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Madison County Historical Society

4.5 (2 reviews)

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Iowa Quilt Museum

Iowa Quilt Museum

5.0(3 reviews)
0.5 mi

This may not seem amazing, but that's because you haven't been here: Iowa Quilt Museum. The store…read morefront doesn't do it justice to the professionally curated museum (see the link to their website to see what I'm writing about: https://www.iowaquiltmuseum.org/). They have an incredible display of quilts. But their more than hanging blankets. Each quilt has a story, a meaning and a style of workmanship of its own. Coming from an active do-it-yourselfer perspective, I can really appreciate the planning and detailed construction that is required to build these masterpieces. There are hours and hours of mastery that goes into each quilt, there are truly amazing works of art. The staff here is knowledgeable and friendly. And if by chance the quilting bug bites, there is always Ben Franklin's a few doors away that help you get started.

The Iowa Quilt Museum is a wonderful addition to the Winterset community! The exhibit changes 4…read moretimes per year & always has a spectacular collection of quilts to view. Quilts are beautifully and elegantly displayed. Each quilt is accompanied by information around the date of creation, history, style, and stitching. I always learn a lot about quilting and history by reviewing these. It's been amazing to see some quilted that are more than a hundred years old and intricately hand-stitched and hand quilted. Upstairs is a bed-turning display of several more quilts & a volunteer will review these quilts with you & you may even get to participate in the turning! The museum is housed in the old J.C. Penney's building which has been beautifully restored. The lighting is fantastic for showing off the beauty of the quilts. There is a lobby area where a few gifts and souvenirs can be purchased. This museum can be enjoyed by all ages and genders & by anyone who can appreciate the hard work and artistic talents that go into each of these quilts.

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Iowa Quilt Museum
Iowa Quilt Museum
Iowa Quilt Museum

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Jordan House Museum - View from the parking lot

Jordan House Museum

5.0(3 reviews)
21.7 mi

I like to squeeze in a museum when I can in a city that is unfamiliar to me. This stop was truly on…read morea whim. My main reason for dropping by Des Moines was to see an Iowa Wild game. The following day, I had to leave the city and head back to Bloomington. I wanted to do a quick touristy visit somewhere. I did a search and found Jordan House Museum. Driving over here was enjoyable. The leaves were a gorgeous deep red in the area. I had no problem finding the museum. When you are pulling into the parking lot, you do not want to come in at full force. I didn't because I was checking the house out. The lot where you park your car is all gravel. When you walk up to the museum, it is thankfully cement. If you want a tour of the museum, you do need to book online. Even if you book online, it's based on demand. If there aren't enough folks who want to do the tour, it gets cancelled. I saw the cancellation sign on the door. Since I visited because I felt like it, I still learned a lot with the signs and information presented to me. I was not disappointed. I also like self-exploration, which may not be for everyone. Jordan House was built by James Cuttingham Jordan, who was an abolitionist. This house was a station on the Underground Railroad in Iowa. It ended up being listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1973. James Jordan was a cattle farmer from Virginia. He settled in central Iowa in 1846. He was a businessman, organizing the State Bank of Des Moines. He helped bring the railroad to Des Moines. He ultimately ended up being a civic leader, and was elected to both the Iowa Senate and the Iowa House of Representatives. He helped move the state capital from Iowa City to Des Moines. I had no idea that Iowa City was once the state capital. Cool! There is a pathway to history in front of the main entrance of this house, where you can reserve a brick and have it dedicated to a special loved one. I spent a lot of time reading the messages on this pathway. It was highly enjoyable and moving on a Fall day. My favourite saying came from the Caruthers family: Be so awesome today that tomorrow is jealous!!! Three exclamation points. Love it! There was one other woman who had pulled into the lot next to my rental car. She did not do any self-exploration. She went to the main door, saw that the tour was cancelled, headed back to her vehicle, and left. The house is well-maintained on the outside. It has a veranda with a bunch of green chairs. The lawn was recently mowed. The small shrubs around the flags at the front were perfectly trimmed. I had a nice, off-the-cuff visit to this museum. I learned a lot and hope to do a tour inside the museum whenever I'm back in Des Moines for hopefully a longer visit. (458)

Great tour. Guide was very knowledgeable. Home has several of the original articles. We took our 3…read moreteenagers, 2 girls(12&14) and a boy (15), and they all enjoyed it. Not once did they get on their phone due to boredom.

Photos
Jordan House Museum - Side view

Side view

Jordan House Museum - Shed

Shed

Jordan House Museum - Jordan House

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Jordan House

Science Center of Iowa - November 2025

Science Center of Iowa

3.8(69 reviews)
27.0 mi

Nice, family friendly museum located in downtown Des Moines, but there are way too many screaming…read morekids running around. Why do people bring children under 8 to these types of places? It's not like they will even know or comprehend any of these things, much less be able to sit still during demonstrations or when viewing exhibits. It was nice to see that all science demonstrations and shows in the planetarium are included in your ticket price. If you check out a few of those, then it is well worth the admission even as an adult!

A Full-Circle Journey at the Science Center of Iowa!…read more I used to bring my kids here when they were little, and now I've returned with one of them and her babies. What a wonderful, full-circle experience! The Science Center of Iowa does a fantastic job creating a fun and exciting environment for kids of all ages and "adult children" alike. Your senses come alive as you explore the many awesome, interactive exhibits across both levels, indoors and out. There's so much to see and do. You can navigate through tunnels made of packing tape, gaze at Cinderella's castle built entirely of LEGOs in the Brick by Brick exhibit, or launch homemade rockets and send smoke signals in the When Things Get Moving exhibit. We also watched a snake shed its skin in What on Earth, used hand tools in the Maker's Studio, and saw constellations fly through the sky in Why the Sky. They do a great job of keeping the exhibits fresh and updated, which keeps them appealing to every generation. If you haven't been to the Science Center, with or without kids, I highly recommend spending a few hours here. The building is cool to see from the outside, but the real magic happens once you enter and head inside. While they have a fantastic gift shop, a note of sadness: The Blank IMAX Dome Theater, once a prominent feature, was permanently closed following severe flood damage in 2018. This place is very socially oriented, offering live educational shows on a schedule throughout the day, as well as special events like adult-themed evenings with a mixology lab. They also partner with schools for field trips and so much more. It's a true hub for discovery and community.

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Science Center of Iowa - Broken

Broken

Science Center of Iowa - November 2025

November 2025

Science Center of Iowa - Chemistry Clues demonstration

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Chemistry Clues demonstration

Greater Des Moines Botanical Garden

Greater Des Moines Botanical Garden

4.4(84 reviews)
27.9 mi

This place is honestly magical. We've talked about going to the Des Moines Botanical Garden for…read moreyears and just never made the time. We finally went during the holidays, and I'm so glad we did. Everything was decorated beautifully, the self-guided walk was easy, and there were photo opportunities everywhere. It was busy with families, but the timed ticketing really worked -- it never felt packed or overwhelming, which I appreciated. Going on a snowy, cold night actually made it even better. It felt cozy, festive, and kind of special. They also have concessions with drinks for kids and adults (with or without alcohol), which was a nice surprise. There's a restaurant inside called Flora that's reservation-only, plus brunch options. We also saw the little igloo huts you can reserve for dinner or small groups (I think around 8 people), which looked really fun -- definitely want to look into that more. Parking was free, and if you want to make it more of an experience, you can even ride the trolley over from the East Village. Overall, this was easily a 10/10 for us. Can't believe it took us this long to go -- we'll definitely be back.

Be sure to check the days they are open. Right now they are closed on Mondays. I knew that, but I…read morethought I could walk around outside even though they were closed, but no, it is gated. I will just have to come back another warm day! For what I could see, it's going to be a beautiful year although it looks like some renovation has started outside. This is always a fun place to visit for a plant lover.

Photos
Greater Des Moines Botanical Garden - Botanical Gardens in Des Moines, Iowa

Botanical Gardens in Des Moines, Iowa

Greater Des Moines Botanical Garden - They have tables set up inside to lounge, as well as a cafe (which is terribly overpriced)

They have tables set up inside to lounge, as well as a cafe (which is terribly overpriced)

Greater Des Moines Botanical Garden - Waterfall from the back... lovely peaceful bench to sit on

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Waterfall from the back... lovely peaceful bench to sit on

Madison County Historical Society - museums - Updated May 2026

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