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“an exciting adventure through time”
The State Historical Museum is an exciting adventure: its exhibits tell the stories of Iowa’s growth and development through the exhibition of a rich collection of historic artifacts and documents. Central to the history of Iowa are its people. Some found fame here. Others grew rich, some achieved notoriety. Iowa’s rich heritage is found not only in the stories of the rich, but also in the lives of ordinary people remembered only by family and friends. The State Historical Museum celebrates Iowans, their ambitions, accomplishments, disappointments, and their contributions – often unrecognized and unrecorded- creating a state-wide ethos that Iowans come to share. With more than 110,000 artifacts in its permanent collection; and exhibits that explore a variety of subjects; ranging from Iowa's natural resources and years before statehood to its history of aviation. "Rarely Seen: Cool Stuff from the Museum" offers a look at artifacts that have been preserved and protected for nearly 25 years in the museum's climate-controlled storage facility beneath the building.
Free! Not sure why one wouldn't visit. It is right down from the capitol, you can see it from the stairs of the entrance. It is about a 7 minute walk, or you can drive and park on the street. I... Read more
Fun museum to stop at when you've got some time and the weather isn't the best. Some of the exhibits were better than others. I was a little disappointed to see that there were several place... Read more
We stopped to visit this history museum when we went to Des Moines for a swim clinic. If we weren't told to come visit here, we may never have found it! It is located right outside of the state... Read more
State Historical Museum
Hours
- Tue - Fri: 9:00 am - 4:30 pm
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Pets Allowed
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Wifi
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Wheelchair Accessible
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Credit Cards Accepted
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