A BOUT THE M USEUM.
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Come explore the history of the heartland. The Floyd County Museum in Charles City, Iowa is one of the Midwest's largest rural county museums, with over 50,000 artifacts depicting early and recent prairie life, both agricultural and industrial.Listed in the National Register of Historic Places, the Museum's home is the former Dr. Salsbury's Laboratories building at 500 Gilbert Street. It is just 40 miles east of Interstate 35 on the Avenue of the Saints (US Highways 18 and 218). For directions, go to our Planning a Visit? page.
Charles City is the birthplace of the gasoline-driven tractor, and the Museum displays several models manufactured here: Hart-Parr, Oliver, and White.
In 1999, the Museum opened its new climate-controlled exhibit area, featuring historic farm tractors, implements and tools of the last century. Be sure to see the turn-of-the-century drug store, the country school classroom, and other period rooms as well. The Museum owns Floyd County's oldest existing building, the Muchlar cabin, built in 1853. To learn more about the Museum's holdings, go to our collections page.
Stop by the gift shop for books related to local history, Oliver tractor toys, T-shirts, and other gift ideas. All major credit cards accepted. Hours: 9:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday, year round. Also open 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. Saturdays during May, and 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays, June 1 to Labor Day weekend.
Admission: Adults $4.00. Age 10-18 $2.00. Children 9 and under, free. Memberships: Single $10.00; Family $20.00.
Access: The Museum is wheelchair-accessible throughout the building. Use the main entrance facing the rear parking lot.
Address, phone and email: 500 Gilbert Street, Charles City, IA 50616. Telephone (641) 228-1099. FAX: (641) 228-1157. Email: fchs@fiai.net