Reviews of National Mississippi River Museum & Aquarium (Tourist Attraction)

Mary Henderson

We thoroughly enjoyed our visit...especially the short film about life on a barge and the aquarium with Mississippi river fish.

Hatim Bookwala

A wonderful and informative place. I actually regret not being able to spend more time at this place. I would say reserve at least 3 hours to be able to fully explore the place. Special mention of the wonderful and helpful staff at this place. The aquarium exhibits are nice and so is the museum part of the place. My kid enjoyed the play area explaining the river system and also the special fairy tales area. We also got to see the cute baby shark!! Would highly recommend visiting this wonderful, fun and informative place.

Tracy Wilson

We absolutely love going and the different things for the kiddos. Currently the Once Upon a Time was a huge hit. The baby shark that was just born is super tiny and cute! We always make sure to pet the stingrays and see the alligator as well. The otter is a favorite of mine especially now that it is warming up and hes outside more. We did get a family membership this year as last year we went so often that it just made sense for the price. We had and have now been going down almost every weekend our daughter loves it so much. Even though not much in the way of the animals themselves change, it's a nice outing for the family.

Chaos Quinn

I've loved this place since I was kid. I go here at least once every summer. It's amazing

Lew Everling

Absolutely love this place. Hands down the best kept secret in Iowa the kids loved it and want to return already. Definitely our must do at least once or twice a year.

Ashley Burns

There are two buildings but we only went through one. Very nice establishment with plenty of info. We were there for an hour and had a great time during our short stay. Definitely would've stayed longer if our time allowed.

Robert Schwarz

Very cool attraction! Very informative. The kids loved it.

Aimee Rogers

Always an amazing experience. Love coming here with my family. My son loves feed the stingrays and petting them. You always learn something new with the creature feature. The baby shark was cute. Fun and educational!!

William First

Enormously fun place! We stayed overnight with a group and had an excellent experience with Andy and Chris. The museum itself is set up in a very loose way that encourages drifting back and forth between exhibits and aquariums freely. The staff was knowledgeable, friendly, and very professional. We will be back again!

Ryan Lamb

Fantastic museum, always fun stopping to see the animals. Get the membership if you think you'll stop there more than once in the year

Tiffany Rose

It wasn't that bad. They consistently change things up so there's usually new stuff, but the food and admission and gift shop are pricey. There's also not all that much to do if you've already been there though.

Dennis Leeser

Great exhibits. Price is reasonable

Susan Wojtysiak

It has a lot of interesting displays. Great for kids. If I'm going to Galena I drive the 10 minutes and go to this museum. It has inside and outside things to see.

Adoniah Hansen

Very cool stuff! Make sure you get outside! We almost missed the coolest parts by not going outside!

Sharon Fleming

Love the aquariums and hands on kid activities. The docents are so friendly and knowledgeable.

Isaiah Williams

It's a museum I've never been in before. Vast information of life considering the river. This museum literally uses its surroundings to the fullest.

Tracy Jankowski

Pretty awesome and cool experience! Very cool place to take your kids!

Ruth

Very informative and lot to see. Plan on spending a couple of hours if you really want to see everything.

Daniel Neff

Truly a phenomenal and historic place. Very fun for all ages as well!

Christine Vandre

A lot of interesting info and things to explore, make sure you tour the boat!

Matt K

We enjoyed visiting here. They have some interactive things and even a little sting ray petting area - cool! We would definitely go back if in the area.

Robin Zhao

go find a BassPro shop. you may see more and it is free.

Cathie Rouse

Great place for kids and grown ups. Spent 5 hours there with grandkids.

MARK BRACHTEL

This a very nice place to see lots of local river and water wildlife and learn about local river boat history as well. They also have a hands on section where kids can touch wildlife in the water.

Mike G

Cool place to check out the history of the area

Christie Poindexter

This museum is spacious, the displays are easy to see and arranged to accommodate many people.the volunteers are friendly and knowledgeable.

Krystal Norman

Was a great time with the kids and learned a few things as well. Definitely a win!

Natalie Miller

So much to see and do. I had a free pass my son got from the library and then found out it was free for teachers in August, so I got in free too. Way worth the 2 hour drive

Megan Downing

We had such a good time! I remember visiting several years ago after they had just opened, and I was so impressed with everything that has been added. Loved the stingrays. Great place to take kids to teach them about the river and how important it is to do our part to keep it safe and beautiful. Kids will have so much fun they won't even know they're learning. Staff is friendly and very knowledgeable.

Tom Galczynski

If you find yourself in dubuque IA and want to see some cool fish, I highly recommend it.

John classic

This place is very fun fire the whole family. You can spend hours and hours here and have fun the whole time. They even have a rescued bald eagle here

Brett Perucco

Our family had an excellent visit. We spent about 4 hours on their campus and the kids loved it. They have an assortment of history and interactive displays that made the visit fun and educational.

Maciej Ciupa

Really solid museum with some great aquariums. The saltwater tank is fantastic with some great staff that provided some great stories and insights into the animals. Go check it out, it not overwhelming large and you can see it all in under 2 hours.

David Pugliese

Staff was very friendly and informative. Also petting the stingrays was one of the high points of the visit.

Subathra Vijay

A simple good one. In the aquarium we can even touch and feel sting ray fish and sturgeon fish

Alan Stevens

My wife and I are museum dwellers. We read ALL of the signs. This museum is outstanding. There is plenty to do for small children and there is more than enough history and exhibits to keep adults occupied. Spent 4 hours and did not finish it. Going back tomorrow.

Thomas Brock

A very beautiful natural history museum. The entrance fees are reasonable and can be reduced in various areas. In addition to the museum, there is also a small outdoor area and an old Mississippi steamer to visit.

Marla Sandve

Absolutely amazing. The guides were full of information, added a lot to the experience

Kelly Owens

The staff was very friendly and helpful. Very kid friendly. A lot of cool exhibits.

Shelly Brimeyer

Educational and beautiful. New generations should know our river history.

Aaron McCracken

Spent a very pleasant half-day here on a Friday. Not crowded. The two 3-D shows were pretty tame (Pandas, Extreme weather in Solar System). Could easily spend an entire day looking at everything. When we bought our tickets we were told we could also use the receipt for free admission the next day.

Stuart Evans

Wheather its a relaxing afternoon or an opportunity to learn more about the area, to enjoy a day or an event it is an amazing place. Just you or the kids or grandbabys the experiance is amazing. It is a must visit if your 8n Dubuque

Bryan Sulzer

Amazing aquarium! Very rare to see a river aquarium!

Robert Mahan

Awesome museum! We thought it was going to be much smaller than it was but it was really extensive! Very much enjoyed the sting ray exhibit and the employee that was at that location was fantastic! She was passionate and educational and you could tell she loved what she did and sharing her knowledge. Also appreciated that she tailored her approach based on who she was talking to, how interested they were, and what they were interested in. The davinci exhibit was neat although not as hands on as I expected. The dredging ship you could tour was also awesome with another attendant who clearly was passionate about the info he shared! Well done!

Scott Bohlmann

This museum highlights the Mississippi River and it's wetlands. The focus on more local fish and wildlife works to better get across the importance of protecting the river. Continually be added to and updated, this is a great place for family learning.

Austin King

Girlfriend took me here as a surprise and I had so much fun.

John Salisbury

Most of the museum is enjoyable - however, they recently added an octopus exhibit that seems to be way too small and rather unethical. The diameter of the tank is just large enough for the octopus to stretch out its arms, but leaves it no room to move meaningfully. Why keep such an intelligent creature in such a tiny tank? Also, why have an octopus at all (since they don’t live in the Mississippi River)? Seeing this really put a damper on our group’s trip to the museum - hopefully, they decide to increase the size of the exhibit and give the octopus a reasonable, non-tortuous space to live in.

Howard

If you are really into the Mississippi river. Half of this place is for you. The other half is an unconnected cluster jumble of filler. Don't waste your money on the 4d movies. They are also unconnected content and not very 4d at all.

Regina Starrine

A great place if your in the area. Need approx 5 hrs to see if you linger over stuff

Tina Olszewski

This was a welcome and wonderful surprise! We were greeted by a very friendly and extremely informative man. The adult entry price was $16.95 and it was very much worth it!! There is something for everyone. Fish, alligator, otters, octopus, stingrays you can touch and much more! Lots of history for adults and many hands on activities for children. Board an old riverboat and see the engine room kitchen galley, bunk area and more. Stop for. Bite to eat in the multiple cafe areas or grab a snack in one if the gift shops. See a free informational movie or watch a 4D for a fee. I highly recommend planning to spen a morning or afternoon S 3-4 hours or so is just about right.

Toni Hauer

This is a really good place to visit. Went with our Grandpeople and they had a blast. Highly recommended.

Brennan Russell

What a great place to take the family. I had no idea how large the campus was. There is a really great mix of exhibits, both indoors and out. There was a surprising number of hands on areas including sting ray pool, water works table, crayfish station and an imaginary play area for the little kids. Great for a few hours of quality entertainment!

Caleb Schuman

We always love the museum. We have gotten a yearly membership for the last couple years now and our 3 year old loves it. From the various animals (alligator, bald eagle, octopus, etc.) To the water activities for kids to the interesting facts and artifacts on display about how the river runs, everyone can enjoy something at the museum

TyDyGy

Fun museum, lots to do and see. Great place to take children, fun and educational. Lots of hands on activities. Plenty to see indoors and outside.

luke acosta

This is a really neat little museum. They have a little bit of everything, and you her to pet the stingrays. Can't wait to go back when it's warmer and the outdoor activities are up and running.

Karen Kolb

It was fantastic! Just loved it!!

Cyndi Smith

Wonderful museum. Went 2 days tons to see and do... didn't get it all done! Will go back on future visits! Add it to your must do list!

Tony Hendrickson

Must see great museum!

Bob Bremer

Very impressive collection. Half price if you are a member of select zoos in the area!

Bethany Delaney

This was a great interactive museum foe the kids, and I enjoyed it as well! Loved the sting rays and the water works

Jason Summers

Great for all ages...lots of different cool things to see

Stephanie Warren

Overall it was a pleasant experience. It was easy to find and parking was plentiful. The exhibits were interactive and informative but seemed to miss out on key points in native history and local ecology. Even so, would a good place to spend a family afternoon with kids.

janhavi swamy

Great place to spend time indoors during winter... It give an insight into the Flora and fauna of the place... Lots of detail regarding the history and the past.... Totally enjoying the place with my daughter who loved watching all the fishes, turtle and other reptiles....

Jude Mac

Lots of fun activities and things to see

Scott OConnor

This is ok. Definitely not worth what they charge to see this place.

Greg Cromer

A treasure of a museum. Lots of wonderful exhibits. Something new to learn with every step.

Leslie Schauer

Very awesome and lots of hands on things for kids to try!

Claw Catcher

We love this place. Great to visit on a hot or rainy day. They have fish, stingray and an alligator. Lots of great interactive stuff.

andre Smith

A great day trip for sure! Plenty to see and do for people of all ages! We always take the grandkids!

Chris Lancaster

Such a neat place to go to. Very educational with even some hands on exhibit's. I also recommend the 4D movies.!

summer junkie

Wonderful place to bring kids. Lots to see and do. Very reasonably priced.

J P.

This was a fun place to spend the day at but admission was a bit pricey.

Cassie Covington

It was great I got to see some new things and animals! The staff was amazing!

Tristan Miller

Must see place if you're ever in Dubuque. Great balance of education and entertainment. Make sure to check out the 4D theater!

Ellen Phillips

The stingrays we got to pet were amazing, and there were lots of interesting and interactive exhibits which we enjoyed.

Josh Beyer

Awesome place to visit and learn. So much to do and see. Love the ever changing exhibits on the second floor. Always something new when we visit. The aquarium is awesome and love the interactive stingray tank.

Al Remetch

A very educational experience in a clean well maintained environment. However, to me it seemed more museum than aquarium. Still worth the visit. There are two buildings and a large dredging barge with lots of tid bits in between.

Karl Kilian

Nice modern museum and aquarium. Plenty to see, very educational.

Bethany Linsey

Nice family fun! Stuff to see for all ages

Jennifer Garty

This place is awesome! Could easily spend a day here exploring and learning about the Mississippi River. Very family-friendly Center, with Hands-On activities to do for the kids, but lots of learning experiences for adults too. Staff is super helpful and informative, and the prices work great for all that you can do at the museum. They also have a gift shop, and a small Cafe restaurant within the museum. Very clean amenities as well.

Madilyne Palmer

A fantastic place for the whole family. Worth the $16 and I love going on the decommissioned river boat.

Camille Devine

There was so much to see, for the price it's a great way to spend a day with your family.

Bradley Ebaugh

Unexpectedly larger than what we thought but it was such a cool facility with so much to see and read. We dont have children but there were so many areas where kids could get hands-on and interactive. Their touch tanks were very clean and the entire museum was well-maintained. It would be a great place to visit as a family, a couple, or even just yourself! Highly recommend!

Alastair Samuel

This is a very good museum and aquarium. Lots of fun and interactive exhibits for young and old. The aquarium has tanks of river creatures from the whole length of the Mississippi, as well as some nice salt water tanks. Our seven year old daughter loved the stingray petting tank. The museum is very interesting and informative. Displays are engaging and fun. Many are "hands on". A great celebration of the natural and human history of the Mississippi River. Only complaint is that it is a little pricey. While a basic admission is reasonable, if you want to experience the 4D movies and other add-ons it gets quite expensive.

Rebecca Laube

Always good fun for the kids. We love going there on a rainy day and let the kiddos run about.

Brian Beyer

Awesome museum with a lot of things to see and interact with.

Jolan Bishop

Our summer school group had two great your guides. Thanks for an awesome experience!

Connie Gill

Great for adults and children. Pet the stingrays, they are sooo soft.

Marty Hitzeman

Lots of fun, tons of education. The sights and sounds are fantastic.

L Washburn

Absolutely fabulous museum! Glad we went. Price for what you get is reasonable.

Benjamin Allen

It was ok. Ive seen better Aquarium displays at Bass Pro shop but the staff was friendly and the saltwater aquarium side had rays you could touch. Wasnt a very big place but you could kill a few hours there. Wasn't crowded at all while i was there.

Ellen Z

Nice museum and aquarium. Touring William M. Black dredging boat was very interesting. And, of course, the new otter was the main attraction.

Amy Miller

Indoor and outdoor exhibits are interesting. Good place to bring kids, there is a ton of places to look around for a good price. I think you can get discounts if you are a resident of Iowa, we were asked, so that's my assumption.

Quinn Kinman

Wonderful and educational museum. A great place to spend the afternoon.

matthew swan

Loved it!! Could easily spend the whole day there! With ticket, can come next day for free. Wonderful place to learn about all things related to the mighty Mississippi and also awesome water animal exhibits

Cammie Pohl

Very interesting and informative. Enjoyed the otter! And feeding the stingrays was fun.

Peter Kaczmarek

Great museum and aquarium well maintained, well informed and helpful staff. Very educational about the Mississippi river and its wildlife.

Thomas Pierce

When I went here with my family we had a great time there was plenty of cool animals and exhibits to look at and it’s a good place to go if u want to take a day trip

Charmain Jackman

Family friendly! The place is huge!! I love that your admission allows you in the me,t day for free!! You do need 2 daya to see ot all!!

Asensio Lorenzo Sempere

Very well taken care of. The staff is very nice. The dependant was very helpful and made sure we got the best discounts applied. A great experience to go through with no hurries.

adam shefchik

Great place only downfall is there are 2 buildings instead of all in 1

Kris Ritter

What a great place to visit on a rainy day! Touching the Rays was quite an experience, what fantastic creatures. They have a wonderful hands on area for kids to learn and experience. Everyone I saw seemed to be enjoying the exhibits. I did!

Ken Osborne

The museum covers a long stretch and kids too should enjoy the exhibits. The 3D/4D show was okay but was hoping for a little more pizzazz!

rwdgoalie30 50

Awesome place. Great deal for the money, two days for the price of one. Had so much fun.

Tika Fabulous

Love going there. Perfect placement along the river. Polite and welcoming staff.

Zach Baker

Lots of fun and very educational. Tons of fun things to see, do, and touch. The stingrays were especially cool for the kids. Very interactive and good information about the environment. The Dead Zone...who knew?

Midgie

A lot of merchandise to chose from and really cool items! Great place to buy gifts.

gian pierre

It was pretty good I like their exhibitions and the workers are amazing and take their time to explain their benefits of being a member

scott barnhart

Stress free. Place to relax and enjoy.

Angela Schumacher

Very well done. Amazing displays. Aquariums are well kept. We also petted sting rays. They also currently have a baby shark. So if you are like me, you will probably have the Baby Shark song in your head the whole day.

matt vorwald

Amazing venue! Helpful, friendly staff. A little something for the entire family.

Lydia Jacobson

Great place. Lots of history and interactive for kids, but hard to see it for what it really is with kids. Unless they are not squirly like mine was. One can touch a sting ray(sting part removed) and a couple other animals. I would love to go back and see it again. New portion coming in 2020. Highly recommend.

Mitzi Hager

Very nice spot for family trips.

Donna Cafferty

We took the family & had a very fun & educational time. Great family museum. We totally recommend visiting here. Everyone here was so kind & polite. All our questions were answered.

Kim McBride

Great time visiting this treasure! Beautifully done exhibits, informative staff. It went above and beyond my expectations. I'm very impressed!!!

Julie Mueller

The kids love new playful otter!!

Cameron Daniel

I loved taking the family here, we all learned so much and had a wholesome time learning all about the Mississippi river!

Bob Sullivan

Very extensive aquariums including fresh water aquariums. Could use a traveling exhibit at times.

Mary Johnson

So much to see and do. My 2 year old grandson had a blast but by the end of the day he was dragging as much as the bag he carried. His favorite spot was the stingrays where he could put his hands in and touch the rays. He could have stayed there all days. But he was happy to see the Eagle he recognized from Bald Eagle Days in the QC.

Gary Brandt

Very nice place to visit! This was our first visit to Dubuque and we thoroughly enjoyed the museum and aquarium and spent several hours going through everything.

Susan Lampe

My husband & I enjoyed ourselves with looking around the museum & aquarium. We are glad we came.

David Weydert

Very interesting! Will be going back more than once!

E Krueger

Learned so much about one of Americas greatest resources

Chance Boehm

my grandpa took me here when i was younger, we came all the way from waunakee to see the museum and aquarium. it is one of my best memories, i later on a few years later moved close to Dubuque just across the river in wisconsin, funny how life works and you never know where life will take you.

Brian Cox

Kids loved petting sting Ray's

Alexandra Jammali

Amazing exhibits and animal enclosures with a ton of interesting information. Would definitely visit again!

Mark Beezhold

The role of the Mississippi River, in our country's past and present, as well as it's current state, is well communicated by this easily accessible museum. Their adjoining aquarium is filled with possibly all forms of sub-aquatic Mississippi River creatures, and would be quite informative to young visitors.

Joe Samo

Great place for families and kids. Lots to do and learn about. We spent 4 or 5 hours here. I would come back again.

Mc Krav Co Media

Very neat museum and aquarium. Entering through the aquarium you will see a large ecosystem display and a set of stairs. The stairs are a great way to view the animals in the ecosystem. The stairs lead to the historical society of Dubuque. In the next room there is a table that simulates river erosion, a window to view otters from and a table simulating floods in Dubuque. A few different habitat displays with animals are in there. The next area is outside. There is a dock where you can pay 25¢ to feed the fish. Near here is the William M Black, A permanently docked dredge ship used in creating the Mississippi River channels, you can explore the boat. The next area is a plaza between the two buildings. I would not recommend going to the boat shop, it is really a waste of time. An Eagle Enclosure is in this area. Inside the Museum there is a small eatery and a large open area. This area has things about life along the river. The next room has a glowing wall with water running down it, exhibits about sustainability, a pet the sting rays area and a large ocean exhibit including many fish and a turtle. Taking the stairs up you will find a shark pup and River Works, The kids area. River Works is amazing fun even for older kids. The model lock and dam is really well done and there are lots of things to do. Wrapping up in the gift shop (pun intended) you can find many generic Science Museum/Aquarium items and some other exclusive items. Other then a few things stated here I would highly recommend this complex to everyone 4+.

Brandy Wade

So much fun and learning! Bigger than what it looks like, we loved the Stingrays exhibit, you get to touch them! Also the tour of the old paddle boat. Live animals, and history, it was so much fun! There's something for everyone.

Matthew Gessler

Great attraction for the family! My kids loved the sting ray exhibit. They watched as they were fed and you can feed them yourself for a fee. The museum offers river life and ocean life exhibits and has a large riverboat to tour. They also have two cafeterias and a movie theater. There are many hands on exhibits, and it is educational!

Melanie Waterbury

Had a great day with the family, lots of variety of exhibits, and petting the sting rays was a highlight!

Jackie Durgin

So much to learn here! And the wildlife is awesome.

S W

Fun excursion, lots to see and interesting to people of all ages. Not a whole day but multiple hours easily of activities. Beautiful walk to and around grounds.

Rachel Klein

So much to do and so much to see! Was skeptical how cool a river museum would be, but there were great interactive exhibits, animals, and a boat!

Melanie 50036

Very cool we stretched our visit out over 2days!

Jamie D

It was snowing out when we went.if your into aquariums you'll like it, the 4d movies were not worth it the video is messed up and displays blue dots on the screen ruining the effect. Food onsite was expensive. You can leave and come back.

Frances Brown

Interesting museum, lots of children activities. History of river traffic, human impact on the river and wildlife.

John Mihich

Worth the visit. Took us 3 hours to tour. Tells you a lot about the river and surrounding area. Very well kept up.

Fia Flora

Such a fun place to go! It has so much to do. The whole family will enjoy it!

Joan Kranovich

I was SO impressed with this museum & aquarium! I have a two & five year old and they had so much fun. Two hours wasnt enough but it is nice you can return the next day for free.

Linda Schliepp

We had a very nice experience, and it was very interesting, plus the staff couldn't have been more helpful

Bob Schneider

Well done. Mind blowing history. Comfortable environment.

Sur Ver

Excellent place for kids learning about the flora and fauna of Mississippi River. They have a great aquarium with 2 4D theaters.

Pixythefox

There are SO many things to do and see! The food at the cafe was amazing! It was really cool to see all the diffrent fish and other aquatic life!

Veronica Grommet

The Mississippi River Museum is a wonderful place for all ages. Our family membership has paid for itself over and over again.

who is i ?

I learned a lot of things and it was a very fun experience. The kids loved it aswell.

Chrissy Rea

An incredible time EVERY time. My 10 year old is always engaged, learning, and smiling whether he's "petting" the rays or just exploring the exhibits. The museum does a great job sharing history and native ecosystems, as well as environmental concerns and solutions. Please enjoy these photos my son snapped today!

Matt Constant

Very cool museum. A lot for both adults and children.

Mary Vesey Johnson

Is not WORTH the price of the tickets! The children room upstairs was a joke because the children did not understand why they were there? Just saw a bunch of pictures of characters and had know idea what they were For? Unless an adult told them about the stories that they were seeing! The Museum needs to hire people to play the part of each character so that children can relate to the stories being represented on children's place center! The rest of place is the same as it was when it cost only $9.00 per person to which it should cost instead of $16.95 For senior citizens and children that was with us age 6 in half & 3 years old was $12.95 per person! Our grandkids were NOT Impressed with Anything There!! The fish were cool, alligator was neat to see! But it didn't take us long to go through this place! Drove from Clinton IA to Dubuque Iowa spent more time on the road then the Museum!

Sally Thomas

Well worth coming to visit. Lots to see and do. Enjoyed lunch at their restaurant.

Tayler Cassidy

I love the place has nice exhibits and lovable animals

Peter Faber

Very interesting place for all ages. Our kids (3 & 6) enjoying watching the animals, exhibits and vessels.

Thomas Ezdon

Spent the whole day there. So much to see and do. The complex was much larger than I anticipated. Glad I came to see this gem.

M Personal

Absolutely amazing! Wonderfully priced, hours upon hours of endless fun, the gift shop was reasonably priced . . . will definitely make this a pit stop on our next road trip through Debuque!

Clarissa Scidmore

Great side trip. Beautiful. Wished we had gone on a different day though because Elsa was there so half the museum was taken up by her display and there was a large crowd.

Nethaniah Dorh

It is small enough to get through in a few hours and a few interesting activities like feed the stingrays and touch the fish. Ok for a museum / aquarium in Northeast Iowa.

Dick Day

Definitely worth it! I could spend days exploring it.