This was a total hidden gem. We stumbled upon this lovely museum because our roadside app told us…read moreabout some wood carvings of the 3 Stooges on the corner. I spotted "Laura Ingalls Wilder" on the church sign next to Mo and dragged hubby over. This church is now a museum. Almanzo Wilder and his family moved to Spring Valley from New York. Laura and Almanzo lived here in 1890 and attended this church which the Wilder family helped finance. Very interesting collection of photos and momentos from this time. Admission also includes either a one or 2 hour tour. We had only 20 minutes and the young guide did a great job hitting all the key items. We also rushed through the local history section which was also very unique. Don't miss the white wolf, 1950s perm machine or the medical kit from the "Lady Doctor" who was certified to practice medicine in 1838!

This is one of the best historical museums in Minnesota if not the nation and compares favorably…read morewith the best museums I've visited around the world. It covers the history of Spring Valley and its environs from before 5,000 BC to the present, focusing on the Wilder family and the history of this area during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Frankly, I could simply not believe depth and breath of the exhibits here when I recently visited for the first time. I learned many interesting, why-did-I-not-know-this facts. The Wilder family, for example, made a sizeable contribution for the construction of the Methodist church in which the museum is located. Almonzo Wilder, who married Laura Ingalls, had a childhood friend named Richard Sears, who went on to found Sears with his partner, Alvah Roebuck. And, it really surprised me to learn that Dr. Henry Plummer, the Mayo brothers' right hand man, graduated from Spring Valley High School. There is much, much more. If you want to learn about Minnesota, visit this place and skip the State Fair this year.

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.

While visiting my parents in 2019, I was able to tour the Heartland Museum with family and…read morethoroughly appreciated the variety of pristine collections! Plan 2 hours minimum to enjoy.

If you have any connection to the area you have to check this museum out. All local items and a…read moremock town inside with collectibles from the 1900's, 1930's and 1950's. Tour guides are volunteers and are really amazing. Apparently the place gets an international draw from its tractor display(which is quite impressive).

This museum has long been on my bucket list My friend referred to it as Valhalla and for a…read morehandweaver it certainly is. The Norwegian immigrants brought with them a rich textile, painting and woodworking tradition and you can clearly see this in not only the artifacts but also the current folk art school. It's certainly a place to return again and again. Considering how close it is to travel here we will be back.

If you're a Norskie, you owe it yourself to visit this beautiful museum in Decorah, IA. Three…read morefloors full of exhibits of well-preserved treasures offer you a glimpse of what life was like in the late 1800's to early 1900's Norway and America. There are also outdoor exhibits to enjoy as well. The museum really does a fine job of explaining what it was like for the early Norwegian immigrants to pack up everything, which sometimes wasn't much, and sailing across the Atlantic to claim their destiny in America. There are large trunks that held their old-world possessions. Beautiful plates covered in rosemaling. Clothing, tools, eating utensils, etc. There is so much to see here, I cannot fully explain it all. You have to see it to believe it. I am already making plans to visit again, to see what I may have missed, especially the outdoor exhibits.

This was a fantastic museum to stumble upon in Mason City. We could have spent longer here looking…read moreat everything (but we were pressed for time). Bil Baird's puppets were my absolute favorite permanent collection. Such a variety of puppets - you'll even get to see some of the puppets featured in The Sound of Music from 1965. (If you've seen the movie, you'll recognize them immediately.) MacNider has the most extensive Bil Baird puppet collection anywhere in the world; I suspect it's because Bil grew up in Mason City. The museum resides in a Tudor-style home, previously a private residence and a convent. The house has gone through several renovations over the years. The original staircase is beautiful. The art outside the museum between it and the library is neat, too. If you're going to Mason City, take advantage of MacNider! Free admission.

Such a great museum. A must see when visiting Mason City…read more It's FREE, so no worries if you've just spent all your money at the local ice-cream shop. Donations only. Full of rich history and great exhibits. They even have a small gift shop with items made from local artist. Upstairs the Bill Baird puppets are on display. If you don't know who Bill Baird is, he's the guy who created the puppets for the movie.... The Sound Of Music. They have an Imagination playground for younger children and even a few local exhibits from artists all over the Mid-West. Some of the local exhibits change monthly. They also offer art classes like painting and pottery. Fun place to visit.

Burr Oak is a very small town tucked between the Minnesota border and the Iowa city of Decorah. We…read morevisited on a quiet Saturday. We paid for our tickets in the gift shop, then crossed the street to the old hotel, where we joined a tour that had just begun. The docent was great, bringing to life the history of the building, Laura's life, and present efforts to restore the property. I've wanted to visit Burr Oak for decades so that I could better understand the portion of Laura's life that she omitted from her fictionalized autobiography. Our tour took a little over an hour. We went throughout the hotel and then outside, where we could also visit the neighboring one-room schoolhouse. We then returned to the gift shop to look around. Visitors should note that the buildings are not readily accessible to handicapped individuals. In particular, the stairs to the attic guest rooms were quite steep and narrow. My very-tall husband had to be very careful when he went up there, too, as the ceiling is low.

Burr Oak, Iowa, is the only location where Laura Ingalls Wilder and her family lived that was not…read moreincluded in the Little House series of books. The volunteer board along with a part-time director, a part-time curator, and part-time summer tour guides have done an amazing job preserving three historic buildings in Burr Oak including the hotel where Laura and her family lived, and worked. The volunteer board has also acquired a fourth historic building, the Mercantile. I can not wait to see their vision for the Mercantile come to fruition. They also maintain a park that adds to the experience. In addition to summer tours, there is also a summer festival at the end of June celebrating life as it was when Laura and her family lived in Burr Oak. It is a fun time to be in Burr Oak.

The SPAM Museum did not disappoint! Such a fun and unique stop with so much history packed into one…read moreplace. We loved learning about the story behind SPAM, seeing all the exhibits, and of course getting to try the free samples! Even better, admission is completely FREE, which makes it an awesome stop if you're passing through the area. The staff really made the experience too--they were fun, friendly, helpful, and seemed genuinely excited to be there. Definitely one of those quirky places that ends up being way more fun than you expect. We had a blast and can't wait to go back!

We stopped at the SPAM Museum on a whim after seeing several signs for it while driving through the…read morearea, and we're glad we did. Admission is free, and while the museum isn't very large, it's surprisingly fun, engaging, and well put together. The exhibits cover the history of SPAM, its cultural impact, and include an impressive collection of memorabilia from throughout the years. Everything is presented in a lighthearted and interactive way, making it enjoyable even if you're not a die-hard SPAM fan. One unexpected highlight was trying the SPAMples, which we thought were delicious and a fun twist on the classic product. If you're passing through the area, this museum is definitely worth the stop. It's a unique roadside attraction that's entertaining, educational, and easy to enjoy in an hour or two.

Ed Krueger was a lifelong resident of Wykoff, the owner of the Jack Sprat Food Store, and a hoarder…read morewith squirreling away abilities Jeff M. can only aspire to. When Ed died in 1989 he left his store to the town with the stipulation that it be turned into a museum. The museum continues to operate today, to the delight of roadtrippers who love all things strange. He saved old TV guides, boxes of candy that are 40 years old, Hollywood pinups, advertisements. He saved his dead cat Sammy in a box. The museum is a time warp, and the people who work there are generous with their time and their stories. Make room in your drive across Minnesota for this one; there is nothing like it anywhere else in the country.