Museums Specialized
Iowa

Browse Museums

American Gothic House Center
Eldon, Iowa

Art, History, Historic House, Specialized

Strike your own American Gothic pose in front of the house that inspired Iowa artist Grant Wood to begin his most famous painting. Costumes and pitch fork are provided by the American Gothic House Center!

Boone & Scenic Valley Railroad
Boone, Iowa

Specialized

An operating historical railroad museum running on 11 miles of track across the Des Moines River Valley. Home to "The Iowan", the last commercially produced steam locomotive in the world

Effigy Mounds National Monument
Harpers Ferry, Iowa

Park, Specialized

A unit of the National Park System established to preserve prehistoric Indian burial and ceremonial mounds and the environment where they are found.

Iowa Gold Star Museum
Johnston, Iowa

History, Specialized

The museum interprets the history of Iowans in the military from 1846 to the present.

John L. Lewis Mining & Labor Museum
Lucas, Iowa

History, Specialized

Photos, documents, artifacts all pertaining to coal mining, labor history and John L. Lewis who was a labor leader born 1 mile from Lucas, Iowa.

Mississippi River Museum
Dubuque, Iowa

History, Specialized

Mississippi and national river history, local history, National Rivers Hall of Fame, archives

National Farm Toy Museum
Dyersville, Iowa

Specialized

Established in 1986, this museum offers an array of farm toys, trucks and banks manufactured world-wide. Farm scenes illustrate the importance of agriculture throughout history. Enjoy our large pedal tractor display and 10 minute movie in a 45-seat theatre.

National Sprint Car Hall of Fame and Museum
Knoxville, Iowa

Specialized

World's only museum dedicated solely to preserving the history of the sport of sprint car racing.

The Danish Immigrant Museum
Elkhorn, Iowa

Art, Culture, General, History, Library, Park, Specialized

The Danish Immigrant Museum will tell the story of the Danish immigrants and the Danish-American experience and is organized to collect, preserve, study and interpret their material, culture and traditions.

The Restored Burlington Northern Depot & WWII Memorial Museum
RED OAK, Iowa

Culture, History, Historical Society, Library, Military, Specialized

The architecture of the Depot is the Richardson Romanesque Style which influenced the first Chicago School of architecture and architects such as Louis Sullivan and Frank Lloyd Wright. That Style, named after Henry Hobson Richardson, generally follows Romanesque Revival Style, incorporating 11th century southern French and Spanish Romanesque characteristics, plus Richardson designs, which can be observed on the Depot.

Bily Clocks Museum/Antonin Dvorak Exhibit
Spillville, Iowa

Specialized

An unexpected wonder located in the scenic backroad country of northeast Iowa - not to be missed!

Dows Welcome Center
Dows, Iowa

Historic House, Historical Society, Specialized

Built in 1896, the depot was the first one built in Wright County and operated as a working depot until 1980. Passengers rode the trains to nearby towns and many commercial products were shipped by rail such as poultry, farm products, and coal. The Dows Historical Society raised enough money to purchase and restore the depot in 1988, and today it is known as The Dows Depot Welcome Center. It has been placed on the National Register of Historical Places.

George M. Verity Riverboat Museum
Keokuk, Iowa

History, Historic House, Park, Specialized

Built in 1927 at Dubuque, Iowa by the U. S. Government, the S.S. Thorpe inaugurated barge service on the upper Mississippi . The first of four steamboats built for the revival of river transportation, it was the first to move barges from St. Louis north to St. Paul. It remained in service there until 1940, when it was sold to Armco Steel Corp. and put in service on the Ohio River. Armco renamed it the George M. Verity after their founder.

Iowa Great Lakes Maritime Museum
Arnolds Park, Iowa

History, Specialized

Displays the unique nautical history of Lake Okoboji and the Iowa Great Lakes through a collection of wooden boats and memorabilia.

Medical Museum
Iowa City, Iowa

Specialized

Through exhibits of photographs, artifacts and interactive displays, the story of health care in Iowa is used to illustrate the history of medicine in general.

National Balloon Museum and US Ballooning Hall of Fame
Indianola, Iowa

History, Library, Science, Specialized

Come and surround yourself in history and the "Beginning of the Space Age" with Ballooning from 1783 to the present. Learn about many of the Pioneers of Ballooning from our Hall of Fame and Women in Ballooning displays. The Children' Learning Area will entertain and teach them about ballooning through simulated video games, videos , balloon pictures and books.Our collection covers gas,smoke and hot air balloons as well as airships, blimps and Zeppelins and their memoribilia.

National Motorcycle Museum and Hall of Fame
Anamosa, Iowa

Specialized

As the motorcycle industry continues to change with technology, it is critical that the transformation be captured and preserved.
When you walk through the doors you will be transported back in time as you marvel at the extensive collection, dating back to 1903. Cruise in and experience over 170 vintage motorcycles, from Ariels to Zundapps, thousands of photographs, posters, postcards, and pieces of motorcycle memorabilis, plus a fabulous collection of antique motorcycle toys, and more!

Sergeant Floyd Museum & Welcome Center
Sioux City, Iowa

Specialized

Dry-docked 1932 Army Corps of Engineers work boat with exhibitions related to Siouxland maritime history; also serves as an official Iowa and Nebraska State Welcome Center

The Higgins Museum
Okoboji, Iowa

Specialized

Devoted to national banking in the US. National bank notes and memorabilia from Iowa and adjoining states. Research facilities.

The Theatre Museum of Repertoire Americana
Mount Pleasant, Iowa

Culture, History, Specialized

Built and maintained by the Midwest old Settlers and Threshers Association, Inc., the Museum of Repertoire Americana officially opened September 1, 1973, reflecting the long-time dream of repertoire theatre company owners and actors Neil and Caroline Schaffner. The museum is dedicated to the preservation of memorabilia and artifacts of early repertoire theatre. The collection includes numerous painted curtains and scenic pieces; costumes and equipment used by individual performers and technicians; playbills, show cards, advertising sheets, etc.; and an extensive research library of rare scripts, correspondence, tour schedules, production photos and other original source materials.

MUSEUM CONFERENCES

Georgia Association of Museums 2025 Conference

February 5 - 7, 2025

Milledgeville, Georgia

Georgia Association of Museums 2025 Conference

Wednesday, February 5 - Friday, February 7, 2025

Ina Dillard Russell Library Georgia College & State University

Milledgeville, Georgia

Hosted by: Georgia Association of Museums

The Whole Story Is The Meanin

“For the fiction writer himself the whole story is the meaning, because it is an experience, not an abstraction.”― Flannery O'Connor, Mystery and Manners: Occasional Pros

Join us in Milledgeville, Georgia, for the annual Georgia Association of Museums conference as we explore the profound wisdom of Milledgeville author Flannery O'Connor’s words. In a world where narratives intersect and perspectives diverge, this theme invites proposals that delve into the essence of storytelling within museums and cultural institutions. Our work in the museum field requires us to look at stories from as many angles and perspectives as possible so that we might do our best to tell the “whole story.

Through thought-provoking discussions, interactive workshops, and engaging presentations, we will uncover the layers of meaning embedded within every artifact, exhibition, and historical account. Just as O’Connor masterfully crafted narratives that resonate with universal truths, museums hold the power to illuminate the whole story behind many objects, artworks, and cultural phenomena

We will examine how museums can embrace inclusivity, diversity, and authenticity in their storytelling practices. By acknowledging multiple perspectives and amplifying marginalized voices, we can enrich our understanding of the past and present, fostering empathy and connection within our communities.

Small Museum Association 41st Annual Conference 2025

February 17 - 19, 2025

Gaithersburg, Maryland

Small Museum Association 41st Annual Conference 2025

Monday, February 17 - Wednesday, February 19, 2025

Gaithersburg Marriott Washingtonian Center

Gaithersburg, Maryland

Hosted by: Small Museum Association

The annual SMA conference attracts more than 300 museum professionals, board members, and volunteers from a wide variety of small museums. They attend sessions on topics ranging from collections and education to staffing and board issues.

We offer a large Museum Resource Hall and plenty of informal networking opportunities for you to talk with (and get ideas from!) other small museum professionals and volunteers

Theme for 2025: Make It Happen!!!

Is there an exhibit, program, or fundraiser that you've been talking about doing for years? Do you feel stuck because of procrastination, lack of board support, or insufficient funds? It's time to take action

At SMA 2025, small museum professionals will share their tips and tricks of how they made it happen!

2025 California Association of Museums Conference

February 18 - 22, 2025

San Fransico, California

2025 California Association of Museums Conference

Tuesday, February 18 - Saturday, February 22, 2025

San Fransico, California

Hosted by: California Association of Museums

CAM is hard at work planning for the 2025 conference, set to take place from February 18–22, 2025 in San Francisco. We look forward to highlighting best practices and innovative ideas from California's museum community

The California Association of Museums is excited to continue offering in-person programming for 2025. We will not be requiring proof of COVID vaccination/s, but highly encourage vaccination and boosters. For the health and safety of our colleagues, masks are also encouraged (but not required). Capacity and spaces will be thoughtfully considered in the planning of this event.

For more information, please email programs@calmuseums.org.

Virginia Association of Museum's 2025 Annual Conference!

March 15 - 18, 2025

Blacksburg, Virginia

Virginia Association of Museum's 2025 Annual Conference!

Saturday, March 15 - Tuesday, March 18, 2025

The Inn at Virginia Tech

Blacksburg, Virginia

Hosted by: Virginia Association of Museums

2025 Conference Theme: Looking Back to the Future For the past several years, many museums have been deeply involved in planning programs and events to observe the 250th birthday of the United States of America. While this is certainly an occasion to celebrate, this anniversary also forces us as a society to reckon with ongoing inequities and challenges within the US that go back to its inception. As museums ask their audiences to look to the past to understand the present and shape a better future, perhaps now is a good moment in time for Virginia’s museum community to take pause and look back at its own history. We are excited to see you in Blacksburg in March 2025 as we take a moment in our hectic schedules to take pause and visit our diverse pasts. Let’s uncover and share our histories to build a more resilient Virginia museum community.

2025 Am Assoc for State and Local History Annual Conference

September 10 - 13, 2025

Cincinnati, Ohio

2025 Am Assoc for State and Local History Annual Conference

Wednesday, September 10 - Saturday, September 13, 2025

TBD

Cincinnati, Ohio

Hosted by: American Association for State and Local History

The 2025 AASLH Annual Conference, in partnership with Ohio Local History Alliance, will take place as the history field makes the final preparations to kickoff off the 250th commemoration of the founding of the United States.

The 2025 conference theme, inspired by AASLH’s Making History at 250: The Field Guide for Semiquincentennial, is an opportunity to broadly explore one of the guide’s themes, The American Experiment. For many in the American colonies in 1776, independence from Britain represented a “leap into the dark” into an unknown future

We are excited for you to join us in Cincinnati as we encourage discussion about our democracy and civic institutions and how they can help strengthen understanding, inspire action, and reveal ways that all of us can participate in and shape the ongoing American experiment.

For more information, please call 615-320-3203 or email info@aaslh.org.

view all conferences
RECENT UPDATES

Museums

03/07 Pointe Coupee Parish Museum

New Roads, Louisiana

03/07 Uintah County Heritage Museum

Vernal, Utah

Museum Vendors

03/07 Digiscura

Encino, California

Museum Associations

03/07 Public Lands Alliance

Washington, District of Columbia

03/07 Oregon Museums Association

Portland, Oregon

03/07 Virginia Association of Museums

Richmond, Virginia

03/07 American Association for State and Local History

Nashville, Tennessee

03/07 Small Museum Association

Dover, Delaware