Iconic building & former government center featuring a gold dome & exhibits on local history.
At a glance
#1 of 6 Tourist attractions in Iowa City #1 of 3 Museums in Iowa CityLocalGuideWorld score: 4.70
Rating breakdown
-
5 ★78%
-
4 ★17%
-
3 ★4%
-
2 ★0%
-
1 ★1%
Quick facts
- What is the rating of Old Capitol Museum?
- Old Capitol Museum is rated 4.7 out of 5 based on 594 reviews.
- How does Old Capitol Museum rank in Iowa City?
- Old Capitol Museum is #1 of 6 Tourist attractions in Iowa City by LocalGuideWorld score (rating weighted by number of reviews).
- Where is Old Capitol Museum located?
- 21 N Clinton St, Iowa City, IA 52242 — 0.3 km from the center of Iowa City.
- How can I contact Old Capitol Museum?
- Phone: (319) 335-3491 · Website: oldcap.uiowa.edu
Stunning look at the History of Government in Iowa as well as the history of the College Campus. Loved learning about restoring the bell tower after the 2001 fire.
I recommend reading the placards, especially about the staircase! #WaterCooler
I recommend reading the placards, especially about the staircase! #WaterCooler
June 2024
What a lovely park and grounds. We did enjoy visiting and spending sometime around the site.
What a lovely park and grounds. We did enjoy visiting and spending sometime around the site.
A well-preserved relic from Iowa's past. The people at the front desk were friendly and helpful, and I suspect possibly history students based on their knowledge of the various things that happened within this building when it was the state capitol.
Best museum in the city, you can discover beautiful things visiting it. I had the chance to be there some years ago, hope I will have the occasion to travel over there again.
Excellent source for Iowa history. Captivating for a 10 year old, a 6 year old, college student, and parents! Clean, informational, interesting.
Lovely renovated historic capitol building, right in the middle of the University of Iowa campus. There is a docent at the door, and a self guided tour, with information panels telling the story of the building. Make sure to note the staircase going to the ground floor, since it does have some unusual curves to it. This is also a lovely venue for smaller events.
Wonderful historic building with much importance for the state of Iowa. I've attended many wonderful events here. The tour is very informative.
Gal at the front was incredibly helpful! Building is beautiful and well-built, especially after the fire. There's a great display in the basement of before and after the fire and some knowledgeable ladies who were going into the Archive Room down there. It was fun to see the difference in the Old Capitol Senate and House Rooms and the ones in the Des Moines Capitol. Fun facts are posted in all the rooms as well. The gift shop had a lot of neat stuff in it too!
Very beautiful building with historical significance overlooking the college!
As a former inhabitant of IC, I just love this iconic building and piece of history.
This is a very cool little piece of Americana history. I really apreciate that they really keep restrictions as minimal as possible. You can really get right up to the artifacts. I really apreciated the extra tid bits about interactions with Native peoples. The place is really cleen and well done. The bathrooms are nice too. The room in the basement level also has so modern things done for the university. A great place to take photos and everyone was friendly it's also free!
The Old Capitol remains one of the most recognizable symbols of the state of Iowa. In the many years since the cornerstone was laid, the building has served state legislatures, countless university uses, and has undergone multiple additions and renovations, even surviving a major fire in 2001.
Explore More
Nearby Places
View Place
University of Iowa Museum of Natural History
View Place
China Star
View Place
Old Capitol Town Center
View Place
Sushiya Hoja
View Place
Le Gourmet Korean Restaurant
View Place
Iowa Artisans Gallery
View Place
Stanley Museum of Art
View Place
Pedestrian Mall
View Place
State Historical Society Research Center
View Place
University of Iowa School of Art and Art History
You may also like
Similar Places
View Place
Dumbarton House
View Place
Tudor Place
View Place
Federal Hall
View Place
Heurich House Museum
View Place
Dumbarton Oaks Museum
View Place
United States Holocaust Memorial Museum
View Place
The Octagon Museum
View Place
African American Civil War Museum
View Place
Smithsonian National Museum of American History
View Place