Cancel

    Open app

    Search

    Floyd County Historical Museum

    5.0 (1 review)

    Floyd County Historical Museum Photos

    Recommended Reviews - Floyd County Historical Museum

    Your trust is our priority, so businesses can't pay to alter or remove their reviews. Learn more about reviews.
    Yelp app icon
    Browse more easily on the app
    Review Feed Illustration

    7 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    Verify this business for free

    Get access to customer & competitor insights.

    Verify this business

    Laura Ingalls Wilder Museum

    Laura Ingalls Wilder Museum

    5.0(2 reviews)
    45.5 mi

    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.

    Photos
    Laura Ingalls Wilder Museum
    Laura Ingalls Wilder Museum

    See all

    MacNider Art Museum

    MacNider Art Museum

    5.0(6 reviews)
    26.7 mi

    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.

    Photos
    MacNider Art Museum
    MacNider Art Museum
    MacNider Art Museum

    See all

    Laura Ingalls Wilder Park & Museum - The school house.

    Laura Ingalls Wilder Park & Museum

    5.0(4 reviews)
    49.2 mi

    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.

    Photos
    Laura Ingalls Wilder Park & Museum - School room

    School room

    Laura Ingalls Wilder Park & Museum - Laura Ingalls Wilder Museum in Burr Oak, Iowa.

    Laura Ingalls Wilder Museum in Burr Oak, Iowa.

    Laura Ingalls Wilder Park & Museum - Home of the Laura Ingalls Wilder visitor center.

    See all

    Home of the Laura Ingalls Wilder visitor center.

    SPAM Museum - 07.06.25 The Flying Pig

    SPAM Museum

    4.6(219 reviews)
    44.4 mi

    No foolin', I took my family to the Spam Museum on April 1 for a fun day trip to Austin. I feel it…read morehas to be a write a passage as a homegrown Minnesotan to experience the Spam Museum once in your life. This free museum is right in the heart of downtown Austin and offers a fun little escape from cruddy weather outside or just to step into something historically and culturally unique in our world. I mean, a whole museum dedicated to canned meat? Weird! You can tell that a lot of creativity and thoughtful care went into the design and creation of this museum. So many bright and fun exhibits, there is not a corner left untouched. Lots of unique, hands-on opportunities for kids as well as some very cool historical offerings make this a great place for all ages. All of the exhibits are of high quality and very thought out. After your visit, you might just be inspired to stop at the grocery store afterwards and try your hand at "spiced canned ham" or in other words SPAM!

    This is a cool, kitschy road trip-type of stop that is amusing and fun. Plus, it's totally free to…read moreenter, though there is a gift shop packed with branded goods to tempt your pocketbook! The museum is located right in downtown Austin. The lot immediately behind the museum is small but there is abundant other parking around. I didn't notice any meters or paid parking. A stop at the friendly front desk clerk helped us to get the layout. Everything is on the first floor, which is level. Many exhibits are located along wide aisles, though there are some cubbies such as in the international area. The museum guides visitors through the history of Spam, where it is found around the world and what the flavors are (the commercials are delightfully cheesy), and how it is made. World War II is quite a focus in the history section. There are interactive screens placed at an accessible low level for kids and wheelchair users that share quizzes and trivia. As we wandered through, an employee came through with samples speared on pretzel sticks. We got to try smoked Spam and maple Spam. The gift shop was a good final stop. This would be a great place to get a gag or white elephant gift. I collect smashed pennies, and I was happy to find a machine in the gift shop.

    Photos
    SPAM Museum - 07.06.25

    07.06.25

    SPAM Museum - 07.06.25

    07.06.25

    SPAM Museum - Another inside photo op

    See all

    Another inside photo op

    Floyd County Historical Museum - museums - Updated June 2026

    Loading...
    Loading...
    Loading...