Civics in Action Mobile Museum with a background of downtown Des Moines skyline

Traveling Exhibits

The State Historical Museum of Iowa, the state’s flagship museum, offers free traveling exhibitions to Iowa communities to fulfill the mission of connecting Iowans to the people, places and points of pride that define our state. Multiple exhibits are currently traveling the state. Check out the calendar to see when they’ll be near your community.

Mobile Museum - Civics in Action

After two successful statewide tours from 2017-2023, the Mobile Museum will hit the road again from 2024 through 2026! Over the three years, the Mobile Museum will travel to all of Iowa’s 99 counties with a new exhibit, Civics in Action.

Housed in a 38-foot custom-built Winnebago, visitors to this exhibit will discover more about the governmental history of the United States and Iowa, and the importance of civics in our communities. The exhibition will also feature the Iowa caucuses, civic stories throughout Iowa’s history, and Iowans of action. More than 50 historic artifacts from the State Historical Museum’s collection will be on view for visitors to explore.

Iowa History 101: Civics in Action is made possible by the National Endowment for the Humanities. Additional support is provided by Casey’s General Stores.

We are now accepting booking requests for 2024-2026, with preference to visit in counties that have not already hosted the mobile museum.

Traveling Exhibit - World War I Honor Roll

The World War I Honor Roll features the more than 4,000 names and corresponding photos the State Historical Society collected from Iowa families who lost loved ones during the war. The society sent out an initial call, in 1920, and then again in 2017, to shore up the official records during the war’s 100th anniversary. The display is the result of that research – and a tribute to a generation of Iowans who sacrificed their lives to the cause of freedom.

We are now accepting booking requests with preference to venues that can host the display for at least four weeks and provide a space at least 15’x15’ with at least 9’ ceilings. Contact Andrew Harrington to request.