The National Mississippi River Museum & Aquarium sits on the riverfront in Dubuque, Iowa, where it tells the story of America’s rivers through live animals, historic vessels, and hands-on exhibits. Operated by the Dubuque County Historical Society, the museum grew out of the smaller Fred W. Woodward Riverboat Museum, which first opened in 1982, and was expanded into its current form in 2003.
Today the museum is an affiliate of the Smithsonian Institution and is accredited by both the American Alliance of Museums and the Association of Zoos and Aquariums, a distinction that places it alongside the country’s leading zoos and aquariums. Its 14-acre riverfront campus combines aquarium galleries, a restored steam-powered dredge boat, and outdoor wetland habitats into a single stop for visitors curious about the Mississippi’s ecology and history.
Stats at a Glance
- Location: Dubuque, Iowa
- Opened: 2003 (as the National Mississippi River Museum & Aquarium; predecessor opened 1982)
- Size: About 14 acres on the Mississippi riverfront
- Animal collection: More than 200 species, including river otters, alligators, sturgeon, and stingrays
- Annual visitors: About 250,000
- Famous for: Touring the William M. Black, a National Historic Landmark steam-powered dredge
A Smithsonian-Affiliated River Experience
Inside the museum’s National River Center and Mississippi River Center, visitors move through more than a dozen aquariums ranging up to 35 feet long, home to catfish, sturgeon, turtles, rays, and other species native to the Mississippi watershed and beyond. Touch tanks let guests handle sea stars and other creatures under staff supervision, while a 3D/4D digital theater and river-history galleries round out the indoor exhibits.
The museum’s Smithsonian affiliation, awarded in 2002, and its AZA accreditation, earned in 2009, reflect an emphasis on conservation education alongside entertainment, a combination that has helped the museum attract visitors from all 50 states and dozens of countries since its 2003 expansion.
From Historic Dredge to Interactive Aquariums
One of the museum’s signature attractions is the William M. Black, a steam-powered dredge boat designated a National Historic Landmark, which visitors can board and explore. Outdoors, the Woodward Wetland and boatyard exhibits extend the river theme beyond the aquarium buildings, giving guests a look at the vessels and machinery once used to work the Mississippi.
A 2001 Vision Iowa grant helped fund the museum’s major expansion, and the 14-acre site has continued to add exhibits since, making it one of the more comprehensive river-focused museum-and-aquarium combinations in the Midwest.
Explore more: More Zoos & Aquariums to Explore.
National Mississippi River Museum & Aquarium FAQs
Where is the National Mississippi River Museum & Aquarium located?
It’s on the riverfront in Dubuque, Iowa, at 350 East 3rd Street.
What can visitors see at the museum?
Visitors can explore aquariums with catfish, sturgeon, rays, and otters, tour the historic steamboat William M. Black, and visit touch tanks and outdoor wetland exhibits.
Is the museum accredited?
Yes, it’s accredited by the American Alliance of Museums and the Association of Zoos and Aquariums, and it’s an affiliate of the Smithsonian Institution.
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Photo: Dirk Hansen / CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.