Museum Exhibits

Discover the stories of Iowa’s growth and development through exhibits displaying a rich collection of artifacts and documents.

A man and child explore the collection on iPads in the Visible Vault exhibit
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 results.

Civics in Action

Learn more about the civic ideals of the United States and Iowa, Iowans of civic action, and the importance of being an engaged person in your community.

A wide shot of the Civics in Action exhibit

Delicate Balance

Dig into the history of Iowa’s rich natural resources and the balance between using these resources and preserving them.

Taxidermied buffalo on display at the Iowa museum

Hands-On History

Iowa’s newest generation can learn about those who came before in this exhibition designed especially for children aged 10 and under.

Young children play in the Hands-On History exhibit

Iowa and the Civil War

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

A battle cannon from the Civil War

Iowa History 101

Explore the history of Iowans at home, work and play—and how that shapes who we are today.

Iowa History 101 exhibit in the Iowa history museum

Iowa’s People & Places

Discover the stories and artifacts of the earliest people who called this land home and more recent Iowans who helped make Iowa truly unique.

Rivera and Ayala family members lean against a car

Mammoth: Witness to Change

Stand in the shadow of a full-skeleton replica of a Hebior mammoth and learn what life was like for these animals during the ice age.

Mammoth models stand tall in the Iowa history museum

Revolutionary Iowans

Learn about Iowa’s connections to the American Revolution and Early Republic in the State Historical Museum’s latest exhibit experience, Revolutionary Iowans.

A250 SHSI Revolutionary Iowans Exhibit Experience Logo

Riding Through History

Delve into the history of bicycling in Iowa including the story of the Des Moines Register’s Annual Great Bicycle Ride Across Iowa (RAGBRAI®).

The exhibit for Riding Through History

USS Iowa Silver Service

View the intricate details of the original, 40-piece silver service used aboard the USS Iowa.

Elaborate silver service used aboard the USS Iowa

Visible Vault

Explore an eclectic showcase of 700-some artifacts chosen from approximately 100,000 items in the museum’s diverse collection.

A wide shot of the Visible Vault exhibit

You Gotta Know the Territory

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

A Native American longhouse model on display at the museum