The University of Iowa Pentacrest Museums

The University of Iowa Pentacrest Museums Together, the Old Capitol Museum and the Museum of Natural History form the Pentacrest Museums. Any unrelated messages or comments will be removed.

The content of this page is limited to messages or comments about the University of Iowa. For more than 150 years, Old Capitol has represented the pioneering spirit of Iowa and The University of Iowa. The last capitol of the Iowa territory, it served as Iowa's first state capitol from 1846 to 1857. When the state government moved to Des Moines in 1857, Old Capitol served as the University's first

building and the founding place of many departments. In 1976, Old Capitol became a National Historic Landmark and public museum. After fours years of recovery from a devastating fire in 2001 that destroyed the building's dome and cupola, Old Capitol Museum reopened in May 2006 as a vital cultural and educational resource for more than 30,000 visitors, researchers, and schoolchildren each year. The Old Capitol Museum houses a gift shop, an educational Discovery Center where kids can learn about early Iowans with computer inter-actives, the Hanson Family Humanities Gallery, and the Keyes' Gallery for Arts, Humanities, and Sciences. The galleries house changing exhibits year round that explore a wide variety of themes. Throughout the year, the Museum also hosts a variety of lectures, films, workshops, and other educational programs related to its rotating exhibits and Iowa history.

For one night only, Art & Write Night is leaving the Museum of Natural History and heading to the Old Capitol Museum!📍 O...
06/04/2026

For one night only, Art & Write Night is leaving the Museum of Natural History and heading to the Old Capitol Museum!

📍 Old Capitol Museum
🕔 Friday, June 5 | 5:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.

Join us during 's Summer Gallery Walk this Friday. Pick up a Gallery Walk passport, collect stamps around downtown, and explore our latest exhibit, Thrift Style.

While you're here, stop by our special Art & Write Night pop-up! Sketch Old Cap's iconic architecture or design your own custom tote bag using fabric paint, stamps, and printmaking techniques inspired by the exhibit. You're also welcome to bring clothing from home to personalize.

📅 Please note: There will be no Art & Write Night in July. The program returns to its regular home at the Museum of Natural History, on the first Friday's of each month, starting again in August.

How does shape creativity?Join us for a special public keynote panel event kicking off the 2026 Association of Academi...
06/04/2026

How does shape creativity?

Join us for a special public keynote panel event kicking off the 2026 Association of Academic Museums and Galleries (AAMG) Conference, hosted right here in Iowa City. This event is free and open to ALL, not only conference registrants.

📍 Hancher Auditorium
🗓 Tuesday, June 9, 2026
⏰ 7:00 p.m.
🎟 Free and open to the public

Together, panelists will explore the role of place in nurturing artistic expression, innovation, and interdisciplinary exchange, and consider how Iowa City's unique cultural landscape and creative ecosystem continues to inspire.

Featuring:
• Moderator: Tammie Walker — Director and Professor, School of Music
• Panelist Cate Dicharry — Director, International Writing Program; former Director, Writing & Humanities Program, Carver College of Medicine
• Panelist Maura Pilcher — Director, Grant Wood Art Colony, Office of Community Engagement
• Panelist Bruce Scherting — Former Director, Project Art and Medical Museum; former Director, Exhibits and Design; former Instructor, Graduate Museum Studies Program
• Panelist Alisa Weinstein — Adjunct Assistant Professor, Anthropology; Administrative Services Coordinator, Creative Writing; Instructor and Co-Founder, Home Ec. Workshop; former Program Coordinator, Iowa Summer Writing Festival

Recognize this guy? 🦞👀While lighting upgrades continue throughout the Diversity of Life exhibits on the ground floor of ...
05/29/2026

Recognize this guy? 🦞👀

While lighting upgrades continue throughout the Diversity of Life exhibits on the ground floor of Macbride Hall, and cases are open, it’s the perfect time for our collections team to give some specimens a little extra TLC ✨

Be sure to stop by and see him next time you visit!

Great news, guys. We do not appear in web search results for "bad taxidermy." Come visit and see for yourself. 👀Museum o...
05/18/2026

Great news, guys. We do not appear in web search results for "bad taxidermy." Come visit and see for yourself. 👀

Museum of Natural History
Iowa City, Iowa
Free admission
Wednesday - Saturday 10:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.

Before “thrifting” was a trend, it was a necessity. Have you visited the Old Capitol Museum's latest installation yet? T...
05/17/2026

Before “thrifting” was a trend, it was a necessity.

Have you visited the Old Capitol Museum's latest installation yet? Thrift Style is on display now through August 11th. Check out some featured pieces here and come see the full display in person.

This exhibition explores how everyday feed sacks were transformed into dresses, aprons, quilts, toys, and other household essentials during the Great Depression and World War II. Featuring 41 objects, from sewing patterns to finished garments, we highlight the ingenuity of making do, making over, and making something beautiful from what's available. It’s a story of creativity and resilience that still resonates in today’s conversations about sustainability, reuse, and resourcefulness, and it's ready to view now.

Come see what looked like, long before it was a

Last day of finals! Rusty says it's summer. ☀️Our new hours begin soon! Visit this summer Wednesday–Saturday from 10:00 ...
05/15/2026

Last day of finals! Rusty says it's summer. ☀️

Our new hours begin soon! Visit this summer Wednesday–Saturday from 10:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m. and catch our final Sunday hours THIS Sunday (May 17th) from 1:00 p.m.–5:00 p.m.

And remember, no matter the season or the hours...admission is always FREE 😉

(elder millennial googles what gen-z might say for this trend before scheduling post 🫠)
05/14/2026

(elder millennial googles what gen-z might say for this trend before scheduling post 🫠)

Alright, fam. How are finals and move out and summer transitions going?If you've visited during a Study Hall at the Muse...
05/13/2026

Alright, fam. How are finals and move out and summer transitions going?

If you've visited during a Study Hall at the Museum of Natural History (Wednesdays, 10:00 a.m. - noon, done for the summer but resuming in Fall), you may have already snagged one of these absolutely perfect "Rusty Affirmation Cards." Send a digital version to a pal who needs it or just keep it for yourself. You're almost to the finish line!

Last week in Iowa Hall we had the honor of installing two new ceramic vessels by artist Reuben Ironhorse-Kent in the Nat...
05/09/2026

Last week in Iowa Hall we had the honor of installing two new ceramic vessels by artist Reuben Ironhorse-Kent in the Native Cultures gallery. With the case open, some special guests experienced the installation in real time, a rare behind-the-scenes moment to connect more closely with the work, hear from the artist, and our director, Liz Crooks.

Reuben is an award-winning contemporary Native American artist, storyteller, and musician, affiliated with the Iowa Tribe of Kansas and Nebraska. His creations, now on display, carry forward the Iowa–Oneota tradition today.

Reuben's work now anchors the end of the Native Cultures exhibit, a reminder that these traditions are not just part of the past. They continue, evolve, and live on.

Admission is always free.

Address

21 N Clinton Street
Iowa City, IA
52242

Opening Hours

Wednesday 10am - 5pm
Thursday 10am - 5pm
Friday 10am - 5pm
Saturday 10am - 5pm

Telephone

+13193353491

Website

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