Welcome to the Pentacrest Museums
The University of Iowa Pentacrest Museums feature both permanent and changing exhibits, educational programming, historic research collections care, and special events at the Old Capitol Museum and the Museum of Natural History.
The University of Iowa Museum of Natural History
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University of Iowa
Old Capitol Museum
MISSION
We serve to strengthen the vital role of both Museums in the educational, research, and engagement missions of the University, enhancing the campus-wide focus on cultural and environmental diversity.
What's new?
The Pentacrest is a proud new location for a new tree planting—a sapling propagated from the immense horse chestnut tree that grew in the courtyard behind the annex where Anne Frank and her family hid for 761 days during World War II. This living symbol of Anne’s spirit and humanitarian message is the 13th Anne Frank Sapling to be planted in the United States. Anne's tree is a stop on our Tree Tour and worth visiting next time you're here.
MAMMAL HALL film to debut to live museum audience, Saturday, January 15th, 2022.
PBS Special featuring Museum of Natural History: Greetings from Iowa!
PBS Special featuring Iowa City and The Old Capitol: Historic Buildings of Iowa
UI Pentacrest Museums Director of Research Collections honored with Skorton Award.
Museum Zebra gets x-ray in interdepartmental collaboration for conservation.
Sara Pinkham's A "Clucktion" of Vintage Chickens installation feature in My Collections.
UIPM upcoming events:
Study Hall
🍄 MUSHROOM DAY @ THE MUSEUM 🍄
Join us for a fungi-filled day of discovery at the Museum of Natural History! We’ve partnered with the Prairie States Mushroom Club to celebrate the fascinating world of mushrooms right here in Iowa and beyond.
Be the first to explore our brand-new Mushroom Activity Booklet, a foldout zine packed with hands-on fun for all ages. Use it to search high and low during an indoor mushroom scavenger hunt, spotting the shrooms tucked into exhibits and dioramas throughout the museum galleries. The booklet...