prairie trails museum

We stopped by late one day to do some genealogy research. The staff have done an amazing job at preserving and organizing documents from the 1800's on. We were able to quickly find several birth records, wills, and other historical records. The staff stayed until after closing to help us, and invited us back before they officially opened the next day. We found that they'd even stayed after we'd left to find more leads, and our researcher came in on her day off to help us. The museum itself is very impressive with the same level of care and thought put into how it's organized and how each display tells the story of the local area. Can't say enough good things about this place, and especially the staff!

This is an outstanding museum. Exhibits document the history of southern Iowa from the pioneer days to the present. From a log cabin to military artifacts to farm machinery to a main street exhibit, there is something to interest everyone in the family. The staff are friendly and have lots of information to share. Highly recommended.