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    Herbert Hoover Library

    4.6 (40 reviews)

    Herbert Hoover Library Photos

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    Stephanie A.

    Here's the thing: the library makes some fairly sweeping statements without offering supporting documentation. Does that make these statements opinion? Are they facts? One might want to proceed with caution, choosing to select additional sources of information as references for learning about this era of American history. The objects on display are sometimes presented with descriptions that do not specify whether they are connected to Hoover; for instance an antique quilt is described with its colors and pattern but we do not know if it belonged to Hoover or has historical significance.

    Exterior
    Steve A.

    This is a phenomenal museum. Such clear story telling, and great displays. I knew very little about Hover and really came away with an appreciation for the man and his accomplishments. I wish we'd had more time here. Allow two hours.

    Historic home.
    Bonnie M.

    Good collection for the museum, and the walk around the preserved "village" was incredible!

    Entrance
    Irene Y.

    Aside from Hoover being associated with the Depression I didn't really know much about him. Thankfully, my presidential pass has reciprocity agreements with other museums so I could have a chance to learn more about our leaders! Suffice to say Hoover is quite fascinating! At the age of 34 he was the richest man of his age. He was a mining engineer and traveled around the world with his wife! I suppose because he was an orphan growing up he became incredibly involved in supporting relief efforts during World War I. Regardless the museum/library has (while dated) exhibits interesting anecdotes on his legacy and background. He didn't even take a salary during his presidency! I think my friend and I took about 2 hours reading everything inside the building, but you can also see his and his wife's grave-site, as well as his childhood home, the blacksmith shop, and schoolhouse - though I would drive to those parts. Knowledge is power and while Hoover and Depression are often used synonymous, I believe that was just given the worst deck of cards and that the Depression was bound to happen. Don't believe me, check out his museum and decide for yourself.

    David T.

    We came here to pay our respects and knock another library off our list. When you drive up, you notice a major difference between this library and the other ones previously visited. The library is way smaller and way more condensed. When you walk inside the library, the lady at the front desk was super nice. The cost to get in was the cheapest to date at 10 dollars a person. When you walk in, the different sections of the library are very small, concise and simple. This library is not the one that screams millions of things to look at. President Hoover was blamed for a lot of the countries struggles in the depression, which wasn't his fault. He will he remembered for his presidency, but he was a much larger and more successful humanitarian. The grounds are kept clean. I'm guessing this was the first presidential library just because of the size and simplicity. I'm glad I knocked this one off the bucket list. On to the next library which will be hopefully soon.

    Museum sign
    Liam Reynolds G.

    Understandably so, many people pass up the opportunity to come to this museum because of what they've heard about President Hoover in history class. But, there is so much more to learn about this UNDERRATED American HERO. Without saying too much, if you take the time to travel to West Branch, you will leave with a positive feeling of shock. Trust me!!

    Bob R.

    Can't really write a full review. We only stopped here for a moment when we had stopped in the area for lunch. We had a chance to look around the grounds and to look at the outside of the library. The grounds and the exterior of the building were really beautiful. I've never been to a Presidential library before, and quite frankly, didn't think my first would be Herbert Hoover's. Next time we drive by we plan to stop in for the full tour.

    James M.

    The Herbert Hoover national historic site is now probably one of my favorite national Park service administered sites. Located in President Hoover's boyhood home town of West Branch this facility is just really well done. Everything is open to the public and easy to access. Start in the visitor center and watch the 12-minute free movie before you take the rest of the self-guided tour. All of it is free except for the museum and library.

    He was an interesting fellow.
    Rohan D.

    Excellent museum, just excellent. I'm not sure I completely agree with the coverage of the Hoover Administration response to the Great Mississippi Flood of 1927 but the rest of information was fascinating, well researched, balanced and displayed in a visually captivating manner. The museum is lit and spaced and laid out perfectly. Count on about an edifying hour for normal people, two if you're with someone like me, for the inside museum part. Add another hour or so for a leisurely stroll through the grounds. As with all the Presidential Museums I've visited, it's vital American history not just biographical, but also the national and global context. I learned so much about both the man and the time period, and there's a cute little gift shop. If your travels take you anywhere within 200 miles, plan to visit a couple of hours here.

    Exterior

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    3 years ago

    Excellent facility. Hoover was a great president and a great man. I've never heard of any of his generosity's until I visited his library.

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    Ask the Community - Herbert Hoover Library

    Review Highlights - Herbert Hoover Library

    President Hoover was blamed for a lot of the countries struggles in the depression, which wasn't his fault.

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    The University of Iowa Museum of Natural History

    The University of Iowa Museum of Natural History

    4.5(11 reviews)
    9.7 mi

    A wonderful day at the museum. The sloth is definitely our favorite. This museum is wonderfully…read morekept up and we always enjoy our visits.

    Love, love, love this museum. Nestled right on the Pentacrest of The University of Iowa campus, we…read morereally do have an amazing resource in our own backyard (for those of us who live in the Eastern Iowa corridor area, at least). The museum hasn't changed much since I last visited 10+ years ago, but that's okay. Rusty the Sloth and the polar bear in the gift shop are staples. Macbride Hall houses the Department of Anthropology at U of I. Wouldn't it be cool to see these artifacts every day as a student? The pair of lions in Mammal Hall were placed in an enclosed case in 202 (previously not enclosed) and a nice mural was painted behind them. From what I could tell, that's the most recent update to one of the museum's exhibits. Museum is free, but a donation is suggested. Please don't skip the donation box located near the guestbook in the gift shop. As indicated in a previous review, some of the exhibits have become quite 'well-loved.' Interactive features no longer work, particularly in the Hall of Birds. Mammal Hall is my most favorite, but there's so much to learn from each area of the museum. The museum covers 3 floors of Macbride Hall. Take the stairs and work those quads! Elevator available as well. Due to the summer season museum hours are a little different, so I'd call ahead or check the website for details. Parking during the summer on the street is easy to find. $1.50/hour. Highly recommend!

    Photos
    The University of Iowa Museum of Natural History
    The University of Iowa Museum of Natural History
    The University of Iowa Museum of Natural History

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    Herbert Hoover National Historic Site - Theater

    Herbert Hoover National Historic Site

    4.6(32 reviews)
    0.2 mi

    The National Park honoring the life of Herbert Hoover is inspiring and educational. The complex is…read morelarge and includes a Visitors Center, his original birthplace cottage, schoolhouse, blacksmith, gravesite, park and Presidential Library and Museum. We started our tour in the Visitor's Center. We were greeted by a friendly Park Ranger, who described the layout of the center. A twelve minute movie provides a nice overview of Hoover's life from boyhood to post presidential. The Center also has a room with interactive displays and artifacts. I confess that I didn't know much about Hoover prior to this visit. His story is memorable as he was raised Quaker, became orphaned at a young age, yet managed to attend Stanford University and become a successful geologist. Then, he became president and devoted his life to international outreach. What an inspirational story! Despite cold rain, we took the short walk to Hoover's boyhood cottage, the blacksmith shop where his father worked and the schoolhouse. Each stop was informative. Nice boardwalks connect all the buildings, which are wheel chair accessible. The museum was closed for major renovations and will reopen in 2026. The grave site (behind the museum) is peaceful, simple and lovely. There is nearby parking. The Park is easy on/off US 80. The site was free to visit (although donations are accepted). There were public restrooms in the Visitors Center. I encourage a visit if you like history. The Park is a great place to bring kids. Plan a couple hours.

    Admittedly, I don't do much research before visiting an NPS site, as I would like to be educated by…read morethe informational displays present. If I have additional questions, I just look them up later. So, it was a huge surprise to me that this place was pretty sizable. Starting from the visitor's center, you can meander your way through the grounds containing the former president's house (and birth place), his school house, and his original Quaker church. There's also a blacksmithery which has demonstrations over the weekends. Finally, you can see his grave site. I unfortunately did not have time to visit the museum, but the NPS ranger had good things to say about it. There is also a small path to the prairie to give you a sense of what Hoover's family encountered before they farmed the land. Overall, this was a great visit!

    Photos
    Herbert Hoover National Historic Site
    Herbert Hoover National Historic Site - Exterior of visitor center

    Exterior of visitor center

    Herbert Hoover National Historic Site - Informational displays

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    Informational displays

    Mississippi River Visitor Center - Barges in lock

    Mississippi River Visitor Center

    4.3(3 reviews)
    42.2 mi

    We were lucky to arrive at the this visitor center just when a barge was entering the locks. It…read morewas slow going but very interesting to see the entire process. The ranger in the building helped explain what was going on below in the lock. There are many different displays that describe the lock system from St. Paul to St. Louis. Very educational. Good views of the river. The one downside of visiting this place is that you need to get a visitor pass since this is on the Rock Island Armory military base. You need a valid US ID and have to fill out a form, etc. Once the form is completed it took almost five minutes per person to go through the process and get an ID issued. If there are more than a couple of people in line you could easily be waiting 30 minutes. This pass does let you go to the Military Museum and access other recreational facilities on the base. You've been warned!

    First off, the visitor center isn't where Yelp shows it (at least not on my map it isn't), but the…read moresigns are pretty easy to follow - if you get to the clock tower you are across the street from the center. Your experience will depend on whether something is going through the lock. We arrived as a tug and some barges were finishing their transition to go down river. You get to see the lock filling and also get to see the bridge swing around to let the barges through. There was a ranger (?) there and he was very enthusiastic and knowledgeable. There is real very little else to see if nothing is happening at the lock. As you drive around the arsenal (and I do recommend that you drive around some) and see something approaching the lock, get over there!

    Photos
    Mississippi River Visitor Center - Inside Wall Fish Exhibits

    Inside Wall Fish Exhibits

    Mississippi River Visitor Center - Mississippi River Visitor Center Entrance

    Mississippi River Visitor Center Entrance

    Mississippi River Visitor Center - Outside Deck Area To View Mississippi River From

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    Outside Deck Area To View Mississippi River From

    Herbert Hoover Library - museums - Updated May 2026

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