Shelby County Historical Museum

03/31/2026

Spring is in the air 🌷
& so are our temporary Spring 2026 hours!
For the current season, the Shelby County Historical Museum will be open:
▪️ Tuesday–Friday: 10:00AM – 4:00PM
▪️ Saturdays: By Appointment
▪️ Sundays & Mondays: Closed
These hours are seasonal and subject change, so consider this your friendly heads‑up. We appreciate your understanding and hope you’ll stop in and visit us soon🌱

03/13/2026

Something new just rolled into the museum!
We've partnered with Iowa PBS and are thrilled to be hosting Revolutionary Iowans, a new exhibit celebrating America’s 250th anniversary! This display connects Iowa’s local stories to the broader themes of American democracy and independence and highlights Iowans who have embodied the revolutionary spirit through community service, advocacy, innovation and leadership. Stop by sometime to explore the stories of Iowans who played a pivotal role in our nation’s history.
More info can be found at: https://www.iowapbs.org/america250

03/13/2026

📣 Calling All History Enthusiasts! 📣
Our friends at the Nishna Heritage Museum are gathering volunteers next Monday (March 16th), and we’re excited to support their efforts to grow a new generation of storytellers and recordkeepers of our shared past.
Come learn what volunteering looks like, meet others who share your passion, and help keep our rural stories alive. No experience needed, all ages welcome!

01/23/2026

Behind The Scenes at the Museum

📷 This week we're diving into a number of varied research requests... Genealogy, historic local businesses, lists of county and historic country schools - their colors & mascots, you name it!

Presently, our staff are hunting through the museum's collection of photographs, and this particular image has captured our attention (not what we were searching for, but still a fascinating find).
This print just tells a story, the details of which we don't know, but it's a perspective we'd be curious to learn more about (both from the photographer's and subject's POV)

(2007.072) Photographic Print of Bill Honeywell - uncle of Viron Honeywell, buried at Walnut, IA

01/09/2026

Behind the Scenes at the Museum

Our new year has started with cleaning, cataloging, and pondering the historic symbolism of uniforms? 🤔

Check out this thoughtfully written and well researched paper by Carrie Hertz from 2007 titled "The Uniform: As Material, As Symbol, As Negotiated Object" to learn more!
https://www.academia.edu/4044048/The_Uniform_As_Material_As_Symbol_As_Negotiated_Object

01/06/2026

12/20/2025

✨ Holiday Hours at the Museum ✨

As the year winds down, here’s when you can stop by (or plan ahead) for a visit:
🌲 Winter Solstice & Christmas
Dec 21–27 | Closed
🕳️ The Void
Dec 29–30 | Open
🎉 New Year’s
Dec 31–Jan 1 | Closed
Thank you for making history with us this year! Wishing you a season full of warmth, wonder, and stories worth sharing ❤️

12/18/2025

12/14/2025

How Amazing are these! Thank you Claire Elizabeth for capturing these magical moments!

12/05/2025

🎅Santa’s trading his sleigh for a log cabin this year!🛷
That's right folks, our annual Santa in the Cabins event is just around the corner, and you're invited! Come by for professional holiday photos, seasonal crafts, and a dash of old-fashioned Christmas magic✨
It’s FREE, it’s festive, and it’s the perfect way to experience and share in the holiday spirit. We hope to see you there!

12/05/2025

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas at the Shelby County Historical Museum🌟🎄🎀
Don't forgot to stop by for a visit and picture with Santa himself next Thursday!
Santa in the Cabins is just around the corner...
December 11th from 4:30-7PM we'll be gathered for crafts, camaraderie, and cheer, we hope to see you there!