Top 50 Museums in Iowa - Complete List, Map & Guide

Written and Fact-checked by | Updated On: July 10, 2026

Iowa's museums lean small and personal rather than grand — Herbert Hoover's presidential library sits on his actual boyhood farm in West Branch, the Bily Clocks Museum in Spillville displays hand-carved clocks by two Czech immigrant brothers, and Living History Farms in Urbandale lets visitors walk through three different centuries of Iowa farming on one site.

Iowa Museums Map

The Iowa Museums Map highlights the locations of museums across the state, including art museums, history museums, science centers, and cultural heritage institutions. Use this interactive map to explore popular museums in Des Moines, West Branch, and other destinations throughout Iowa.

Here's a fuller list of Iowa's museums, spread across Des Moines, the Quad Cities, and a number of small towns with surprisingly specific collections.

List of Museums in Iowa

Museum Name City Category Admission Best For Official Website
National Mississippi River Museum & AquariumDubuqueAquarium & HistoryPaidMississippi River exhibits & aquatic lifehttps://www.rivermuseum.com
Figge Art MuseumDavenportArtPaidAmerican & international arthttps://figgeartmuseum.org
State Historical Museum of IowaDes MoinesHistoryFreeIowa history & culturehttps://history.iowa.gov
Des Moines Art CenterDes MoinesArtFreeModern & contemporary arthttps://desmoinesartcenter.org
Living History FarmsUrbandaleLiving HistoryPaidHistoric farm experienceshttps://www.lhf.org
Salisbury House & GardensDes MoinesHistoric HousePaidHistoric mansion & gardenshttps://salisburyhouse.org
The Putnam Museum and Science CenterDavenportSciencePaidScience exhibits & planetariumhttps://www.putnam.org
BrucemoreCedar RapidsHistoric HousePaidHistoric estate tourshttps://www.brucemore.org
National Czech & Slovak Museum & LibraryCedar RapidsCulturePaidCzech & Slovak heritagehttps://ncsml.org
African American Museum of IowaCedar RapidsHistoryPaidAfrican American historyhttps://blackiowa.org
Herbert Hoover Presidential Library and MuseumWest BranchPresidentialPaidPresident Herbert Hooverhttps://www.hoover.archives.gov
Old Capitol MuseumIowa CityHistoryFreeHistoric Iowa Capitolhttps://oldcapitol.uiowa.edu
Stanley Museum of ArtIowa CityArtFreeUniversity art collectionshttps://stanleymuseum.uiowa.edu
Museum of Natural HistoryIowa CityNatural HistoryFreeWildlife & fossilshttps://museum.uiowa.edu
Matchstick Marvels MuseumGladbrookSpecialtyPaidMatchstick sculptureshttps://www.matchstickmarvels.com
John Deere Tractor & Engine MuseumWaterlooAgricultureFreeHistoric farm machineryhttps://www.deere.com
Grout Museum DistrictWaterlooHistoryPaidRegional history & sciencehttps://www.groutmuseumdistrict.org
Sullivan Brothers Iowa Veterans MuseumWaterlooMilitaryPaidIowa military historyhttps://www.groutmuseumdistrict.org
Bluedorn Science ImaginariumWaterlooSciencePaidHands-on science exhibitshttps://www.groutmuseumdistrict.org
Vesterheim Norwegian-American MuseumDecorahHistoryPaidNorwegian-American heritagehttps://vesterheim.org
National Sprint Car Hall of Fame & MuseumKnoxvilleSportsPaidSprint car racing historyhttps://www.sprintcarhof.com
Kinze Innovation CenterWilliamsburgAgricultureFreeModern farm technologyhttps://www.kinze.com
Sioux City Public MuseumSioux CityHistoryFreeRegional historyhttps://siouxcitymuseum.org
Lewis and Clark Interpretive CenterSioux CityHistoryFreeLewis & Clark expeditionhttps://www.siouxcitylcic.com
Sioux City Art CenterSioux CityArtFreeRegional & contemporary arthttps://siouxcityartcenter.org
Fort Museum and Frontier VillageFort DodgeHistoryPaidFrontier historyhttps://fortmuseum.com
Blanden Memorial Art MuseumFort DodgeArtFreeAmerican & European arthttps://www.blanden.org
Union Pacific Railroad MuseumCouncil BluffsRailroadFreeRailroad historyhttps://www.uprrmuseum.org
Squirrel Cage Jail MuseumCouncil BluffsHistoryPaidHistoric rotary jailhttps://www.pottconservation.com
Buffalo Bill MuseumLeClaireHistoryPaidBuffalo Bill Cody exhibitshttps://buffalobillmuseumleclaire.com
Buffalo Bill Birthplace MuseumLeClaireHistoryPaidBirthplace of Buffalo Billhttps://buffalobillmuseumleclaire.com
John L. Lewis Museum of Mining & LaborLucasLabor HistoryPaidCoal mining historyhttps://johnllewismuseum.org
Iowa Gold Star Military MuseumJohnstonMilitaryFreeIowa military artifactshttps://history.iowa.gov
Reiman GardensAmesBotanicalPaidGardens & butterfly winghttps://www.reimangardens.com
Farm House MuseumAmesHistoric HouseFreeIowa State University historyhttps://www.museums.iastate.edu
Christian Petersen Art MuseumAmesArtFreeSculpture collectionshttps://www.museums.iastate.edu
Muscatine Art CenterMuscatineArtFreeFine art & historic homehttps://muscatineartcenter.org
Pearson Lakes Art CenterOkobojiArtPaidVisual & performing artshttps://www.pearsonlakesartcenter.com
Iowa Great Lakes Maritime MuseumArnolds ParkMaritimeFreeBoating historyhttps://www.vacationokoboji.com
Iowa Rock 'n Roll Music Association Hall of Fame MuseumArnolds ParkMusicPaidIowa music historyhttps://www.iowarocknroll.com
Glenn Miller Birthplace MuseumClarindaMusicPaidBig band historyhttps://glennmiller.org
John Wayne Birthplace & MuseumWintersetHistoryPaidJohn Wayne memorabiliahttps://johnwaynebirthplace.museum
Bily Clocks MuseumSpillvilleSpecialtyPaidHand-carved clockshttps://bilyclocksmuseum.org
American Gothic House CenterEldonHistoryFreeGrant Wood painting sitehttps://americangothichouse.org
Hobo MuseumBrittHistoryPaidHobo heritagehttps://www.hobomuseum.com
Iowa Aviation MuseumGreenfieldAviationPaidHistoric aircrafthttps://www.flyingmuseum.com
Charles H. MacNider Art MuseumMason CityArtFreeAmerican art & puppetshttps://macniderart.org
Mason House Inn MuseumBentonsportHistoric HousePaidHistoric river innhttps://masonhouseinn.com
Carnegie Cultural CenterNew HamptonHistoryFreeLocal history & arthttps://www.chickasawcoia.org
Matchstick Museum of Iowa HeritageGladbrookSpecialtyPaidUnique handcrafted exhibitshttps://www.matchstickmarvels.com

Iowa Museums Facts

Fact Details
StateIowa
Approximate Number of MuseumsMore than 400 museums and cultural institutions
Largest Art MuseumFigge Art Museum, Davenport
Most Visited MuseumNational Mississippi River Museum & Aquarium, Dubuque
Largest Science MuseumThe Putnam Museum and Science Center, Davenport
Most Popular History MuseumState Historical Museum of Iowa, Des Moines
Largest Natural History MuseumUniversity of Iowa Museum of Natural History, Iowa City
Official State History MuseumState Historical Museum of Iowa, Des Moines
Most Popular Art MuseumFigge Art Museum, Davenport
Popular Free MuseumsState Historical Museum of Iowa, Des Moines Art Center, Stanley Museum of Art, Sioux City Public Museum
Largest Museum DistrictDes Moines Cultural & Museum District
Major Museum CitiesDes Moines, Davenport, Cedar Rapids, Dubuque, Iowa City
Popular Museum CategoriesArt, History, Science, Natural History, Agriculture, Transportation, Presidential, Living History
Historic Landmark MuseumLiving History Farms, Urbandale
Best Time to VisitLate spring through early fall (May–October) offers the most pleasant weather for museum visits.
Top Family MuseumsNational Mississippi River Museum & Aquarium, The Putnam Museum and Science Center, Living History Farms, Grout Museum District
Presidential MuseumsHerbert Hoover Presidential Library and Museum, West Branch
Specialty MuseumsNational Sprint Car Hall of Fame & Museum, John Deere Tractor & Engine Museum, Matchstick Marvels Museum, Buffalo Bill Museum
Annual Museum VisitorsIowa museums attract millions of visitors each year.
Top Museum RegionsCentral Iowa, Eastern Iowa, Mississippi River Corridor, Northeast Iowa, Western Iowa
US Museums by State

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