Kalona Historical Village — Attraction in Kalona

Kalona Historical Village is a collection of buildings that form a self-guided museum/tour. Adult admission is $10. You are given a map of the property that you can follow at your own pace.. Most buildings allow you to walk in a short distance, with exhibits displayed behind plexiglass, and offer an audio recording that tells you about the history of the building and how it was used. Buildings include a church, home, general store, schoolhouse, and railroad station among others. A large barn houses old but well maintained cars, farm equipment and a fire truck. There is also one building established as the Mennonite Museum where there is always someone present to answer questions. The Mennonite Museum is one large open space filled with many interesting artifacts and informative signage and maps. We learned quite a bit during our tour and ended up spending a good deal more time here than we anticipated, a few hours in total. The Visitor Center houses a gift shop area and several exhibits including a Quilt and Textiles exhibit and an impressive rock and mineral collection. I recommend this tour primarily for adults though older children may find it interesting as well. We were able to park for free in front of the Visitor Center during our visit but it was a slow time and I don't think...

Blown away by the depth and breadth of this fabulous collection of early America and Iowa history. Stroll through time in a way so expertly displayed and curated. The mainstreet museum has life-size cutouts of those who lived and worked there, with push button narration telling the stories. The gem and quilt collections will draw you in and teach you more than you can imagine. Staff member Heather Joy was truly engaging, and she communicated the history in a most meaningful way. If you're within a hundred miles from Kalona, make a day here. You won't regret it. After seeing the Village, stroll downtown, enjoy ice cream and pastries. (Have a poppy seed kolache!...

Visiting the Kalona Historical Village is like taking a trip into the past, where the small church, one-room schoolhouse, train depot and other buildings look just like they did a century ago. You'll learn a lot about the Amish and Mennonite ways of life, and see things you may not see anywhere else -- like the hat Joe Shetler was wearing when he was struck and killed by lightning. Adult admission is $12, and you can expect to spend an hour or two here. I was disappointed that the main museum was closed when I visited, but I'll check it out next time I'm...