First Time Visitors

How to Visit

Welcome! A visit to Living History Farms is an interactive, outdoor museum experience at your own pace. Visitors will find historic interpreters in period clothing at three working farm sites and the town of Walnut Hill. Museum guides share unique insight and historical information about the time period they represent, and offer various demonstrations throughout the day.

Tractor carts transport visitors to the beginning of the “300 Year Walk” of historical farm sites including the 1700 Ioway Farm, 1850 Pioneer Farm, and 1900 Horse-Powered Farm. Visitors walk between farms sites along an unpaved trail which is just under one mile long. An abbreviated route is available upon request. If you have concerns about mobility or walking the full route, please speak with our staff when you arrive, or contact us in advance at 515-278-5286. Click here for additional information about Accessibility.

Hours and Admission

2023 Visitor Guide

View the Visitor Code of Conduct

Depending on how much time you have, make it a full day by touring all of the sites or choose your favorites for a shorter visit:

Historic Town and Farm Visit

The complete Town and Farm experience includes the 1876 Town of Walnut Hill plus three working farm sites representing three different periods in Iowa’s history. We recommend 3-5 hours to fully experience everything Living History Farms has to offer:

• 1700 Ioway Farm
• 1850 Pioneer Farm
• 1900 Horse Powered Farm
• Blacksmith and Broom Maker
• Church of the Land and New Hope Cemetery
• Drug Store, General Store and Millinery
• Flynn Mansion and Flynn Barn
• Print Shop
• Professional sites: Law Office, Doctor’s Office, Bank, Vet Clinic
• Schoolhouse
• Tangen Home and Implement Dealer

If you don’t have time to see everything, you can choose to visit either the Farm or Town sites as listed below.

Farm Sites

• 1700 Ioway Farm
• 1850 Pioneer Farm
• 1900 Horse Powered Farm

Farm sites are accessible by a tractor cart ride (included with admission). We recommend 2-3 hours to visit farm sites and allow time for the tractor cart ride.

Town Sites

• Blacksmith and Broom Maker
• Church of the Land and New Hope Cemetery
• Drug Store, General Store and Millinery
• Flynn Mansion and Flynn Barn
• Print Shop
• Professional sites: Law Office, Doctor’s Office, Bank, Vet Clinic
• Schoolhouse
• Tangen Home and Implement Dealer

We recommend 1-2 hours to explore town sites.

Food Options

Visitors are welcome to bring in their own food and beverage to enjoy at Living History Farms. Picnic seating is available near the Visitor Center and and throughout the town site. You may also leave for a meal and come back later in the day, as long as you display your admission sticker. We offer limited snack options in our MarketPlace Museum Store.

Apply your admission towards a membership, come back for free!

Did you know you can apply the cost of admission to a membership purchase and get a year’s worth of free admission to the Farms? This offer ends once you leave, so visit the MarketPlace Museum Store or Admissions to take advantage of this great offer!