What a great museum. The staff was great and I liked the movie that was shown. They have an ice…read morecream shop inside. The gifts hope was also great. Don't forget to do the house tour next door.

My mom wanted to stop here on a roadtrip she loves the music man and it was fun to see. I just…read moregreat to see set and things from the Movie.

This was a complete waste of time and not worth the drive out of the way. The 2-hour train ride…read morecrawls along at about 8 mph, and 97% of what you see out the dirty windows is just thick wooded vegetation. There are only two bridges with a decent view -- the rest is painfully dull. I paid extra for the climate-controlled car (thank goodness I did), because the open-air and standard cars had no airflow at all. It looked absolutely miserable -- especially for young kids, who would find it long, hot, and painfully boring. I'm so glad I snuck in snacks, water, and some activities for my kids, or the ride would've felt even longer. There was very little narration or history shared, and the onboard bathroom was disgusting -- honestly worse than an airplane restroom. No food or drinks are available on the train, and the small museum at the station isn't much to see either. The only positive was that the staff were friendly and welcoming. Also, there's no cell service in the area, so you can't use navigation or stay occupied during the ride or after. Overall, this was a huge disappointment. I would never do it again.

I was a here 30 years ago, so much has changed in that time. They have gotten better with age…read more We drove up from the St. Louis area for the Valentine's Day dinner train. It is a throwback to earlier times being able to have a nice meal on vintage railway equipment. My wife enjoyed the shrimp and linguine and I had beef with noodles. Both were very good. The ride itself winds its way along the river and over a couple of bridges. The stop and allow everyone to go to the observation car to enjoy the view from the High Bridge. Dinner is a leisurely affair so that you can enjoy each others company while the scenery slides by. Because it was February, the sun sets early and the ride home was in darkness, the have lights on the exterior of the cars that illuminate the right of way as you head back to the station. I am glad that my wife knows how much I enjoy riding the rails, and indulges me with great times like this.

If you want to be remembered or leave a legacy, support the work of this museum. They need more…read morespace for exhibitions, a proper store for merchandising, climate-controlled space, in an extraordinary building. Surely, those whose families have built and sustained this community can come forth and donate the resources to make this the kind of place residents can be proud of. Currently housed in the Ames Cultural District next to an historic landmark and across the street from the Octagon Center for the arts, this wonderful museum is packed with historical items waiting to be displayed, used for research and exhibits worthy of this fine city. They need more volunteers, donors, members, and storage in order to stage the kind of exhibits that do justice to those who grew up here, studied here, and conducted business here. New exhibits on the craft beer industry and education are currently in process. How do you want to be remembered?

A long time in the making, the Ames Historical society has worked hard to assemble the history of…read morethe city. The pictures and story are presented in a very compelling way. Stop in and enjoy!

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.

Such an amazing experience! Pictures do not do it justice. Make sure you do the free tour when you…read morego, I believe they run on the hour, check their website for times. Don't miss the church. Free tours. Donations accepted but not required. Plenty of parking available, lot and street. They also have a nice gift shop.

A very neat place (and random for Northwest Iowa) and definitely an artistic take on the Biblical…read morenarrative. The structures are very impressive and beautiful, it kind of reminded me of Park Guell in some parts if anybody is familiar with that. I found myself critical of some of the features because they weren't Biblically accurate, but I think that can be something with a lot of Christian art and interpretations. It still is wanting to magnify Jesus which is sweet. The church next door is also very beautiful. Wonderful that it is free and they offer tours. Three stars just because it's not my cup of tea.

REVIEW 3100! Like my…read moreDad, I'm a bit of a history buff, especially when it concerns WWII Internment Camps. I've been humbled at both the old Nazi Concentration Camp at Dachau (near Munich) and Manzanar, where American Citizens of Japanese origin were sent when the fear of enemy aliens were at its peak. Another twist on this theme is the Camp Algona POW Camp, which was "home" for 10,000 German prisoners from April 1944 - February 1946. There were also many branch camps throughout the Midwest. These prisoners also worked for local farmers and light industry, and contributed about $4 Million to the various associated economies at that time. Camp Algona is long gone and was located where the airport is now. It consisted of 287 acres and was initially built by Italian POWs. Soon after the Camp was built, Italy surrendered, and those happy POWs wisely chose to stick around rather than being sent back to Europe. The Germans came soon after and with the Geneva Conventions rigorously applied. On our recent drive from Ames to Spirit Lake, I prevailed on Gayle and the Kid to stop at the Camp Algona POW Museum. It was a typical hot and humid Iowa day, and all they wanted to do was get to the Lake and cool down. I also remember Gayle giving me the "evil eye" as we paid the modest admission charge and the Docent began a long (and very informative) history of the Camp. By the time we left an hour later, everyone was better educated, impressed, and grateful that I dragged them here. The Museum is basically divided in thirds. On the left side is Camp related information, including various interesting pictures and displays. There were also lots of personal stories presented. I was particularly intrigued by a story about a German prisoner that was reunited with his brother, who had immigrated to Algona years earlier. An even better example were the 5 Iowans who had been held by the Germans in their prison camps. Once these men were brought back to the States, they came to Camp Algona as guards of German prisoners. In the middle of the Museum are examples of the various art pieces that the prisoners produced. That includes paintings and some pretty impressive wood pieces, including furniture, intricate boxes, etc. Prisoners also made the famous Nativity Scent that is located at the Kossuth County Fairgrounds. On the right side is a tribute to local folks who served their Country. Their story of sacrifice is a compelling parallel to the existence of Camp Algona. So if you're in the area, please stop, visit, and reflect. One personal takeaway I experienced was how we treated POWs then, compared to the related political discussions today.

"No, no, Kimberly, the Prisoners were NICE. They were just happy to be alive and doing something…read moreproductive." "Every Christmas we would go to see the most enormous Nativity Scene you have ever seen... all hand carved wood, exquisite in detail and size." My dad would get tears in his eyes telling these stories. "German Prisoners of War used their work earnings to create this gift to Algona. It was just amazing." "We could purchase handcrafted wood furniture from the prisoners and they were always so pleased to sell an item that they had worked on for hours." A small wooden step stool, handcrafted and still in perfect 1944 condition, has always graced my parent's home and dad would tell stories that really just sounded like made-up tales... Too fantastic to be true. Among the top highlights of a recent trip with my dad to his hometown in Iowa was going to visit this homage to the prisoner of war camp. During WW2 England ran out of places to keep Prisoners Of War so the USA decided to create camps... mostly in small towns where escape meant running through easy-to-view cornfields for days at a time. While the City of Algona, Iowa was greatly impacted by the 10,000 German prisoners housed here from 1944-1946, nothing exists today on those 287 acres from the Camp which is why it has always felt like a fantasy story to me... until my visit to this POW museum with my pop. Photographs, clothing, trunks, journals, guns... fascinating detritus from another age. The buildings, however, were disassembled and sold for materials in 1946. Long ago my sisters and I would jump out of the car and run to the farmland fence once we approached Algona. We were little, but we knew the drill. The first one to get a cow to come to the fence wins. Dad would get out of the driver's seat and slowly walk to the fence, mooing. He had the best moo, too. Dad ALWAYS won. For years, I thought that was the most exciting thing to happen in Algona. I thought he was pulling my leg with stories of Prisoners (Colonel Klink!) just to make his hometown sound more exciting. Now I know the truth. Dad doesn't lie. Moooooooooo.

This place is amazing! We are from Los Angeles and love to find vernacular art/DIY places like…read morethis. If it were anywhere else besides a dead end street in Mason City, Iowa, it would be famous, like Watts Towers in LA or Salvation Mountain at Slab City, CA. The place is sprawling and has so many different moments, it was hard to take it all in. VERY cool and I hope the artist gets the recognition he deserves and that the city and neighbors appreciate the artistry found at Rancho Deluxe.

Unique artwork. Lots to see. Frequently changing and new art is there often. Right next to a trail…read morethat has some great views.

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

I'm so glad that a close friend encouraged me to visit this excellent venue, as it led to a…read morefantastic afternoon on Iowa State's main campus. We came on an afternoon with basketball games sandwiched on either side of our arrival and experienced zero issues. Easy parking and the venue are free with a suggested $8 donation. Their extensive collection is varied and covers many types of art. I enjoyed the Will Wilson photography on display and appreciated their "Talking Tintypes," which used iPad or Smart Phone tech to highlight Wilson's pieces. I thoroughly loved Josh Simpson's "Imaginative Journeys in Space and Sea," a phenomenal collection of complex and unique glasswork. I appreciated the accompanying video that dove into how the works were created. His "MegaPlanet" was incredible. In addition, two other works in the central portion of the museum were memorable - Yoshida's "Sacred Bridge" and Koitsu's "Lake Yamanaka." They have monthly events that I look forward to attending, and Brunnier is open 10-4 daily during the week, and 1-4 on the weekend.

From the owner: University Museums is a distinctive organization that encompasses two art museums, a National…read moreHistoric Landmark historic home museum, a sculpture garden, and one of the largest campus public art collections in the nation. University Museums brings world-class exhibitions with educational programming to Iowa State University, actively acquires works of art to add to the more than 30,000 permanent collection objects, conserves and preserves collections, conducts and publishes curatorial scholarship, and fosters student engagement.