Students on a field trip at the State Historical Museum of Iowa

Student & Youth Field Trips

Due to ongoing renovations at the State Historical Museum of Iowa, the museum has updated some group visit policies. Although the building remains open during regular hours throughout the renovation, visitors may notice some temporary changes.

The State Historical Museum of Iowa is open for both virtual and in-person self-guided visits. Students can journey through 13,000 years of Iowa history, learn about life in Iowa before it became a state, discover what inspired more than 76,000 Iowans to fight for the Union and much more.

Museum Field Trip Options

Review the options below before submitting the required Museum Visit Request Form.

Grade Level	Age Group	In-Person or Virtual	Description	Visit Length
Preschool-2nd Grade	Ages 3-8	In-Person, Self-Guided	Young historians can explore the museum at their own pace using the Goldie's Object Search to find historic objects.	Up to 60 minutes
3rd-8th Grade	Ages 9-14	In-Person, Self-Guided	Using Goldie Tweets, a fun and interactive way to learn more about Iowa history, small groups can explore the museum on a self-guided visit.	Up to 90 minutes
9th-12th Grade	Ages 15-18	In-Person, Self-Guided	Students can learn more about Iowa's fascinating past on a self-guided visit using the Museum Exhibit Guide.	Up to 90-120 minutes
3rd-5th Grade	Ages 9-12	Virtual	Bring the museum to you with Virtual Field Trips. Explore digital education materials or schedule a Virtual Classroom Program.	--

Before Your Field Trip

Ready to plan your visit to the State Historical Museum of Iowa? Use the checklist below to ensure you have everything you need for a successful (and fun) visit to the museum.

Submit the Museum Visit Request Form	Have you submitted your visit request form yet? The Museum Visit Request Form is required for all groups over 10 people, and should be submitted at least two weeks prior to the requested visit date. Please note visits are not confirmed until a confirmation email has been sent from the museum education team.
Confirm Group Size	The museum can accommodate groups of 90 people at one time, which must include at least one adult chaperone for every 10 students. If your group is larger than 90 people, please email museum.education@iowa.gov to discuss possible options, like separating into smaller sections and rotating between the the Iowa Capitol and the museum.
Confirm Chaperones	Confirm the final count of the adult chaperones assisting with your visit and share the Museum Chaperone Letter. Adult chaperones are responsible for supervising students at all times during your visit to the museum. One chaperone is required for every 10 students.
Finalize Lunch Plans	Due to construction, the museum is unable to currently provide space for group lunches within the building. However, there are multiple outdoor locations nearby that may work for your group including the grounds of the State Capitol across the street from the museum.
Review Expectations	Review and share the State Historical Museum of Iowa Visit Expectations to prepare students and chaperones for their upcoming visit.
Preview Museum Exhibits	Prepare for your visit and find exhibits that may connect with classroom lessons.
Explore Museum Resources	Looking for pre-visit learning resources? Check out the museum's downloadable, free Educator Resources to learn more about Iowa history.

Any Questions?

If you have any questions regarding scheduling a visit to the State Historical Museum of Iowa, please send an email to museum.education@iowa.gov.