial Museum Strawberry Point Delaware East Commodity website, includes over 800 dolls, 40 Victorian lamps, European figurines, farm tools, toy tractors
Winfield Historical Society Museum Winfield Henry East Local history website
Wisecup's Farm Museum Missouri Valley Harrison West Agriculture website, antique farm equipment, tractors, tools, transportation
Witter Gallery Storm Lake Buena Vista West Art website
Worth County Machinery Museum Northwood Worth Central Agriculture Operated by the Worth County Historical Society, farming machinery and equipment, open by appointment
Worth County Museum Northwoo Worth Central Local history Operated by the Worth County Historical Society, local history exhibits and late 19th century period room displays
Young House Museum Bellevue Jackson East Historic house Turn-of-the-20th-century period house
Buchanan County Historical Society Independence Buchanan County East County wide history https://www.buchanancountyhistory.com/
Buchanan County Genealogical Society Independence Buchanan County East County wide history & family genealogy https://www.buchanancountyhistory.com/genealogical-society/

Defunct museums

  • George Wyth House, Cedar Falls, formerly operated by the Cedar Falls Historical Society, sold in 2014
  • Hometown Perry, Iowa, Perry, Iowa, closed December 31, 2055website
  • Linn-Olson Museum, Villisca, contents auctioned off in 2012
  • Minerville Country Village, Donnellson
  • Museum of Religious Arts, Logan, closed in 2016
  • Science Center, Cedar Rapids, closed in 2015
  • Schield International Museum, Waverly, closed in 2009

See also

Resources

  • Iowa Museum Association
  • Historic House Museums in Iowa
  • Historical Museums in Iowa
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