State Historical Museum

Des Moines, Iowa








For more information about the exhibits at the State Historical Museum, or to gain information about admission or hours, visit the State Historical Museum website *Click the picture below


About the State Historical Mueseum

Discover Iowa's rich heritage through a variety of exhibitions, tours, collections and unique programs and events throughout the year.

  • Learn about life in Iowa before it became a state and the many changes that took place when settlers arrived.


  • Explore Iowa’s rich natural resources and the balance between using these resources and preserving them.


  • Discover what inspired more than 76,000 Iowans to fight for the Union and the role they played in the nation’s bloodiest war.


  • Explore Iowa’s legacy with the silver screen from the early 1900s to today in this blockbuster exhibit.


  • Discover the history of bicycling in Iowa including the story of the Des Moines Register’s Annual Great Bicycle Ride Across Iowa (RAGBRAI®) that began in 1973.