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.
| Name | Location | County | Region | Area of study | Summary | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4-H Schoolhouse Museum | Central | School | Located at Heartland Museum Complex, operated by Heartland Museum[1] | |||
| East | Education | One-room schoolhouse, operated by the Linn County Conservation Board | ||||
| West | Historic house | Operated by the State Historical Society of Iowa, restored to 1856 appearance, history of 1857 Spirit Lake Massacre | ||||
| Central | Local history | website includes museum and soda shop, Prairie Settlement I-House, one room schoolhouse | ||||
| 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[2] | ||||
| Adams County House of History | Adams | West | Local history | Located in a former jail[3] | ||
| East | African American | African American heritage and culture of Iowa | ||||
| Airpower Museum | Central | Aviation | Includes historic aircraft, engines, propellers, photos and original art | |||
| Albert City Historical Museum | West | Local history | [4] [5] | |||
| East | Local history | Located in the former county courthouse, log cabin also on grounds, operated by the Allamakee County Historical Society | ||||
| 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 | West | Local history | website | |||
| Altoona Area Historical Society Museum | Central | Local history | website | |||
| Amana Community Church | 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[6] | |||
| Amana Heritage Museum | Iowa | East | Religious | website, religious and cultural history of the Amana Colonies displayed in three 19th-century buildings | ||
| American Gothic House | Wapello | Central | Art | Site of the house used as the background for Grant Wood's painting American Gothic | ||
| American Passenger Train History Museum | Floyd | Central | Railroad | website, Founded in 2018. Home to a collection historic passenger rail cars from the golden age of American railroading. Located on the former yard and shop complex of the Charles City Western Railway. Restoring historic Milwaukee Road Depot after moving to property. | ||
| Ames History Center | Ames | Story | Central | Local history | website, operated by the Ames Historical Society | |
| East | Law enforcement | History of the Anamosa State Penitentiary | ||||
| Andy Williams Birthplace Home | Sac | West | Historic house | 1930s home of singer Andy Williams[7] | ||
| Ankeny Art Center | Polk | Central | Art | website | ||
| Ankeny Area Historical Society Museums | Ankeny | Polk | Central | Local history | website | |
| 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 | Central | Tractor | Facebook site, open by appointment, tractors are rotated through showcase[8] | |||
| South | Mining | website, coal mining, transportation, local history | ||||
| Armstrong Heritage Museum | West | Local history | website, open by appointment | |||
| Armstrong House | Hancock | Central | Historic house | Victorian house, operated by the Hancock County Historical Society[9] | ||
| Arts on Grand | Clay | West | Art | website, community visual arts center with exhibitions | ||
| Audubon County Historical Society Museum | West | Local history | Located in the county's first courthouse[10] | |||
| Audubon Public Library & Cultural Center | Audubon | West | Doll | website houses the John James Audubon Cultural Center with an antique doll and toy museum | ||
| Bedstemor's House | 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 | 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[11] | |||
| Belinda Toy And Antique Museum | West | Toy | Toy airplanes, tractors, dolls, trains, and tin and cast-iron toys, open by appointment[12] | |||
| Belle Plaine Area Museum | Benton | East | Local history | website | ||
| Belmond Museum | Wright | Central | Local history | website, operated by the Belmond Historical Society | ||
| Bennett School | Polk | Central | School | [website], operated by the West Des Moines Historical Society, mid 20th-century one-room schoolhouse | ||
| Big Creek Historical Society Museum | Polk | Central | Local history | website, located in the historic City Hall | ||
| Bily Clocks Museum & Antonín Dvořák Exhibit | Winneshiek | East | Multiple | website, hand-carved clocks, exhibit about Czech composer Antonín Dvořák, log cabin | ||
| B.J. Palmer Mansion | Scott | East | Historic house | Part of Palmer College of Chiropractic, Victorian mansion | ||
| Blakesburg Community Museum | Wapello | Central | Local history | website, operated by the Blakesburg Historical Preservation Society | ||
| Blanden Memorial Art Museum | 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 | West | Food | website, history of ice cream, history of Wells Dairy, simulated production room | |||
| Central | Biographical | Baseball player Bob Feller[13] | ||||
| Central | Railroad | Operated by the Iowa Railroad Historical Society, heritage railroad and museum | ||||
| Boone | Boone | Central | Local history | Operated by the Boone County Historical Society | ||
| Bremer County Historical Society Museum | East | Local history | website, located in the Waverly House | |||
| Cedar Rapids | Linn | East | Historic house | 21 room Queen Anne mansion | ||
| 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 | Buena Vista | West | Local history | website | ||
| Buffalo Bill Cody Homestead | Scott | Central | Biographical | 1847 boyhood home of Buffalo Bill Cody | ||
| Buffalo Bill Museum | Scott | East | Local history | Exhibits about Buffalo Bill Cody, engineer James Buchanan Eads and inventor James Ryan, life along the Mississippi River | ||
| 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 | Central | Local history | Open during the Butler County Fair[14] | |||
| Calhoun County Museum | West | Local history | [15] | |||
| Calkins Square | Jones | East | Historic house | website, open by appointment, mid 19th-century house, includes authentic country doctor's office | ||
| Calliope Village | Sioux | West | Open air | Re-creation of Sioux County's first county seat, 16 buildings[16] [17] [18] | ||
| Camanche Depot | East | Railroad | Open by appointment, restored 1951 Milwaukee/Soo Line caboose and railroad depot[19] | |||
| Camanche Historical Museum | Camanche | Clinton | East | Local history | Open by appointment with the Clinton County/Gateway Genealogical Library | |
| Camp Algona POW Museum | 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 | Warren | Central | Local history | website, Randleman House open for events | ||
| East | Toy | website, toys, dolls, model trains, model circuses, doll houses, local history | ||||
| Carrie Chapman Catt Girlhood Home | Central | Biographical | website, home of suffragette Carrie Chapman Catt | |||
| Carnegie Historical Museum | Jefferson | Local history | website, located in a former Carnegie library building | |||
| Carroll County Historical Museum | Carroll | Local history | Operated by the Carroll County Historical Society in a former Carnegie library building | |||
| Carstens 1880 Farmstead | Pottawattamie | West | Agriculture | website, open for events | ||
| Carter House Museum | East | Historic house | Operated by the Elkader Historical Society, 19th century period mansion | |||
| Cass County Historical Museum | West | Local history | website | |||
| Clinton | Clinton | East | Religious | Area Catholic heritage | ||
| Cedar Rapids | Linn | East | Art | Includes large collection of works by Grant Wood | ||
| Cedar County Historical Society Museum | East | Local history | website, features a local history museum and a prairie village | |||
| East | Historic house | Also known as the Walter House or Lowell E. Walter House, designed by Frank Lloyd Wright | ||||
| Central Community Historical Society Museum | Clinton | East | Local history | website | ||
| 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 | Page | West | Art | Located in a former Carnegie library, | ||
| Clark Museum Of Area History/ Clark's Antique Acres | Dickinson | West | Local history | Includes photos, memorabilia, signs, and Amusement Park game displays[20] [21] | ||
| Clarke County Historical Museum | Clarke | Local history | Operated by the Clarke County Historical Society[22] [23] | |||
| Clay County Heritage Center | Clay | West | Local history | website, operated by the Clay County Heritage | ||
| Clear Lake Arts Center | Cerro Gordo | Central | Art | website, community visual arts center with galleries | ||
| Clermont Historical Society Museum | East | Local history | Open by appointment[24] | |||
| Clinton County Historical Museum | 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 | East | Local history | Operated by the Louisa County Historical Society | |||
| Communal Agriculture Museum | Iowa | East | Agriculture | Tools and equipment used on Amana's communal farms, operated by the Amana Heritage Society | ||
| Communal Kitchen & Cooper Shop Museum | Iowa | East | History | Restored 1932-era communal kitchen for the local Amana Colonies, operated by the Amana Heritage Society | ||
| Conrad Heritage Hall and Museum | Grundy | East | Local history | website, open by appointment | ||
| Correctionville Museum | Woodbury | West | Local history | |||
| Country Life Center | Adair | Central | Biographical | website, birthplace farm of Henry Cantwell Wallace, operated by the Wallace Centers of Iowa | ||
| Country School Museum | Winnebago | Central | School | Operated by the Lake Mills Historical Society[25] | ||
| Curtis Mansion | Clinton | Clinton | East | Historic house | Restored Victorian home | |
| Dairy Center | 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 | Davis | Open air | Includes the Findley home, a Mormon log cabin, livery barn, school, and church[26] | |||
| DeBoer Grocery Museum and Little House Museum | Osceola | West | History | Period grocery store and 1882 house[27] | ||
| Delaware County Historical Museum Complex | East | Open air | Includes nine buildings | |||
| Depot and Rail Museum | Benton | East | Railroad | Operated by the Benton County Historical Society[28] | ||
| Des Moines Art Center | Central | Art | Collection of paintings, sculpture, modern art and mixed media | |||
| Des Moines County Heritage Center Museum | East | Local history | website, operated by the Des Moines County Historical Society, also operates the Phelps House and Hawkeye Log Cabin | |||
| Dexter Historical Museum | Central | Local history | website | |||
| Dickinson County Museum | Dickinson | West | Local history | website, operated by the Dickinson County Historical Society in a former depot[29] | ||
| Donna Reed Heritage Museum | Crawford | West | Biographical | website, life of actress Donna Reed, located in the Donna Reed Performing Arts Center | ||
| West | Natural history | Located in Stone State Park | ||||
| Dover Museum | East | Local history | website, operated by the Dover Historical Society, period room and business displays | |||
| West | Historic house | Operated by the Crawford County Conservation Board, late 19th-century house | ||||
| East | Art | website, concentrates on 20th-century American art with an emphasis on American Regionalism | ||||
| Dumont Museum | 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 | Central | Local history | website | |||
| Wright | Central | Local history | ||||
| Eddyville Historical Museum | Wapello | Central | Local history | Open by appointment and for events[30] | ||
| Edinburgh Pioneer Village | 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 | ||
| 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 | East | Open air | Includes restored Cornwall Pioneer Home, a rural school, and the National Old Thresherman's Hall of Fame[31] | |||
| Emmet County Historical Society Museum | West | Open air | Includes the museum, school, church, blacksmith shop, farm heritage building[32] | |||
| Family Museum | Scott | East | Children's | website | ||
| Farmall-Land U.S.A. | Pottawatomie | West | Agriculture | website, tractors and farm equipment | ||
| Farnham Galleries | Warren | Central | Art | website, part of Simpson College in Mary Berry Hall | ||
| 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 | ||
| Poweshiek | East | Art | ||||
| Felix Adler Children's Discovery Center | Clinton | Clinton | East | Children's | website | |
| FFA Historical and Ag Museum | 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 | Floyd | Central | Local history | website, operated by the Floyd County Historical Society | ||
| Fonda Museum | West | Local history | Antiques, small-town memorabilia[33] | |||
| Forest Park Museum and Arboretum | Dallas | Central | Open air | Arboretum and complex of historic buildings with period and local history exhibits | ||
| Fort Atkinson State Preserve | 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 | Floyd | Central | Natural history | website, Devonian fossils and natural history of the Fossil & Prairie Park Preserve | ||
| Franklin County Historical Museum | Central | Local history | website, operated by the Franklin County Historical Society, includes period kitchens, clothing, entertainment, military history, machinery hall | |||
| 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 | Adams | West | Living | website, history of six Icaria Colonies in America in the 1840s | ||
| Froelich Village | 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 | Clayton | East | Open air | Operated by the Garnavillo Historical Society in a former church | ||
| George Maier Rural Heritage Center | Clayton | East | History | Artifacts from rural Iowa history (1890 - 1950)[34] | ||
| George M. Verity River Museum | 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 | 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 | West | Biographical | website, life of musician Glenn Miller | |||
| Central | Historic house | Operated by the Historical Society of Marshall County by appointment | ||||
| Graceland University Galleries | Decatur | Central | Art | website, Constance Gallery in the Helene Center for the Visual Arts, Helene Center Student Gallery, Shaw Center Gallery | ||
| Grafton Heritage Depot | Central | Railroad | Operated by the Worth County Historical Society, open by appointment[35] | |||
| Granger House Museum | 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 | Page | West | Local history | website, exhibits include area Mormon settlers and old time radio[36] | ||
| Greene County Historical Museum | Central | Local history | [37] | |||
| Greene Historical Museum | Butler | Central | Local history | |||
| Black Hawk | East | Multiple | Complex includes Grout Museum of History & Science, Bluedorn Science Imaginarium, Rensselaer Russell House Museum, Snowden House, and Sullivan Brothers Iowa Veterans Museum | |||
| Grinnell Historical Museum | Grinnell | Poweshiek | East | Historic house | website, late 19th-century period McMurray House | |
| 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 | 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[38] | ||
| Guthrie County Historical Village | Central | Open air | website | |||
| Hanlontown Community Bank Museum | Worth | Central | Local history | Operated by the Worth County Historical Society | ||
| Hardin County Farm Museum | 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[39] | ||
| Harker House | Buena Vista | West | Historic house | website, 1875 house with three generations of family furnishings | ||
| Harlan-Lincoln House | Henry | East | Historic house | Open by appointment, part of Iowa Wesleyan College, features memorabilia related to Senator James Harlan and Abraham Lincoln | ||
| Hampton | Franklin | Central | Historic house | Operated by the Franklin County Historical Society, late 19th-century farmhouse | ||
| Harrison County Historical Village | West | Open air | website, includes 19th century log cabin, general store and school, operated by the Harrison County Conservation Board | |||
| Cedar Falls | Black Hawk | East | Art | website | ||
| Heartland Acres Agribition Center | 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 | Hamilton | Central | Automotive | website, features American convertibles | ||
| Herbert Hoover National Historic Site | Cedar | East | Biographical | Birthplace of President Herbert Hoover, includes Herbert Hoover Presidential Library and Museum | ||
| Heritage Park Museum | O'Brien | Open air | Open by appointment[40] | |||
| Higgins Museum of National Bank Notes | Dickinson | West | Numismatic | Collection of National Bank Note issues | ||
| Pottawatamie | West | Historic house | Victorian period home of Grenville M. Dodge | |||
| Cedar Rapids | Linn | East | Local history | website, history of Linn County, operated by the Linn County Historical Society | ||
| 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 | Cass | West | Historic house | Mid-19th-century house that was a station on the Underground Railway | ||
| Hockett House Museum | Madison | Central | Historic house | Operated by the Earlham Historical Society, settler's house[41] | ||
| 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 | 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 | 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 | Fayette | East | Railroad | website | ||
| Humboldt County Mill Farm Historical Museum | 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 | ||
| 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 | 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 | 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 | |
| Delaware | East | History | Activities of the Civilian Conservation Corps in Iowa state parks; located in Backbone State Park | |||
| 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 | Dickinson | West | Maritime | website, boating in Iowa Great Lakes region, located in Arnolds Park Amusement Park | ||
| Cedar Rapids | Linn | East | History | Masonic artifacts, colonial, Indian and foreign exhibits, evolution of the written and printed word | ||
| 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 | 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 | Jackson | East | Local history | website, includes collection of agriculture equipment | ||
| Jasper County Historical Museum | 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 | 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 | ||
| 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[42] | |
| Johnny Clock Museum | Jefferson | Horology | website, carved clocks | |||
| 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 | ||
| Madison | Central | Biographical | website, birthplace home of actor John Wayne | |||
| Jordan House | Polk | Central | Historic house | 1880s Victorian period house, includes local history exhibits and Underground Railroad exhibit | ||
| Kalona Historical Village | 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 | Boone | Central | Biographical | website, story of Kate Shelley and area railroad history, open by appointment with the Boone County Historical Society | ||
| Kellogg Historical Museum | Jasper | East | Open air | website includes main museum building, factory/bank museum, country school, church and blacksmith shop, operated by the Kellogg Historical Society | ||
| Howard | North | Historic house | Operated by the Howard County Historical Society, open by appointment, Victorian home | |||
| Kensett Community Church Museum | Worth | Central | Local history | Operated by the Worth County Historical Society | ||
| Kinney Pioneer Museum | Cerro Gordo | Central | Open air | Iowa frontier life and pioneer village, includes a one-room school house, log cabin, jail, blacksmith shop[43] [44] | ||
| Kiwanis Railroad Depot Museum Complex | Monona | West | Railroad | [45] | ||
| Kline Museum | Adams | West | Transportation | Antique cars and farm vehicles, local memorabilia[46] | ||
| Lake View Historical Museum | West | Local history | Operated by the Lake View Historical Society, includes mounted bird collection, model train, log cabin, schoolhouse[47] | |||
| Laura Ingalls Wilder Park and Museum | Winneshiek | East | Biographical | website, Masters Hotel, childhood home of Laura Ingalls Wilder | ||
| Lewelling Quaker Museum | Henry | East | Historic house | website, station on the Underground Railroad[48] | ||
| Liberty Hall | Decatur | Central | Historic house | 1880s Victorian home of Joseph Smith III, president of Community of Christ | ||
| 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 | Polk | Central | Living | Farm life in the years of 1700, 1850 and 1900 and 1875 small-town life | ||
| Lockmaster's Heritage House Museum | Clayton | East | Historic house | Operated by the Guttenberg Heritage Society, 19th-century lockmaster's house by Lock and Dam No. 10[49] | ||
| Locust School | Decorah | Winneshiek | East | School | 1854 one-room schoolhouse, operated by the Winneshiek County Historical Society[50] | |
| Louisa County Heritage Center | Louisa | East | Local history | Operated by the Louisa County Historical Society, open by appointment[51] | ||
| Lucas County Historical Museum | 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 | West | Local history | Includes a renovated depot and caboose, a Victorian-period house, livery stable, windmill[52] | |||
| Maasdam Barns | Jefferson | Agriculture | website, history of the Evergreen Ridge Stock Farm, features three barns and the farmhouse | |||
| Mason City | Cerro Gordo | Central | Art | American art and life, special collection of Bil Baird marionettes, hand puppets and ephemera | ||
| Madrid Historical Museum | Boone | Central | Local history | website, operated by the Madrid Historical Society, includes doll collection and replica underground coal mine | ||
| Boone | Boone | Central | Biographical | website, operated by the Boone County Historical Society, birthplace of Mamie Eisenhower, wife of President Dwight Eisenhower | ||
| Marble Rock Museum | Floyd | Central | Local history | website, operated by the Marble Rock Historical Society | ||
| Marion County Historical Village & Museum | 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 | Linn | East | Local history | website, operated by the Marion Historical Society in a former church | ||
| Marquette Depot Museum | Clayton | East | Railroad | Railroad artifacts, information center and gift shop[53] | ||
| 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 | |
| Central | Art | website, contains a museum with scaled models of lifelike sculptures, intricate machines, and world renown architecture made from matchsticks | ||||
| 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 | Marshall | Central | Historic house | website, operated by the State Historical Society of Iowa, early 20th century blacksmith shop | ||
| McCallum Museum | Osceola | West | Local history | Operated by the Osceola County Historical Society[54] | ||
| McGregor Historical Museum | Clayton | East | Local history | website, operated by the McGregor Historical Society[55] | ||
| Crawford | West | Historic house | Operated by the Crawford County Historical Society, Victorian period home | |||
| Melcher-Dallas Coal Mining and Heritage Museum | Marion | Central | Mining | Reconstructed coal mine and mining exhibits[56] | ||
| Meskwaki Cultural Center and Museum | Tama | East | Native American | |||
| Sioux City | Woodbury | West | Aviation & Transportation | website | ||
| 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 | ||
| Mount Pleasant | Henry | East | Railroad | website, heritage railway | ||
| Mills County Historical Museum | Mills | West | Open air | website, operated by the Mills County Historical Society | ||
| Mitchell County Historical Museum | 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[57] | |
| Monona County Veteran's Memorial Museum | Onawa | Monona | West | Military | [58] [59] | |
| Monona Historical Museum | Clayton | East | Local history | website, operated by the Monona Historical Society | ||
| Monroe County Historical Museum | Monroe | Central | Local history | Includes artifacts from 19th century homes, farms, and coal mines, operated by the Monroe County Historical Society[60] | ||
| Clermont | Fayette | Central | Historic house | website, operated by the State Historical Society of Iowa, home of Iowa's 12th governor, William Larrabee | ||
| Red Oak | Montgomery | West | Local history | website, operated by the Montgomery County Historical Society | ||
| Moorehead House Museum | Ida | West | Historic house | Also known as the Ida County Historical Society Museum, Victorian-period house[61] | ||
| Ida | West | Historic site | Mid 19th-century stagecoach inn, barn and schoolhouse | |||
| Moulton Historical Society | Appanoose | South | Local history | [62] | ||
| Mount Ayr Depot Museum | East | Railroad | website | |||
| Muscatine | East | Art | website | |||
| 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 | |
| Mason City | Cerro Gordo | Central | Biographical | website, includes the boyhood home and museum about composer Meredith Willson | ||
| Nathaniel Hamlin Park and Museum | 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[63] [64] | ||
| Warren | Central | Sports | Exhibits history of ballooning and memorabilia, includes the U.S. Ballooning Hall of Fame | |||
| Cedar Rapids | Linn | East | Ethnic | Czech and Slovak history and culture | ||
| Dubuque | Central | Toy | Toy farm equipment | |||
| National Hobo Museum | Hancock | Central | Culture | website, hobo artifacts collection, may be closed[65] | ||
| 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 | ||
| 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[66] [67] | |
| Nelson Pioneer Farm Museum | Mahaska | Central | Open air | website, operated by the Mahaska County Historical Society, mid-19th-century farmhouse, farm and other historic buildings | ||
| Nishna Heritage Museum | Pottawatamie | West | Local history | Operated by the Oakland Historical Society[68] | ||
| 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 | Lee | East | Open air | website, located in the Santa Fe Railway Depot Complex, local and railroad history | ||
| 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 | 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 | ||
| Johnson | Central | Multiple | Part of the University of Iowa, changing history, art, culture exhibits | |||
| Old Creamery Museum | 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 | |
| Hampton | Franklin | Central | Historic house | Operated by the Franklin County Historical Society by appointment, mid 19th-century farmhouse | ||
| Oxford Junction Heritage Museum | 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 | West | Local history | Operated by the Palo Alto County Historical Society, open by appointment[69] | |||
| Parker Museum | Spencer | Clay | West | Local history | website, operated by the Clay County Heritage | |
| Pat Clark Art Collection | Hardin | Central | Art | website, part of Ellsworth Community College | ||
| Pearson Lakes Art Center | Okoboji | Dickinson | West | Art | website | |
| Sioux City | Woodbury | West | Historic house | Victorian period mansion, open for quarterly events, operated by the Sioux City Public Museum | ||
| Pella Historical Village | 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 | |
| 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 | 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 | |
| Iowa City | Johnson | Central | Historic house | Operated by the Johnson County Historical Society | ||
| Plymouth County Historical Museum | Plymouth | West | Local history | website | ||
| 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 | Jasper | Central | Natural history | website, museum and education center for the Neal Smith National Wildlife Refuge | ||
| Prairie Trails Museum | Wayne | Central | History | website | ||
| Putnam Museum | Davenport | Scott | East | Natural history | ||
| Wright | Central | History | Operated by the Dows Historical Society | |||
| Quasqueton Area Historical Society Museum | Buchanan | East | Local history | website | ||
| 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 | ||
| Vinton, Iowa | Vinton | Benton | East | Historic house | Operated by the Benton County Historical Society, 1893 Victorian house | |
| 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 | Buchanan | East | Historic house | 19th-century house, operated by the Buchanan County Conservation Board in Jakway Forest Area[70] [71] [72] | ||
| River History Museum | Allamakee | East | Maritime | Includes exhibits about steam-boating, commercial fishing, pearl button industry and ice harvesting[73] | ||
| 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 | Story | Central | Local history | website, operated by the Roland Historical Society | ||
| Rural Free Delivery Museum | Louisa | East | History | Oldest rural-free delivery post office in Iowa; historic post office display | ||
| Russell Historical Society Museum | Lucas | Central | Local history | website | ||
| Sac City Museum Village | 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 | West | Multiple | website, local history, natural history, art, archaeology, paleontology, geology | ||
| Clinton | Clinton | East | Forestry | website, importance of forests and wood products, area lumber industry, restored 1920s sawmill | ||
| 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 | |
| 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 | Shelby | West | Local history | website, operated by the Shelby County Historical Society | ||
| Sheldon Prairie Museum | O'Brien | Open air | Located in the Carnegie Library (Sheldon, Iowa) | |||
| Shell Rock Historical Museum | Butler | East | Local history | website | ||
| Sioux City | Woodbury | West | Art | |||
| 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 | Woodbury | West | Local history | City history, culture, agriculture, transportation | ||
| Sioux City | Woodbury | West | Railroad | website, operated by the Siouxland Historical Railroad Association | ||
| Council Bluffs | Pottawatamie | West | Prison | Operated by the Historical Society of Pottawattamie County | ||
| St. Ansgar Heritage Museum | 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 | |
| Des Moines | Polk | Central | History | Operated by the State Historical Society of Iowa | ||
| Mason City | Cerro Gordo | Central | Historic house | 1908 house designed by Frank Lloyd Wright | ||
| Story City Museum | 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 | Henry | East | Ethnic | Operated by the Swedish Heritage Society, area Swedish heritage[74] | ||
| Swensrud School | Northwood | Worth | Central | School | Operated by the Worth County Historical Society, 19th-century period schoolhouse | |
| Tama County Museum | Tama | East | Local history | website, operated by the Tama County Historical Society | ||
| Taylor County Historical Museum | 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 | |
| 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 | |||
| Louisa | East | Native American | Operated by the State Historical Society of Iowa, group of Hopewell mounds and education center | |||
| Traer Historical Museum | Tama | Central | Local history | Open by appointment[75] | ||
| Trainland U.S.A. | 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 | Union | Open air | Includes a schoolhouse, home, general store, printing shop, log cabin, church, blacksmith shop, depot and a museum[76] | |||
| Council Bluffs | Pottawatamie | West | Railroad | website, exhibits on the Union Pacific Railroad, development of the railroad and the American West | ||
| 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 | |
| Iowa City | Johnson | Central | Natural history | Includes birds, mammals, and Native American artifacts | ||
| 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 | Van Buren | East | Local history | website, located in the historic Twombly Building | ||
| Vander Haag's Yesterday's Memories | O'Brien | West | History | Open by appointment, historic cars, trucks, tools, toys, dresses, household items[77] | ||
| Vermeer Museum | Pella | Marion | Central | Technology | website, history of the Vermeer Company, manufacturer of agricultural, environmental and construction equipment | |
| Vernon Schoolhouse #5 | Wright | Central | School | Operated by the Dows Historical Society, open by appointment[78] [79] | ||
| 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[80] | |
| Villisca Axe Murder House | Montgomery | West | Multiple | Historic Josiah B. and Sara Moore House where several people were murdered in 1912 | ||
| Voas Nature Area & Museum | Dallas | Central | Natural history | website, 705-acre park with museum of rocks, fossils and minerals | ||
| Appanoose | South | Railroad | Includes railroad artifacts, an operational model train layout and a restored railroad section car | |||
| Wagaman Mill | 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 | 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 | |
| Marshall | Central | History | Period grocery store[81] | |||
| Wayland & Midwest Memories Museums | Henry | East | Local history | website | ||
| West Bend Historical Museum | Palo Alto | West | Local history | [82] | ||
| 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[83] | |
| Wilder Memorial Museum | Delaware | East | Commodity | website, includes over 800 dolls, 40 Victorian lamps, European figurines, farm tools, toy tractors | ||
| 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 | Jackson | East | Historic house | Turn-of-the-20th-century period house[84] | ||
| 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/ |