If you're a John Wayne fan this is a must see. So much information and many artifacts. The staff was amazing! Jill, Frances and Noah could not Jane been more accommodating if they'd have wanted to be. I'm so glad my sisters stopped in on our way back to Texas on June 21. Take a look around town while in Winterset. You won't regret either. read more

See all

This Museum was very nice filled with John Wayne memorabilia and artifacts. The John Wayne statue right outside the museum and birth house of John Wayne around the corner within a short walking distance. Great place to visit and take some pictures or video. There is a $20 ticket fee. read more

See all

Fabulous, in-depth museum of a great American hero .. .. Learn all about him in multiple rooms including a small theatre with original rows of seats from the Chinese Theatre in LA .. .. His birthplace and family home is right next door and a docent is there to explain everything .. .. And, do yourself a favor, come in/out of WINTERSET on the 169 for one of the loveliest drives you can take in America! read more

See all

Iowa holds its famous sons and daughters close. A few that come to mind are: Mamie Doud Eisenhower Birthplace, in Boone, Christopher Ashton Kutcher from Cedar Rapids, and of course Captain James T. Kirk, who will be born someday in Riverside. He's from Iowa, and just works in Outer Space. :) Then there's John Wayne, born Marion Morrison on May 26, 1907, here in Winterset. He wasn't here long as his family moved to Glendale California at age 6. Here he acquired his nickname, Duke, based on the name of his Airedale terrier. Iowa has honored those 6 years with this modern shrine of a museum and former family home. My 95 year-old Dad and I were in town as part of an all day road trip. As he's a Veteran, he got in free, while I smiled and paid my $20. He had a great time travelling down memory land within this well curated museum. The actual house Marion was born in is a separate building on the other side of the block. There's also a very nice gift shop here. For me, John Wayne represents a simpler "traditional" time of which has since become much more nuanced for me. As such, I'll admit to zoning out a bit, but happy that my Dad was having a good time. read more

John Wayne Birthplace & Museum - John Wayne Museum - Museums Near Me - Winterset, Iowa

See all

A great stop in an adorable town. I loved that they have preserved his home and memory. The entrance price is a little steep in my opinion but thankfully they have a good display you can view without paying which was lovely. read more

See all

When I say my SO is a 'John Wayne fan', what I really mean is my SO is a 'John Wayne FANATIC'. Magazines, books, ALL the movies available to purchase, fridge magnets, coasters, Huge framed drawing hanging in his office. SMH. So, a trip to the John Wayne Birthplace & Museum was inevitable at least once. We drove out here from the East Coast twice. First visit was the official ground breaking for the new Museum. At that time the Birthplace home was their museum. They have a large variety of volunteers who help out giving history of the home and family. During that visit there was a week long festivity with Maureen O'Hara presiding over the ground breaking and John Wayne's daughter Aissa and her husband in attendance. There was a 'fun run' (Who runs for fun?!) a dinner dance, John Wayne movies playing throughout the day in the theater downtown and a huge Gala dinner on the last evening with auction of some movie pieces, including a shirt John Wayne wore. Why do I recollect all that? Because these folks are no slouches. They are serious and they do things well. Our second trip to Iowa was to view the new built museum in the autumn. Another wing was being added during our visit and has since opened, so I can guess we'll be headed out that way again. (I need to get a new car - the miles are racking up on this one!) The main area is a huge gift shop with books, t-shirts, mugs, and so on. Once you pay your entry fee, there is a movie that plays on a loop recommended to view (Hey! We may be in that movie at the Gala Dinner photo!) before you enter the museum. There was one large room to view during our visit and there are a lot of props and information in there. Seriously, this room is stuffed with information. There is a buggy (The Quiet Man) wood panels from the wall of a bar (The Shootist), one of his old cars (family man), saddles and so much more. During our visit masks were required, and some of the 'hands on' items were no longer available, but once this all dies down, hopefully the museum will be able to open those exhibits again. The Birthplace House is still open of course, and with the opening of the museum some items have been moved from the house into the museum, which makes it easier to view the home. All the staff we met were lovely and not surprisingly, well informed about John Wayne. My SO got into some very deep conversations with one of the staff members and when he came home bought another book on her recommendation. So, if you are a fan of John Wayne movies, this is probably the place you want to visit. You can purchase some of his movies here, and see up close and personal many items from his career and learn lots of information about him and the people he knew. The town is super cute, the people very nice, they have a B&B or two nearby, and with the famous Bridges of Madison County all around, this makes for quite a little excursion on top of enjoying the museum. read more

The original house is neat to see, but none of the furniture are originals, just possible look alikes. The museum was definitely neat, but not enough memorabilia for the $20 admission fee. The lady checking us in, a younger lady, was super nice & wonderful, as well as the older lady in the house. However, while we were being checked in, another older lady came up & claimed we couldn't possibly be veterans. I was purchasing admission for my dad & brother who were outside on their way in, and I was rushing in to purchase the admission because we were there so late. Her attitude stunk, and the way she made me feel like I was trying to steal $3 from the museum. How does she know whether I'm a veteran or not just by looking at me? Either way, I'm glad I made the trip for my son & my dad, who are both huge John Wayne fans. read more

See all

Me and my wife went to the museum this past Saturday showed up at 4:20 PM. Drove an hour to get there plus we live in Oklahoma City so it's not like We're going back anytime soon so when we got there, we walked in the door at 4:20 PM. The lady said she would not sell us a ticket because they close at five so we had 40 minutes to walk through obviously this place needs people to come through and spend money to stay open. We would've paid 40 total to get in plus we would've bought something from the gift shop. Needless to say, I will never go back. read more

Not worth the $19 admission. This is where John Wayne was born however he moved away when he was 28 months old. He has no memories of this place and his parents never came back to visit. They have very little memorabilia from John Wayne a bunch of movie posters that have been copied Might be worth five bucks but not 19 bucks read more

Nice information and displays. Definitely worth a stop if you are in the area. Nice gift shop with a variety of items. read more

See all

This is a review that I am trying to put my political and personal feeling aside and forget John Wayne's racist and homophobic beliefs and rate the museum independently from The Duke. The $15 admission is a bit steep. The price allows entrance to the museum, which is one large room; the entrance to the small 4 room house and a 15 minute movie featuring clips of his movies. We accomplished all of it in 40 minutes. The birth home has no original Morrison family furniture, it is all period pieces from the early 20th century. The museum does offer a lot of artifacts from his career and personal life, including his Buick station wagon. The entire place is curated well, even though it is fairly small in it's limited collection and focus. The gift shop is almost as large as the museum area. The place has enough to interest anyone that is a Hollywood or western film genre fans to drive the 15 minutes off I-80 or I-35, or 30 minutes from Des Moines. There are also the Covered Bridges of Madison County scattered about the nearby countryside that Hollywood made famous to provide an additional reason for a pit-stop. It will be interesting to see how the future of this museum holds up with the light of his ideology now in focus and those that grew up watching him at the cinema are slowly dwindling. A generous 4 stars... read more

See all

Wonderful museum with many memorabilia items for the "DUKE." Books, photos, statues, movie about his life. It's just fabulous! read more

This is a worthwhile stop. The museum and gift shop are well-staffed with nice people who know their subject. The birthplace house is a trip back in time. Unfortunately, it feels like the country where John Wayne was born no longer exists, but it's a nice place to reminisce. Winterset is a nice little town, and the bridges of Madison County are pleasant to see. The weather couldn't have been better for our visit. I noticed the airliners crisscrossing the clear blue sky and thought how unfortunate it was for those passengers who regard places like Iowa and Indiana as fly-over country. They don't know what they are missing. read more

Very enjoyable afternoon walking thru the Dukes childhood home & museum. Lots of his possessions are on display along with some of his history. read more

See all

I was not a fan of John Wayne before our visit to this place. I never seen any of his movies before. But when we get home we will be watching some of his movies. The staff was very knowledgeable and friendly. The museum was great and very cool. It was well worth the drive. I would highly recommend this place if you are nearby. Please stop by even if you are not a fan. read more

A short 30-minute drive south of Des Moines is the childhood home and birthplace of the most 'Merican of Americans! That's correct folks, John Wayne's birthplace is in Winterset Iowa. Folklore has it that John Wayne was born of Chuck Norris' beard before time started and came here prior to Captain Kirk being born in Riverside, IA in the future....Winning! The birthplace is preserved and they have to be given a number of times per day. The museum that accompanies the home is located just behind it and has quite a lovely gift shop. The reason we know this is because we weren't too keen on the $15 admission price for us or the $8 for our kids. The prices were fair, but we were really there just to take pictures and see what it was all about. For anyone who is a big John Wayne fan this place may induce priapism! The statue outside is great for taking pictures and the childhood home is modest and very well kept. It's totally worth making the joint down here to see the place, and while you're here you should consider seeing The Bridges of Madison County which lie between 2 and 15 miles in any direction from Winterset. Word has it as well the one of the bridges is located in a park just a few blocks from the home. Game. Set. John Wayne read more

See all

As stated in other reviews, the museum is very well maintained and informative. There are a number of props that were used in John Wayne's movies, and some interesting displays of letters both to and from Mr. Wayne. There is a small theater that shows a brief film, with snippets from some of his movies. All of the exhibits are static, nothing interactive that might keep kids busy. There is no actual signage from the museum to the birthplace which is around the corner. The volunteers, I assume they're volunteers, are very friendly and helpful. The home of his birth is quaint, but all of the furnishings are period pieces, since the family took their furniture when they moved out. If only they knew their boy would become a famous Hollywood actor! For a small place, the admission charge is a bit pricey, $15, or $14 for seniors. read more

John Wayne Birthplace & Museum - Costume from Green Berets movie. - Museums Near Me - Winterset, Iowa

See all

Great museum. I enjoyed learning more about John Wayne. I have a good friend that is a John Wayne fan, now after visiting, the museum I see why. It is worth the time to stop!! read more

The John Wayne Birthplace and Museum (JWBM) is a must see for any ardent fan of the Duke. The cost is $15, with discounts for children and seniors. If you like celebrity-driven events, then the museum and gift shop will be of interest. While the museum is small, it has some impressive John Wayne memorabilia that even a casual fan will appreciate. The gift shop is free to visit and it has lots of products and merchandise. I suggest the JWBM pens and pencils; at .50¢ apiece, they are the best priced items in the store. I found the home that Marion Robert Morrison-aka John Wayne-was born in more interesting. It's historical significance to an American icon is undeniable. The house has only four rooms, and one off them Wayne was born in. Although that detail is lost to history, anyone can appreciate how a child born in such a humble circumstance would eventually rise to stardom and become Hollywood royalty, if not a legend. It's worth checking out. It's distinctly American. https://tinyurl.com/yaammdjv read more

This was interesting - I felt like I had to stop by because it's John Wayne but with some of the recent information that's come out about him - I did not feel like I could donate money to his company in good consciousness. read more

If you come to Winterset don't miss this museum!! It's is a wonderful place with a ton of history. Strongly recommend it.

I was abit skeptical with the $15 entrance fee, however it was totally worth it! Amazing museum with thousands of items from John Wayne movies and life,. Tour the museum and his birthplace just around the corner. read more

John Wayne Birthplace & Museum - Museums Near Me - Winterset, Iowa

See all

Gift shop review only---Stopped here solely for the gift shop to get my dad some John Wayne memento. Prices in the shop actually were better than some of the prices online. I will be going back soon to take the tour. I can't wait for when they finish the actual museum that they were breaking ground for. It has been advised to come during the covered bridge festivals in the fall. read more

John Wayne Birthplace & Museum - John Wayne's birth place. - Museums Near Me - Winterset, Iowa

If your a fan of the "Duke" or want to learn about an American Icon it's a must see. The new addition adds a few more exhibits & info on the Dukes personal and professional life. The staff are friendly and will chat with you on anything Duke related. read more

Sweet people and nice tribute to the Duke. They have the courting carriage from "The Quiet Man" and other memorabilia that is fun to see. Enjoy the stop off the interstate 80 - worth the trip. Be sure to go to Clark Tower and the covered bridge they brought to the park. read more

I had an amazing time with my daughter on vacation at the museum. It was cool for her to see what this amazing actor did with his life.

We were in Des Moines for the Iowa State Fair and decided to make a quick stop at this museum before catching our flight home to California. This museum is very small and can be seen in less than an hour, but it's super informative and well presented. It's in Winterset IA, about 30-40 minutes southwest of Des Moines. The town of Winterset is a beautiful, quaint little town that epitomises small town rural America, and I wish we'd had a bit more time to explore the town and surrounding countryside beyond the museum. The museum consists of a modern building containing the biographical displays and memorabilia, and the house John Wayne was born in adjacent to the modern building. The memorabilia collection was excellent for such a small museum, and the displays were informative and educational. Being from the UK I didn't have much exposure to John Wayne's movies and knew almost nothing about the man himself, but this museum told me everything I needed to know and more. The birthplace house was restored to how it may have appeared when The Duke was born in 1907 and the docent was well informed and pleasant to talk to. read more

I am not a John Wayne fan and begrudgingly paid $20 admission fee. There is some interesting information but not really a lot of memorabilia. The house of his birth is definitely a historic house but there is nothing original in the house itself. read more

Wow, what a wonderful museum. Roomy, has a theater room, his gallery and gift store & memorabilia . His childhood home is in walking distance. What's not to like, prices are reasonable . Came during their bridges festival, so much to see read more

See all

Marrying into a John Wayne loving family, I found this place really neat. Surprised my husband by taking him here. Lots of movie memorabilia and things we learned about John Wayne that we did not know. If your a fan I recommend this place. read more

John Wayne Birthplace & Museum - Museums Near Me - Winterset, Iowa

See all

wow, and why was my first one filtered? because the people of winterset are friendly? what is up with this site? john wayne is an american icon, is yelp un-american? read more

We visited from Oklahoma. Our family is definitely John Wayne fans. My husband and kids more than I. My favorite film was The Quiet Man with him and Maureen OHara. They had the courting cart from the film in the museum. I was amazed at how tall it was. It did not look that tall in the film. The place was very educational, thorough and very new. We toured his birth home and were amazed at how many movies we had not seen. We did not realize he was in so many. The staff was helpful and knowledgeable. If you are ever in town it is worth your time. read more

For a small museum on a subject of interest mainly to John Wayne movie fans this is a well curated and fascinating place. They have many items on display from both John Wayne's on screen performing roles but also from his personal life. Some of the items on display are on long term loan from private collectors or have been donated by John Wane fans and co-workers, including several personal items from Maureen O'Hara. The Morrison home [the Movie Legend known to millions as John Wayne was born Marion Morrison] is a tiny place for such a big personality to have been born and spent his early years. It gives a good sense of what life was like for the average small community middle class citizen [his father was a pharmacist] struggling to raise a family in a small town. read more

My husband and I enjoyed the museum today. We spent about 2 hours there. It was very interesting.

Definitely a must see if you are in winterset. Loved the personal and movie memorabilia staff was friendly and helpful in the museum. was pretty cool to walk where the duke walked so long ago. Inside and outside was well kept..first time I have spent a ton of money in a gift shop all was decently priced we just got alot! We will definitely go again if we come this way again. read more

If you're passing through Iowa, this is the place to stop and see. Who doesn't love the history of the Duke.

It's just a small white house BUT John Wayne was born here! The gift shop was good and they are building a new museum nearby. You know you want to go... who doesn't want to see where John Wayne lived? Taliban and Al Queda are the only ones I can think of. Even liberals love the Duke.... read more

Well recommended. Not too far out of town and worth the drive. Decent gift shop is attached. The full size cardboard cutouts seemed to be popular, but I settled on the keychain. read more

If you are a big John Wayne fan (as I have been since childhood), a visit to the museum and adjacent childhood home in Winterset is a must see. The museum does a great job of exhibiting the memorabilia from his classic westerns of the 50's and 60's to include movie posters, pictures, costumes, and props). There is even a signed contract for his appearance on Rowan and Martin's Laugh-In in the late 60's and a number of small "mugs" he apparently had made and handed out to cast and crew after each completed movie. "Stuff" from "Hatari" and "The Quiet Man" is a treat as is his customized car (yes you read that correctly). Your tour is self guided and the staff is friendly and helpful. Nice gift shop as well. read more

So, we saw the signs from the interstate and thought it would be fun. Granted I am not a huge fan, but, I thought it was a bit pricey for what it was. $16.00 admission, $14.00 for seniors. I thought the gift shop was bigger than the museum. Everything was way overpriced. It was a nice bright museum with interesting artifacts, just way to expensive. read more