The State Historical Museum of Iowa is tucked away downtown near the Capitol and is an amazing free spot to visit. I love that it has lots of natural elements and outdoorsy things to look at and touch; there is also just a lot of open space for exploration and a ton of things to see. There is a new “hands-on history” exhibit as of 2017 with an amazing indoor play area for younger kids!
In addition to being open to the public and individual visits, they facilitate field trips, The museum also houses many preservations and research resources – one that caught my eye was the historic site & archaeological inventory department, which answers questions about historic buildings and places.
Information:
Name: State Historical Museum of Iowa
Address: 600 East Locust St. Des Moines, IA 50319
Type: Places to see nature indoors
Bathrooms: Yes
Shade: Yes (indoors)
Playground: No
Trails: No
Water: No
Other notes: Wheelchair accessible, with a few wheelchairs available on site. Free parking in the Capitol ramp on the NE corner.
Official Website: https://iowaculture.gov/history/museum
DSMOF Blog posts:
Hands on History – new exhibit at State Historical Museum of Iowa
Pictures:
Have you been here? Leave a comment and let people know what you think!