Museum Wedding Venues in Iowa

The science center was great. We had our ceremony in the star theater which was absolutely beautiful. And they were very accommodating and easy to work with.

The venue itself is incredibly beautiful and unique, I’ve never seen another venue quite like it, and so this is what initially drew us in. The location itself is great - close to airports, hotels, restaurants, bars, etc. and Des Moines has so many good options for other vendors who frequently work at this venue and with each other, which is also very helpful if you are like me and planning your own wedding. The venue also offers all rooms for one flat rate and so we had essentially 4 different spaces for our guests - ceremony space, cocktail hour space, dinner space, and dance floor space, which was nice considering it was January. With all the space, the guests could flow seamlessly from room to room without having to go outside to a different venue and they got to see all of the beautiful rooms in the venue, which they loved. Not to mention, it was by far the most affordable venue we looked at which you wouldn’t know with how stunning it is. By itself, when we first saw it and again during our ceremony rehearsal, it’s a gorgeous building. On my wedding day however, when I walked in and saw all the florals and decorations in the building I was actually blown away. It was absolutely beautiful. Monica the events coordinator is the sweetest human you will ever meet and so helpful and responsive. We had a wonderful experience overall. Took one star away for flexibility because you can’t have red wine in the venue at all because of the risk for staining (all the drapery and rugs etc stay for events) and initially I was really sad about that because I love red wine, especially in the winter time and with steak at dinner, but honestly none of the guests seemed to care and on the day of I didn’t really even notice so it turned out to be okay!! Also, they have specific vendors you have to use but this was a plus for me because I’m indecisive and otherwise would not have known where to even start with everything else (because like I said I did all of my own planning) and so that didn’t deter us at all. Photographer: Laura Wills Florals: Shelly Sarver Signs/ Paper: Midwest Meets Design Draping/ spotlight/ dance floor: Unique Events of Iowa

Victoria

5.0 out of 5 rating

5.0

The Pella Historical Society is a wonderful organization, and their museum as a wedding venue is nothing less! Bethany was fabulous: super communicative, kind, and accommodating to all of our many questions and needs. She was also super flexible when things didn't go as planned and made sure we felt supported and comfortable with everything to do with our wedding at the site. You also get rooms for both the bride AND the groom, which a lot of venues don't have, as well as tables and chairs (we rented ours, but they do have them!). Last but not least, I have to mention just how gorgeous this place is; just stunning. You really don't need many decorations, as the venue speaks for itself. I can't recommend them enough!

Kara was absolutely awesome! She went over and above. The church was decorated absolutely beautifully by my now date-in-law. The Historic Barn was so beautiful! It is a little walk to the bathroom, but as long as you have a light, it’s not so bad. We came from Michigan and it was such a beautiful ceremony and reception.

We had a wonderful experience with our 5 hour reception at the African American Museum. It was $100 per hour (2009 prices), and we had access to tables and chairs that sat up to 200, plus a museum representative who helped with trash removal and other issues during the reception. You can bring everything into the museum, so you can bring in people to tend bar, the food and cake that you want. We were extremely happy with our experience at the museum, and frankly, a bit surprised that more people in Cedar Rapids don't use Celebration Hall. We cannot recommend it more highly.

Mandy

4.6 out of 5 rating

4.6

We loved getting married here. So so beautiful. Had the ceremony and reception here. The coordinators were not always the most communicative, but Mark always made sure we were well taken care of and that everything was in place. They were super flexible. So many great places for wedding photos after too! Beautiful gardens to walk around. We had 140 people and the inside reception room was the perfect size as well. Also photo credits to Austin Goode Photos. Fantastic photographer to work with!! https://www.austingoode.com/

Best decision we made in wedding planning. Sarah van Deest was the best to work with and willing to share her expertise to help make the best experience for guest. She made the whole process easy and fun and I appreciate her support throughout! Beautiful indoor space with a fun outdoor area for cocktail hour / small games. After the ceremony, guest can walk through the Museum, which I think is an unique touch. I would highly recommend.

Matthew

5.0 out of 5 rating

5.0

As a person who works in the event coordination industry, I cannot understate how impressed I was with the customer service and professionalism of the staff that assisted with our wedding. Leading up to the big day they answered all of our questions and gave recommendations, that really put our mind at ease. Even though we had planned for an outdoor wedding on the patio overlooking the city, Mother Nature had other plans. The staff gave us until noon the day of to decide, and made the switch for the ceremony / reception to take place inside on the main level seamlessly. Baratta’s catered an outstanding meal with enough options for everyone to enjoy. During the reception they made sure the wedding table and guests were taken care of though the whole thing. Finally at the end of the night they took care of cleaning up without us having to lift a finger. I would highly recommend this site to anyone looking for a unique venue with amazing staff included.

Stephanie

5.0 out of 5 rating

5.0

I can't say enough about our wedding day at the Figge Art Museum! It is such a beautiful venue. From the time that we booked and through wedding day Josie and her team at the Figge were AMAZING! We were able to choose our caterer, our guests were able to actually go into the galleries during cocktail hour, and Josie was so flexible with us and really cared that we had the best day ever. She even coordinated our grand entrance, which was so helpful. The signature cocktails were a huge hit, too. If you're looking for a modern, beautiful, and unique venue, the Figge is incredible. Thank you for making our day stress-free and for going above and beyond for our wedding.

Our wedding at the National Mississippi River Museum & Aquarium was nothing short of magical! All with the help of Teri - she is truly amazing at what she does! The venue offers waterfront and downtown Dubuque views, creating a picturesque backdrop for both our ceremony and reception. The Boatyard provided an elegant outdoor setting for our after-ceremony pictures, while the Train Depot gave the best lighting and historical feel for our ceremony. The William Woodward Mississippi Center transformed into a gorgeous indoor space with unique museum exhibits adding a touch of charm and sophistication for our reception. We will never forget about the otters and so happy they were celebrating with us! The additional staff was great (again huge shoutout to Teri!), allowing us to fully enjoy our special day. The catering, provided by J&D Catering, was absolutely delicious, with a variety of options that pleased every guest. We had so many people reach out asking who had catered! If you’re looking for a wedding venue that combines natural beauty, history, exceptional service, and something truly unique, look no further than the National Mississippi River Museum & Aquarium. It made our wedding day truly unforgettable, and we couldn’t have imagined celebrating anywhere else!