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In 1683, Elias Ashmole, an Oxford graduate and true polymath, , the modern world's first public museum. Stocked with his private collection of artifacts, curios, and special scientific equipment, the goal of the museum was to create a center for practical research and the advancement of knowledge. This, Ashmole felt, was a goal "very necessary to humaine life, health [and] the conveniences thereof."

According to figures from the Institute of Museum and Library Services, there are in the United States today. Their collections encompass everything from modern art, like at the MoMA in New York City, to mustard, like at the National Mustard Museum in Middleton, Wisconsin, and everything in between.

Museums are anchors of our communities. The reports that museums support more than 725,000 jobs and contribute upwards of $50 billion to the U.S. economy each year. Three-quarters of Americans agree that museums are an important part of our civil society and have an important role in promoting knowledge and civic engagement.

Beyond their educational and economic significance, museums are just plain fun. Whether you have a developed interest in natural history or just want to learn a little bit more about funerary history (the National Museum of Funeral History in Houston), there's sure to be a museum that strikes your interest. There's simply nothing else quite like spending an afternoon learning about famous figures, arts and crafts, military history, or what else you fancy.

Here, compiled a list of the highest-rated specialty museums in Iowa on as of Aug. 13, 2025. Keep reading to see what unique museums are in your home state. Then, make sure to plan a visit. With many museums facing funding cuts due to the current administration's efforts to dismantle the Institute of Museum and Library Services, who's to say how much longer these treasure troves will be available to us?

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#30. The Mid America Museum of Aviation & Transportation

- Rating: 4.4/5 (35 reviews)
- City: Sioux City
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#29. The Sawmill Museum

- Rating: 4.3/5 (53 reviews)
- City: Clinton
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#28. Star Trek Voyage Home Museum

- Rating: 4.5/5 (37 reviews)
- City: Riverside
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#27. Maharishi Vedic Observatory

- Rating: 4.4/5 (26 reviews)
- City: Fairfield
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#26. Danish Windmill Museum

- Rating: 4.2/5 (98 reviews)
- City: Elk Horn
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#25. Bily Clocks Museum & Antonin Dvorak Exhibit

- Rating: 4.8/5 (100 reviews)
- City: Spillville
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#24. Iowa Great Lakes Maritime Museum

- Rating: 4.6/5 (96 reviews)
- City: Okoboji
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#23. Antique Car Museum of Iowa

- Rating: 4.5/5 (60 reviews)
- City: Coralville
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#22. Dorothy Pecaut Nature Center

- Rating: 4.7/5 (48 reviews)
- City: Sioux City
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#21. American Gothic House

- Rating: 4.5/5 (138 reviews)
- City: Eldon
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#20. Sioux City Railroad Museum

- Rating: 4.5/5 (47 reviews)
- City: Sioux City
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#19. Okoboji Classic Cars

- Rating: 4.8/5 (96 reviews)
- City: Okoboji
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#18. Matchstick Marvels Museum

- Rating: 4.8/5 (47 reviews)
- City: Gladbrook
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#17. Sullivan Brothers Iowa Veterans Museum

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

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

- Rating: 4.6/5 (103 reviews)
- City: Council Bluffs
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#14. Buffalo Bill Museum

- Rating: 4.2/5 (332 reviews)
- City: Le Claire
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#13. Music Man Square

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

- Rating: 4.7/5 (160 reviews)
- City: Sioux City
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#11. Ice Cream Capital of the World Visitor Center

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

- Rating: 4.7/5 (217 reviews)
- City: Decorah
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#9. Mississippi Spoon Gallery

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

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

- Rating: 4.8/5 (80 reviews)
- City: Des Moines
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#6. National Czech & Slovak Museum & Library

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

- Rating: 4.5/5 (314 reviews)
- City: Council Bluffs
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#4. John Deere Tractor & Engine Museum

- Rating: 4.7/5 (205 reviews)
- City: Waterloo
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#3. Iowa 80 Trucking Museum

- Rating: 4.9/5 (648 reviews)
- City: Walcott
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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 Madison Troyer, and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 51 states.

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