After a year-long makeover, the Ames History Museum is back with interactive displays, colorful exhibitions and a wide variety of new-use space for the Ames community. 

AVEC Design+Build and Henkel Construction Co. executed a $4.5 million expansion, giving the museum an entirely new life. Most of the budget was used to acquire the Ames Pantorium next door. The Pantorium, originally a laundromat, now acts as the museum entrance/lobby, ushering residents and visitors alike. The lobby is filled with natural light, illuminating the historical tin ceiling above. 

The first floor includes the research room, which is chock-full of Ames history such as yearbooks, military history and a record of the ‘Luminary Women’ of Ames. Above this stands the rotating exhibition space, put together by the staff themselves and swapped out with a new collection each year. 

“We have 4 full-time staff here, which is a pretty small staff so we all help with everything, exhibits, research and everything.” executive director Casie Vance said.

The space combines interactive play with an array of vibrant artifacts and stories that accompany them. 

Just around the corner is the permanent exhibit functioning as a maze of history with different subjects every which way you look. This exhibit is for the train lover, the high school alumni and the movie buff all at once. The centerpiece is the Dinkey Train replica, a historical rail line not unlike the beloved Cy-Ride, which connected downtown Ames to Iowa State’s Central campus from 1890-1907. The idea was student-born and is an early example of technological innovation being supported on Iowa State’s campus.

The improved museum also houses an expansive and flexible community space that overlooks the historic Main Street. These rooms are available for rent at a regular rate of $75/hr or a community rate of $30/hr (for non-profits or community organizations).

Museum staff recruited local artists to create Ames-inspired posters, postcards, magnets and more. To see the new gem of downtown, stop by 416 Douglas Avenue in historic downtown Ames today.

“The museum is a huge improvement and going to be a huge asset for Ames,” Ryan Riley, a board member and volunteer said. “It’s going to be a great engaging place for anyone who has any connection to Ames to come and learn a little bit more or relive old memories.”

Go see for yourself at the grand opening on Saturday, Oct. 26, from noon to 8 p.m.