Memberships
As a member of the State Historical Society of Iowa, you'll have a variety of opportunities to engage with Iowa's history. Learn more about the options below.
Membership Benefits
All memberships include the following basic benefits:
- Free admission to all State Historical Society of Iowa sites, including the State Historical Museum in Des Moines, Research Centers in Des Moines and Iowa City, and seven Historic Sites across the state.
- Subscription to The Historian, the society's bimonthly email newsletter.
- Invitations to members-only programs, exhibit previews and other events.
- Discounts for paid programs.
- Voting rights for elections to the society's board of trustees.
Educator Membership | $35
The Educator membership is for teachers who are passionate about inspiring the next generation of historians.
Includes all basic benefits plus:
- Early registration access to Teacher’s Professional Development and other educator-focused programming.
- One-year subscription to The Annals of Iowa, the society’s quarterly history journal ($29.95 value) including teachers’ instructional guide.
Wild Rose Membership | $50
The Wild Rose membership, named after Iowa's state flower, is for individuals who are passionate about learning and sharing Iowa's history.
Includes all basic benefits plus:
- Membership in the Time Travelers reciprocal membership program which includes a variety of exclusive benefits and privileges, such as free admission, gift shop discounts, and much more to over 400 organizations in 45 states across the country. The list of participating organizations can be found here.
Geode Membership | $75
The Geode membership, named after Iowa's state rock, is for families who are interested in history and want to inspire the next generation of historians.
Includes all benefits at the Wild Rose level plus:
- Automatic admission into Goldie's Kids Club for children 12 and younger, who receive birthday postcards, invitations to events, activities to do at home, and more.
- Early registration access for Goldie’s Kids Club programming and day camps.
- Invitation to Virtual Vault events with the Curator, highlighting the stories behind artifacts in our collections vault.
Heritage Circle Membership | $100
The Heritage Circle membership is for lifelong learners and individuals who want to dive deeper into Iowa's history.
Includes all benefits at the Geode level plus:
- One-year subscription to The Annals of Iowa, the society's quarterly history journal ($29.95 value).
- Discount on reference request services for Vital Record Statistic searches (Birth, Marriage, Death, Divorce) and Obituary searches at Iowa History Research Centers in Des Moines and Iowa City.
- Complimentary admission for four to a behind-the-scenes tour of the State Historical Museum of Iowa's collection vault. Once you have purchased your membership, please use the Members only vault tour form to schedule your tour.
Join or renew your membership.
Questions? We’re here to help! Contact your membership team at development@iowa.gov.
Would you like to support the State Historical Society of Iowa through a donation? Learn more about the benefits of a tax-deductible donation to the 1857 Society.