Ankeny’s history museum connects a 1905 house with a much wider community story

Image: Archival photograph of the Ankeny Area Historical Society Museum dated November 4, 2023; building access, displays and landscaping may have changed.

The history of a growing city can be easiest to grasp through things that once belonged to everyday life. The Ankeny Area Historical Society’s museum combines a house built in 1905 with barn-museum collections that include military memorabilia, toys, school history and local research material.

The museum is at 301 Southwest Third Street. Its current hours page lists first-Sunday afternoon open houses during September–November, with other visits by appointment. Confirm the exact time directly at 515-965-5795 or history@ankenyhistorical.org, especially because an older page carries a different seasonal schedule.

Admission is free, with donations appreciated. The society describes itself as supported through memberships, fundraising and community donations. Ask about the particular display or research question that interests you before planning a visit around it, rather than assuming every collection area is accessible at any moment.

Bring a question about the city beyond its recent growth: how people worked, learned or entertained themselves, or how a family’s experience fits into the wider community. Read labels and ask how an object reached the collection. Those details can turn a familiar-looking household item into evidence of a very different Ankeny.

Sources and visit details

• Ankeny Area Historical Society: museum collections and house history
• Ankeny Area Historical Society: current seasonal open houses, appointments and admission

Photo: Myotus / Wikimedia Commons. CC BY-SA 4.0. Resized and converted to WebP; the site wordmark may be added in display.