Celebrate International Museum Day at 7 Memorable Museums in Western Iowa

Every year since 1977, ICOM has organized International Museum Day, which represents a unique moment for the international museum community. On this day, participating museums plan creative events and activities related to the International Museum Day theme, engage with their public and highlight the importance of the role of museums as institutions that serve society and its development.

There are many museums in western Iowa that cover the wealth of cultural and natural history of the region. Check our list below for a sampling of the quality museums that you can visit in western Iowa.

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Sanford Museum & Planetarium

117 E Willow St, Cherokee, IA 51012

Located in Cherokee, Iowa, the Sanford Museum and Planetarium has exhibits and activities on a variety of subjects including: Archaeology, Art, Astronomy, Geology, History, Natural History, and Paleontology. 

Admission is free! The public is always welcome to join any of their events. Everything the museum does is always free and open to the public.

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Sergeant Floyd River Museum

1000 Larsen Park Rd, Sioux City, IA 51103

​​Situated next to the Missouri River, the unique dry docked riverboat is adjacent to the scenic riverfront trails and Chris Larsen Park picnic shelter and playground. The historic riverboat is now home to an Iowa Welcome Center, a local gift shop, and a river museum. Learn about Native American culture, fur trapping, the Lewis & Clark Expedition, and so much more!

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Brent S. Olson Memorial Visitor Center

206 Polk St, Pisgah, IA 51564

This nature center relates to the prairie and woods found in the Loess Hills and also serves as the headquarters for the 11,000-acre Loess Hills State Forest. Displays, diorama and murals showing the formation and landscapes of the Loess Hills. Maps of State Forest properties to explore. Art exhibits depicting the Loess Hills.

The visitor center is named in honor of Brent Olson, the former forester for the area who passed away in 2016 following a long battle with cancer.

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Museum of Danish America

2212 Washington St, Elk Horn, IA 51531

​The Museum of Danish America celebrates Danish roots and American dreams. Discover the story of Danish immigration from the mid-19th Century to the present. Learn about traditions carried on by later generations of Danish-Americans presented in programs, exhibits, and special events. Research family history at our Genealogy & Education Center. Celebrate the continuing relationship between Denmark and the United States. ​

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Guthrie County Historical Village & Museum

206 W South St, Panora, IA 50216

The Guthrie County Historical Village, located on a beautiful 4-acre complex on the southwest side of Panora, Iowa, near the Middle Raccoon River and old Lenon Mill Park, features ten buildings, numerous exhibits, and thousands of artifacts that explore the history of Guthrie County from 1850 to the early-20th Century.

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Historic General Dodge House

605 S 3rd St, Council Bluffs, IA 51503
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Built in 1869 for Civil War general and transcontinental railroad builder Grenville Dodge, this National Historic Landmark remains the city's architectural showpiece. The 14-room, 3-story mansion displays architectural features such as parquet floors, cheery, walnut, and bitternut woodwork, and a number of "modern" conveniences quite unusual for the time period.

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Iowa's Championship Rodeo Museum

609 Cass St, Sidney, IA 51652

The state-of-the-art facility in Sidney is packed full of Fremont County history along with fascinating memorabilia from the award-winning Sidney Iowa Championship Rodeo.

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