A bit of American history inside an old movie theater. Kinda small but a lot of interesting…read morestories. $5.00 per person The volunteer was super friendly and taught us a little about the importance of hobos. Hobos were the traveling workers of the USA. They jumped trains to travel here and there looking for work. They were not bums. Bums were travelers who didn't not work. Hobos were the hard workers. This museum is dedicated to the men and women who died being a hobo. Their stories live on.

Closed for the season! October 11, 2022…read moreBoo?!? In town well, in Iowa and drove from Billy Holidays memorial. Would have liked to know they are closed and seasonal

This was a fantastic museum to stumble upon in Mason City. We could have spent longer here looking…read moreat everything (but we were pressed for time). Bil Baird's puppets were my absolute favorite permanent collection. Such a variety of puppets - you'll even get to see some of the puppets featured in The Sound of Music from 1965. (If you've seen the movie, you'll recognize them immediately.) MacNider has the most extensive Bil Baird puppet collection anywhere in the world; I suspect it's because Bil grew up in Mason City. The museum resides in a Tudor-style home, previously a private residence and a convent. The house has gone through several renovations over the years. The original staircase is beautiful. The art outside the museum between it and the library is neat, too. If you're going to Mason City, take advantage of MacNider! Free admission.

Such a great museum. A must see when visiting Mason City…read more It's FREE, so no worries if you've just spent all your money at the local ice-cream shop. Donations only. Full of rich history and great exhibits. They even have a small gift shop with items made from local artist. Upstairs the Bill Baird puppets are on display. If you don't know who Bill Baird is, he's the guy who created the puppets for the movie.... The Sound Of Music. They have an Imagination playground for younger children and even a few local exhibits from artists all over the Mid-West. Some of the local exhibits change monthly. They also offer art classes like painting and pottery. Fun place to visit.

The Iowa Great Lakes Maritime Museum is located next to the Amusement Park and also contains an…read moreIowa Welcome Center and a Gift Shop. The Iowa Rock n' Roll museum and the Queen II Excursion Boat are also a short walk away for those who want to experience a historical Lakes "trifecta". And when I stopped by a few weeks ago, there was also a Victory motorcycle rally and exhibition in progress, which made this area the central place for a lot of interesting things see and do. The Museum itself contains historic memorabilia of the Iowa Great Lakes, which includes Spirit Lake, Big Spirit Lake, and both Okoboji Lakes. It has on display restored wooden boats, historical photographs, and other artifacts. Multimedia presentations have been developed to illustrate the nautical and ecological history of this area of Iowa. Premier exhibits include the Old Okoboji store, a resurrected wooden boat and hundreds of riveting photos of past lakes area vacationers. I'm now old enough to have seen some of these historical exhibits outside of the museum! And when I look at old Fun House pictures of the Sugar Bowl, I wonder how I escaped injury! The other interesting learning experience are the stories of all the water craft that sank on West Okoboji (e.g. #30 Boat), and those of which that are still down there. And every summer that I return, I learn something new.

First time came here on Sunday!! we looked around to find some info and the area events, then we…read morelook around the museum!! I recommend this place and friendly staff!!

While visiting my parents in 2019, I was able to tour the Heartland Museum with family and…read morethoroughly appreciated the variety of pristine collections! Plan 2 hours minimum to enjoy.

If you have any connection to the area you have to check this museum out. All local items and a…read moremock town inside with collectibles from the 1900's, 1930's and 1950's. Tour guides are volunteers and are really amazing. Apparently the place gets an international draw from its tractor display(which is quite impressive).

The Dickinson County Museum in Spirit Lake is located at an old train depot. And if you look in…read moreone direction, you can see where the tracks once ran. When I was growing up in NW Iowa, I remember the old Rock Island, which in Estherville included a roundhouse, offices, and tracks running in all major directions. These days, much of that track is either gone or abandoned (including the old main east - west line between Estherville and Spirit Lake. On the other hand, Iowa has done an admirable job turning some of these old rails to trails and preserving some of the heritage in museums such as this. As with the Emmet County Museum in Estherville (which also features a number of other historical buildings), there is a high "stuff" factor that eventually overwhelms you. However, you eventually find a few little references to what you liked about life here that you can hold dear. A more interesting approach is to engage the volunteer docent in conversation. You might get more than you asked for, but in my own case the guy ended up being someone who had done business with my Dad and knew about our family.

A great representation of Dickinson County history --- one piece of several efforts to share and to…read morepreserve local history. Good tour for middle school and up....... Information from towns, current and past. Everyone will find something they like.... whether as a large piece of history -train car or covered wagon, or a document, letter or photo. Take the time to tour, to volunteer or to donate. Great place.

These guys sell their "antiques" on ebay, but if you really want to see the breadth of all the neat…read morestuff that these guys have collected, take the short trip out of town and visit this place yourself. I have even found stuff from my Father's old gas station in Estherville. The older couple that owns the property are humble and friendly folks who are more than happy to show you around, give you a history of some of the pieces, and help you figure out how to ship it back home.

Will someone please contact me from this place. I have a Indian arrow quiver that was stolen from…read morethere. Its beauty is just like all the other artifacts in the museum. The art work is dead on as the other art work on all the other artafacts in the museum. A pair of moccasin slippers I never seen becouse my great grandmother wore them until there was nothing left. Shame on her. But the Quiver was passed down to me. I now have it and wanted 2 know if i can get in trouble for having it?? I am thinking about returning it 2 its place but i do not want 2 get in any trouble for it. I know none of the authentic artifacts are for sale . My Great Grandad broke into the museum like 60 years ago and took these two items. Thats how the story goes anyways. If someone contacts me i will include photos of the quiver. Call 319-241-4398

Amazing place full of cool artifacts and history, highly recommend. Many original buildingsread more

The quantity and quality of the items in this place is fantastic. The Cadriff Giant is too cool,…read morebut everything else makes this a place worth stopping at.

This review is for the museum and the historical part of the place. The Surf Ballroom is best…read moreremembered as the final place that Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens and Big Bopper performed just hours before the tragic fatal plane crash. The place is not just a museum and landmark but it is mostly an events place as well as still being a music venue! The museum is self-guided and free, though donations are encouraged. They also have a souvenir shop so be prepared to spend some $$. But plan on at least an hour just looking around if you're a rock and roll history geek like me. Several photos on the wall and memorabilia. You'll be very surprised on who has played here - from the 1940s big bands to modern-day rock and pop/country acts. Be sure to step onto behind the stage as well as the green room. I could go on, but be sure to check this out for yourself sometime. Yes, the location is in central-northern Iowa, one of the least visited spots in the USA. It's between the Twin Cities and Des Moines, but driving all the way to Clear Lake to check this out is, in my mind, worth it. Check it out!

Wow...so much history here! I had no idea what I was walking into here...its definitely a must do…read morefor anyone with a love for music.

This is such a cute little museum, honestly I didn't read about the stuff, I should have, but I…read morewas there to ride the slide. It's amazing the fun amusement park stuff that they've kept over the years. The slide was so fun. I could have done that all day. I was a giggling mess by the time I made it down. Climbing the stairs was killer, but worth it. the had free admission during winter games. I'm so glad I stopped in to check it out.

My Son specifically asked to come here during our Summer 2013 visit to Arnold's Park. The Museum is…read morepretty cool as various Iowa Bands are featured, and there are neat mock ups of former recording studios and the old Fox Lake Ballroom in Sherburn. I also have a friend whose Husband a member of Sticks and Stones, who were inducted in the Iowa Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2011. Then there are the fond memories of Head East and the Rumbles... Admission is $1 each and well worth the time to wander though this fun and educational slice of Iowa music history. The Kids Are Alright!