I stopped in on my way through Waterloo. I haven't been to the museum since I was little. It is…read moredelightful. Just the right size for a short stop, yet packed with great information and insights. The displays and interactive activities are well done and good for all ages. Thank you for persevering all this history.

Good sized museum with plenty of information about local history and some science topics. One thing…read moreI really liked was all the different options for fun photo opportunities that are good for both children and adults. These are arranged on two separate floors that are fairly well spaced so that you have plenty of room to explore, even with other patrons inside the museum. The displays are done well, with plenty of artifacts shown in a realistic setting and well written explanations of what the visitor is looking at. Overall, a nice place to spend a few hours learning and exploring.

My husband and I came here before the football game. We were literally the only people here. All…read moreSullivan brothers sadly passed serving our country in the armed services. There are neat military artifacts. We also got a free Vietnam book for our military son. There were theaters with films showing more history. Lots of reading. There is a gift shop and I got some rubber military bracelets for 50 cents. The museum is also connected to Grout Museum. The toy display was cool. Price was $20 each with planetarium show or $15 admission without planetarium show.

This was my first time traveling to this location and found it captivating. The museum was large…read moreand had countless artifacts, photographs, and posters. Each time period had its own categorized section which made everything neatly organized. I would strongly encourage anyone interested in the history surrounding wars and other correlating areas, to visit this location. All items in the facility tell their own unique history!

This is a FREE museum in Waterloo and really well done. The informational movie (about 25 minutes)…read moreis well done and provides a great overview. There are several interactive exhibits and the story of John Deere will surprise many. Staff are very present and helpful. There is a large parking lot which is also free. It was about an hour stop and I really enjoyed it and learned a lot about the history, technology and farming.

Wonderful museum. Excellent displays and great historic information. Very in depth with…read moreinteractive displays. Great for kids or adults. And it's Free!

Really lovely place. I've visited the gardens once but every Mother's Day weekend they have a…read moreplant sale. Pretty good selection. One year I picked up a lot of used clay pots for only a buck a piece. This year, they gave you a DIY tissue paper flower with every purchase. We used ours for Mother's Day decorations. Very friendly staff, too.

It's like walking around someone's backyard. For calling itself an arboretum, you'd think there'd…read morebe more trees, but it's mostly just lawn, next to a highway and corn fields.

This is a great little art museum! Even though the gallery is on the smaller side, they host all…read moresorts of events from the Final Thursday Reading series to child's classes to adult workshops. It's a wonderful resource for the community. History: James Hearst was a poet and professor at the local university, the University of Northern Iowa. He donated his house to the community, and the James and Meryl Hearst Center for the Arts was born. His poems are classic to the Midwest and Iowa, focusing on nature and farming. Exhibits: The art exhibits change out frequently, and often feature a guest exhibit, as well as some from their own cache. Gary Kelley is a local favorite. He is an illustrator for children's books. If you are familiar with his work, it's not hard to pick out his pieces. Price: None! The art museum is free and open to the public, as is their events. Of course the workshops and classes have a small fee for supplies. Garden: They have lovely gardens in the back during the spring/summer/fall months. You can even host a small wedding there! The garden also contains art sculptures that you can walk around and view. The iconic art sculpture out front represents a cyclone. Shop: There is also a small shop inside where you can buy items and art from local artists. This art museum is a gem to the community. Be sure to check it out!

I nice center that has local artist on display- it also has a small gift shop to buy some fun and…read moreunique gifts

The cost of this event is ridiculous if you only want to spend a day. They hype it as a bargain for…read morea 3 day event but to be honest, one day is more than enough. I personally find this Irish Fest boring and there's very little selection of vendors selling actual Irish cuisine or goods (mostly pizza or Mexican food along with other fried fair food and donuts). I have to go every year due to a family member loving it but I immediately start dreading the next year's event as soon as the current one is over. Also, you cannot make a fun family day, picnic style, of the event. No purses or coolers are allowed. Because I cannot digest fried junk food very well, I literally bake in the sun all day on an empty stomach. $35 for a day of torture!!! Ugh!

I attend numerous outdoor cultural and entertainment events in the Waterloo/Cedar Falls area, and…read morewhile I enjoy them all in their own way, this one is definitely my favorite. They always have an excellent selection of live music on several stages, including nationally and even internationally known bands. The food is excellent as well, with several vendors selling Irish dishes. Oh yes, they also have Guinness! There is a family area (which was expanded this year) with activities for the kids, and a cultural area (also expanded this year). The admission charge may seem a bit steep compared with some other events, but it is well worth it for the caliber of entertainment that this festival offers--and you might be able to receive discounted admission by purchasing your ticket in advance. I'm only Irish twice a year, but I won't miss Iowa Irish Fest for anything!