Locations and Hours

Administrative Offices for the Iowa Department of Cultural Affairs, Iowa Arts Council and State Historical Society of Iowa

The administrative offices of the Iowa Department of Cultural Affairs and its divisions are located in Des Moines at 600 E. Locust Street in the State Historical Society of Iowa building.

Business hours are 8:00 AM through 4:30 PM, Monday through Friday. Offices are closed weekends and state holidays. Mailing address, phone numbers and a staff directory are located on the "Contact" page of this Web site. For driving directions from your location, please refer to an internet resource such as Mapquest. Free parking is available in a parking garage directly across the building on Grand Avenue.

State Historical Museum, Library & Archives - Des Moines Building Location and Hours

Housed within the State Historical Society building in Des Moines (600 E. Locust Street) are the historical museum, historical library and archives. You can visit state-of-the-art exhibits which allow you to explore the past in a way you may never have before. These interactive exhibits enable you to to see, hear, and even touch Iowa's history.

Enjoy special treats and lunch in Baratta's located on the top floor. The café's glass walls and open terraces offer Des Moines' best view of the Capitol building and downtown Des Moines. Another of the building's attractions is the library and archives, where genealogical and historical researchers uncover the past. Stop in the Museum Store to finds books, gifts and more. More information on these resources can be found on the State Historical Society's Web site.

Several spaces within this building are available for rental to the public, businesses and other state agencies for meetings, weddings and receptions. For more information, please see the rental information page or email HistoricalBuilding.Rental@iowa.gov.

Museum Hours:
Open Monday through Saturday 9:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., and Sunday, noon to 4:30 p.m.

Library & Archives Hours:
The hours of reference & retrieval are 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Tuesday through Saturday. Archives, photograph, and manuscript collections are closed Saturdays, unless arrangements are made in advance. Closed on state holidays.

State Historical Society of Iowa Library & Archives - Iowa City Location

The Iowa City library & archives branch is located at the State Historical Society of Iowa Centennial Building, 402 Iowa Avenue.

Library and Archives Hours:
9:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Tuesday through Saturday
The archives, photograph, and manuscript collections are closed Saturdays, unless arrangements are made in advance. Arrangements can be made to use archival material on Saturdays by requesting the needed material from an archives staff member prior to noon on the preceding Friday. Manuscripts are closed on Saturdays

Closed Mondays and state holidays.

State Historical Society of Iowa Historic Sites

The State Historical Society has eight historic sites throughout Iowa. For more information on these sites, locations and hours, please visit the SHSI Web site at www.iowahistory.org/sites.