Highest-rated museums in Iowa by visitors

Museums are popular tourist attractions because they provide fun ways to learn about history, science, and culture. As stewards of our civilization, they collect and exhibit items of significant importance, typically based around a theme, topic, or place. Many cover areas like art, natural history, or science, but some museums dedicate themselves to highly specific topics like mustard, play, hot air balloons, and even funeral history. Ultimately, museums present a window into different eras of society so people can learn about the past.

Collecting, preserving, and displaying items is not a new idea. The dates to about 530 B.C., a project of Princess Ennigaldi-Nanna, a Babylonian who had a collection of Mesopotamian artifacts. The oldest public museums still in existence are the Capitoline Museums in Rome, a collection of art and archeology museums . America's oldest museum predates our country's founding. The Charleston Museum, a preservation of South Carolinian Lowcountry history,.

Museums are important not just because they preserve important elements of our history and culture but also because they can improve our well-being. Naturally, museums promote education and learning and can also bring joy. Researchers studying art museums found that they can. Quiet museum environments allow people to slow down and relax, and looking at exhibits. Museums also foster community by hosting events, activities, and tours that encourage social interaction.

No wonder they attract nearly.

With over in the country to choose from, there's something for everyone. compiled a list of the highest-rated museums in Iowa on Tripadvisor as of Aug. 11, 2025. Tripadvisor rankings factor in the average rating and number of reviews. Keep reading to see what museums are in your own home state.

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#30. Sullivan Brothers Iowa Veterans Museum

- Rating: 4.7/5 (106 reviews)
- City: Waterloo
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#29. National Farm Toy Museum

- Rating: 4.4/5 (103 reviews)
- City: Dyersville
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#28. Historic General Dodge House

- Rating: 4.6/5 (103 reviews)
- City: Council Bluffs
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#27. The Iowa Children's Museum

- Rating: 4.6/5 (153 reviews)
- City: Coralville
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#26. Cedar Rapids Museum of Art

- Rating: 4.4/5 (161 reviews)
- City: Cedar Rapids
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#25. Buffalo Bill Museum

- Rating: 4.2/5 (332 reviews)
- City: Le Claire
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#24. Old Capitol Museum

- Rating: 4.4/5 (167 reviews)
- City: not available
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#23. Museum of Natural History

- Rating: 4.3/5 (102 reviews)
- City: not available
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#22. Music Man Square

- Rating: 4.4/5 (184 reviews)
- City: Mason City
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#21. Sioux City Public Museum

- Rating: 4.7/5 (160 reviews)
- City: Sioux City
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#20. Sergeant Floyd River Museum and Welcome Center

- Rating: 4.5/5 (139 reviews)
- City: Sioux City
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#19. Ice Cream Capital of the World Visitor Center

- Rating: 4.5/5 (73 reviews)
- City: Le Mars
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#18. Vesterheim Norwegian-American Museum

- Rating: 4.7/5 (217 reviews)
- City: Decorah
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#17. Science Center of Iowa

- Rating: 4.1/5 (264 reviews)
- City: Des Moines
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#16. State Historical Museum

- Rating: 4.3/5 (196 reviews)
- City: Des Moines
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#15. Mississippi Spoon Gallery

- Rating: 5.0/5 (102 reviews)
- City: Davenport
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#14. Squirrel Cage Jail

- Rating: 4.3/5 (142 reviews)
- City: Council Bluffs
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#13. World Food Prize Hall of Laureates

- Rating: 4.8/5 (80 reviews)
- City: Des Moines
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#12. The Putnam Museum & Science Center

- Rating: 4.3/5 (234 reviews)
- City: Davenport
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#11. Figge Art Museum

- Rating: 4.5/5 (325 reviews)
- City: Davenport
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#10. National Czech & Slovak Museum & Library

- Rating: 4.7/5 (370 reviews)
- City: Cedar Rapids
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#9. Union Pacific Railroad Museum

- Rating: 4.5/5 (314 reviews)
- City: Council Bluffs
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#8. Lewis and Clark Interpretive Center

- Rating: 4.6/5 (301 reviews)
- City: Sioux City
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#7. Herbert Hoover Presidential Library and Museum

- Rating: 4.6/5 (500 reviews)
- City: West Branch
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#6. John Deere Tractor & Engine Museum

- Rating: 4.7/5 (205 reviews)
- City: Waterloo
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#5. Des Moines Art Center

- Rating: 4.5/5 (322 reviews)
- City: Des Moines
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#4. Iowa 80 Trucking Museum

- Rating: 4.9/5 (648 reviews)
- City: Walcott
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#3. Salisbury House & Gardens

- Rating: 4.4/5 (162 reviews)
- City: Des Moines
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#2. John Wayne Birthplace & Museum

- Rating: 4.4/5 (512 reviews)
- City: Winterset
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#1. National Mississippi River Museum & Aquarium

- Rating: 4.5/5 (1,652 reviews)
- City: Dubuque
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This story features data reporting by Wade Zhou, writing by Jill Jaracz, and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 51 states.

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