Visit our museums
Please note: We are closed for major holidays/holiday weekends.
Victorian House Museum
Hours:
Open February - mid-December
Tuesday-Saturday 10:00-4:00
Sunday 1:00-4:00
Admission:
Free; donations encouraged
Parking: 1-hour on-street parking available in front of building on 3rd St, Unlimited on-street parking in additional 3rd St spaces
Ice House Museum
Hours:
Open May – mid-October
Saturday & Sunday 1:00-4:00
Closed for the season. See you in May 2025!
Admission: $5; Free for children 12 and under. Cash or check only.
Parking:
Free parking in large lot beside the museum
Little Red Schoolhouse
Hours:
Open May through mid-October
Saturday & Sunday 1:00-4:00
Closed for the season. See you in May 2025!
Admission:
Free; donations encouraged
Parking:
Free parking in large lot behind the museum
Victorian House Museum
Step back over 150 years to the Victorian era in Cedar Falls.
DIG DEEPER
This Italianate style home was built by Azel D. Barnum in 1863, and it’s teeming with furnishings, photographs, and everyday objects from the 1880s-1900s. Its stately cupola has watched over the Cedar River and the growing city of Cedar Falls for generations, and it remains a prominent landmark today.
Our addition also houses our special exhibition gallery and Lenoir model railroad display.
Click here
for information on our special exhibitions.
Find coloring pages and other activities here.
Visitor Information
308 W 3rd St, Cedar Falls
Hours:
Open February - mid-December
Tuesday-Saturday 10:00-4:00
Sunday 1:00-4:00
Closed April 20, April 29, May 11, and May 24-26.
Admission free, donations encouraged.
Please note: We are closed for major holidays/holiday weekends.
Our volunteers serve as hosts at the home on the weekends, and you may want to call in advance to confirm that we are open: 319-266-5149.
Did you visit recently? Please take a moment to fill out our visitor survey.
What visitors are saying:
"Thank you all for the important restoration and preservation work you do in addition to educating us." - Liane, Cedar Falls Historical Society member
"Thank you for teaching us about the Victorian times! The scavenger hunt was fun! We learned so much!" - Maddi, Cedar Falls 3rd grader
Ice House Museum
Built to hold 16 million
pounds of ice!
Visit the only museum in the U.S. that tells the story of ice harvesting in an original ice house! This 1921 round structure contains tools once used to cut ice from the Cedar River right nearby. Experience an international industry that brought fresh food to the world, and learn how this once-common business transformed our culture and daily lives.
The Ice House Museum is a Silos & Smokestacks National Heritage Area site.
What visitors are saying:
"The Ice House was a favorite. It was so well done and has such a community spirit to its exhibits and history." - Elizabeth, visitor from Texas
"I loved my field trip down town CF! Thank you for providing all our fun and interesting activities. I loved going to the Ice House Museum!" - Emma, Cedar Falls 3rd grader
Visitor Information
121 Center Street (Click here for parking map)
121 Center Street (Click here for parking map)
Hours:
Open May through mid-October
Saturday & Sunday 1:00-4:00
Closed for the season. See you in May 2025!
Please note: We are closed for major holidays/holiday weekends.
$5 admission fee; 12 and under free
Please note that we are not able to process credit cards at the Ice House Museum; we will accept cash or personal checks. If you would like to pay with a credit card, please use the "Buy Now" button below.
Click "Buy Now" to purchase tickets using a credit card. Show the merchant transaction ID found in your confirmation email to the host at the front desk to redeem your ticket(s).
Our volunteers serve as hosts at the museum on the weekends, and you may want to call in advance to confirm that we are open: 319-266-5149.
Did you visit recently? Please take a moment to fill out our visitor
survey.
The Ice House Museum is once again joining museums nationwide in the Blue Star Museums initiative. This free admission program is available for those currently serving in the United States Military and up to five family members. Qualified members must show a Geneva Convention common access card (CAC), DD Form 1173 ID card (dependent ID), DD Form 1173-1 ID card or the Next Generation Uniformed Services (Real) ID card for entrance into a participating Blue Star Museum.
Footage of Ice Harvest Festival 2022 courtesy of Pixel Labs.
Mark your calendars for the next Ice Harvest Festival on February 7, 2026!
Little Red Schoolhouse
Tour this 1909 one-room schoolhouse and experience a long Iowa tradition.
DIG DEEPER
From the slate blackboard to the potbellied stove, this schoolhouse recalls a time when brothers, sisters, and neighboring children gathered together to learn in a building like this. Imagine the students stoking the fire, reciting their lessons, and singing songs.
More than 9,000 one-room schoolhouses once dotted the Iowa landscape; the memories remain in this modest red building.
Click here
for information about our Summer at the Schoolhouse program.
Visitor Information
205 W 1st St, Cedar Falls
Hours:
Open May through mid-October
Saturday & Sunday 1:00-4:00
Closed for the season. See you in May 2025!
Please note: We are closed for major holidays/holiday weekends.
Our volunteers serve as hosts at the schoolhouse on the weekends, and you may want to call in advance to confirm that we are open: 319-266-5149.
Admission free; donations encouraged.
Visit recently? Fill out our visitor survey here.
What visitors are saying:
"I went from Kindergarten thru 8th grade in one room country schools in southwest Iowa and have a host of pleasant memories about it. I'm so glad you provide these experiences for the young children in and around Cedar Falls." - Ron, Cedar Falls resident
"Thank you for showing us the Little Red Schoolhouse. We had fun using the sand table. The old flag was very interesting. Thank you for letting us ring the bell. We had a fun time." - Waterloo Christian 1st grade class
Behrens-Rapp Filling Station/Visitor’s Information Center
Visit this 1925 filling station for local travel information from May through October.
This early station features visible glass pumps, vintage signage, and other unique gas station paraphernalia. The Cedar Falls Tourism and Visitors Bureau provides the directions with maps, brochures, and booklets to help visitors navigate the Cedar Falls/Waterloo area.
The station is an especially good stop for bike trail users with shady benches, trail maps, and an air compressor.
Visitor Information
221 W 1st St, Cedar Falls
Open May - October
Daily, 8:00am-8:00pm
Closed for the season. See you in 2025!
What visitors are saying:
"I have many memories of Johnny Rapp and his gas station at the original location. I’m so glad his station has been preserved." - Carol, former Cedar Falls resident
William J. Lenoir Model Railroad Collection
Watch the railroad days come to life!
In the lower level of the Victorian House Museum, we are proud to display the famous William J. Lenoir Model Railroad Collection—the only exhibition of Lenoir’s work.
Bill Lenoir’s model trains are magical miniature replicas of brass steam locomotives, gas-electric cars, passenger cars, freight cars, and railroad structures. His hand-built wonders circle through an intricate village scene, capturing the tiniest details—from flickering dining car lights to overflowing coal cars.
A pioneer in model train building, Lenoir painstakingly crafted his replicas to the scale of ¼ inch to the foot (known as O-gauge scale).
Please note that due to the age of the layout and the delicate nature of the electronics involved, the trains will only be running for special occasions. The layout is always available for viewing during our open hours. In 2025, the trains will be running May 10, June 28-29, and July 24.
Visitor Information
Located in the Victorian House Museum
308 W 3rd St, Cedar Falls
Hours: Open February - December
Tuesday – Saturday, 10 am – 4 pm
Sunday, 1 – 4 pm
Please note: We are closed for major holidays/holiday weekends.
Free admission; donations encouraged.
Facility Rentals
The education center located at 315 Clay Street is the Historical Society's newest facility. The education center is the location of many Historical Society programs and events. It is also available to rent. The rental agreement for all of our facilities can be viewed here.
What people are saying:
The Iowa Museum Association's February 2025 meeting at your new facility (315 Clay Street) was a great success, due in part to the comfortable and user friendly surroundings. With approximately 30 people in attendance, we found easily accessible parking outside and ample space inside to set up tables and chairs, provide catering options, and service participants' comfort needs. We were especially pleased with the IT equipment and large white boards, which made it easy to present a powerpoint and also to converse with participants. Thank you for allowing us to hold our event in your wonderful new space!
- Cyndi Sweet, Director of Special Projects, Iowa Museum Association
Group Visits
Plan to visit our Ice House Museum, Victorian House Museum, or Schoolhouse, each featuring exhibits and hands-on activities related to the site’s history.
While all group visits are self-guided, a host will be available to give an introduction.
Group visit costs are as follows:
Ice House Museum
$7 per person
Little Red Schoolhouse
$2 per person
Victorian House Museum
$2 per person
For all group visits:
- One bus driver and one group leader free per group.
- Children 3 and under are free.
- Tour admission must be paid by check or cash.
- Tour groups of 25 or more may be asked to split into smaller groups.
- For all groups, please schedule your visit a minimum of two weeks in advance.
- Tours outside of our normal operating hours may be arranged subject to staff availability.
Call 319-266-5149 or e-mail our Programming & Outreach Coordinator for more information or to schedule your group.
Educational Fieldtrips
Our museums bring history to life for students of all ages!
Schedule a class trip to the Ice House Museum, Victorian Home, and/or Little Red Schoolhouse, and participate in hands-on activities related to the site’s history. Please contact us
to discuss your in-person and virtual fieldtrip options.
Please note our school group policies and procedures:
- Fieldtrips should be scheduled at least two weeks in advance, if possible.
- In-person fieldtrips may include a scavenger hunt, and/or a presentation, as well as an activity.
- Activities can be planned for one or more of our sites.
- Groups of 25 or more might be split into 2 groups. Each group will participate in a different activity, at the same or at a different site; the groups then will switch half way through the programming time.
- One adult for every 7 students is preferred.
- For virtual fieldtrips, pre-recorded tours of each of our buildings are available, and a virtual class discussion and/or other interactive activities can be arranged with our education coordinator.
- Fieldtrips are offered free of charge to school groups and home school groups.
Please e-mail Diane Schupbach, Education Coordinator, or call 319-266-5149 for more information.
Teaching Iowa History
The Cedar Falls Historical Society is proud to contribute to Teaching Iowa History. Teaching Iowa History is creating accessible Iowa history resources to assist educators with meeting the Iowa Social Studies Standards. To learn more, visit their website.
