Theater and opera houses
 Des
Moins Metro Opera
The Des Moins Metro Opera is not in the capital of Iowa
in Des Moines, as the name suggests, but in Indinanola,
about 12 km from Des Moines. The opera was founded in
1973 and mainly appears as an outdoor summer opera or in
the Blank Center for the Performing Arts. There is space
for 488 people. The Des Moines Metro Opera has not only
made a name for itself in Iowa, it also attracts
visitors from other Midwest countries. Three different
performances are held each year, including La Traviata,
La Boheme, Lucia di Lammermoor and Rigoletto.
Grand Opera House
The Grand Opera House is located in Dubuque in
Dubuque County and is one of the oldest of its kind. It
was built in 1889 and has enjoyed absolute popularity
since it opened a year later. Performances in the Grand
Opera House were often called Hollywood-ready, for
example when real horses and carriages were created for
the “Ben-Hur” performance. Today the facility is
primarily known for its live ballet or theater
performances, as well as for lectures, cultural
conferences and as a cinema.
Orpheum Theater
The Orpheum Theater in Sioux City is a cultural
facility for the performing arts and music events.
Originally created in 1927 as a cinema palace and
variety show, after its restoration in 1999 it is mainly
used for concerts and performances by the Sioux City
Symphony Orchestra. In the past few years, well-known
personalities such as B. Bob Dylan, David Copperfield,
Bill Cosby or Sheryl Crow. In 2000 it was included in
the national register for places of historical interest.
- See
Countryaah for a full list cities and towns in Iowa. Also includes
counties, airports, zip codes, and public holidays of Iowa.
- Want to know population data of Iowa? Check
Allcitypopulation to get rankings of top cities in Iowa by population.
Riverside Theater
The Riverside Theater in Iowa City lives by the
motto “Big Drama in a small Place” - great drama in a
small place. It was founded in 1981 and has set itself
the goal of revolutionizing theater in Iowa. The theater
tries to involve its audience in performances as much as
possible and shows works from Shakespeare to modern
artists. Performances take place annually at two
different locations. While performances are held at
Gilbert Street Theater between September and April (118
seats), for the remaining months they are held at Lower
City Park (472 seats). The theater mainly employs
professionally trained actors and makeup artists and
works with around 1,400 different artists.
Museums and exhibitions
Des Moines
State Historical Society Museum The Des Moines
State Historical Society Museum is the most important
museum of Iowa history. It addresses the historical,
economic and social development of the state since its
founding on December 28, 1846. Numerous artifacts,
documents and drawings are exhibited. Furthermore,
exhibitions give an overview of popular Iowans, their
lives and their successes and failures.
Des Moines Arts
Center
The Des Moines Arts Center was founded in 1948 and is
one of the state's most important cultural institutions.
The art museum consists of a great collection of modern
art, paintings, drawings, sculptures and various media.
During the year there are rotating exhibitions in its
large gallery, which usually last between one and three
months. The rest of the museum consists of permanent
exhibitions on the works of well-known artists such as
B. Claude Monet, Andy Warhol or Edward Hopper and Jasper
Johns.
Cedar Rapids Museum
The Cedar Rapids Museum was founded in 1905 and is
located in the city of the same name. It is a private
museum that is run in conjunction with the Cedar Rapids
Library, the city's library. It presents a significant
number of Iowa artists and primarily exhibits
contemporary art. It has the largest collection of works
by Grant Wood and Marvin Cone as well as by the painters
Mauricio Lasansky and Ann Royer, which can be viewed
permanently in the Cedar Rapids Museum.
Hobo Cemetery and Hobo
Museum
Britt has the only hobo cemetery and a hobo museum in
the United States. The approximately 2,100-inhabitant
city lies in Hancock County.
A hobo is a North American migrant worker who is usually
homeless and who used freight trains illegally to travel
around the country. The term comes from the words hoe
(hoe) and boy (boy). The American slang word hoe for
whore is also related to the term. The hobos were in
their heyday in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
Well-known hobos were, for example, the writer Jack
London, the country musician Boxcar Willie or the singer
and songwriter Woody Guthrie.
There is now a new generation of hobos that no longer
operate freight trains for economic reasons, but as a
special kind of adventure and freedom.
National Czek & Slovak
Museum in Cedar Rapids
The National Czek & Slovak Museum was founded in 1974
and consists of a museum and an associated library. Both
places address the stories of the Czechs and Slovaks in
Cedar Rapids, Iowa and throughout the United States. It
is one of the largest of its kind and has a wide range
of documents, art and various media on the cultures of
the Czechs and Slovaks. After it reopened and expanded
in 1995 and Bill Clinton's eulogy for the museum's
significance, approximately 30,000 visitors appeared in
Cedar Rapids in 1997. Unfortunately, the museum had to
be relocated due to the great tsunami in 2008. Damage in
excess of $ 11,000,000 occurred during the flood, which
could never be replaced.
University of Iowa Museum of Natural History
The University of Iowa Museum of Natural History is
located on the campus of the University of Iowa in Iowa
City. It was founded in 1858 and is known for its
extensive collection of birds, mammals and artifacts.
The museum has several galleries and exhibition rooms on
the subjects of nature and history. Iowa Hall is
particularly informative, guiding visitors through the
state's 500 million year old geological and ecological
history.
Monuments and memorials
Sergeant Floyed
Monument
Located in Sioux City, right on the Missouri River, is
the Sergeant Floyd Monument, which commemorates the
Sergeant and Quartermaster Charles Floyd during the
Lewis and Clark Expedition (1804-1806). During this, the
first overland expedition, he died not far from today's
monument on a hill, where he was later buried. The 30 m
high obelisk made of sandstone was first erected in his
honor in 1804, renovated in 1901 and added to the
register for historically interesting places in 1960.
Grotto of the Redemption
The Grotto of the Redemption Monument in West
Bend is a religious monument, the construction of which
began in 1912. It belongs to the Diocese of Sioux City,
a diocese of the Roman Catholic Church. The monument is
said to be the only fully completed monument made of
fossils, minerals, shells, and silicification that is
hand-made in one place. It is made up of nine different
but contiguous grottoes that reflect different scenes
from the life of Jesus and is the largest of its kind.
The value of the Grotto of Redemption is estimated at $
4,308,000.
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