Plan Your Visit
The Museum of Danish America is located on a 35-acre property in Elk Horn, Iowa. Both the buildings and the grounds invite visitors to explore the cultural heritage and natural landscape of Iowa’s Danish Villages.
Museum Building
Constructed in 1994, the museum’s main building features three floors of exhibits, including temporary exhibits on fascinating topics from around the country. Guests can interact with several of our exhibits, including a touchscreen kiosk near Victor Borge’s first piano that tells the story of the renowned comedian and pianist and a multimedia room that features exclusive video content.
Jens Jensen Prairie Landscape Park
Enjoy a commanding view of the lush Iowa hills and 30 acres of recreated prairie surrounding the Museum of Danish America in the Jens Jensen Prairie Landscape Park, named for the renowned Danish immigrant landscape architect who rebelliously used native plants and natural themes in his designs.
Jens Dixen House
This small homesteader’s cabin was originally located in North Dakota.
Museum Hours
Monday: 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Tuesday: 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Wednesday: 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Thursday: 10:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m.
Friday: 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Saturday: 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Sunday: 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Closed: New Year’s Day, Easter Sunday, Thanksgiving, Christmas Day
Location
Museum of Danish America
2212 Washington Street
Elk Horn, IA 51531
Museum Admission
Members: Free
Family, 2 Adults & Children 8-18 years of age: $20.00
Adult: $10.00
Children 8-18: $3.00
Children under 8: Free
Museums for All: Free (4 admissions w/any state EBT Card)
All active duty, National Guard and Reserve military personnel and up to five family members receive free admission from Memorial Day to Labor Day through the Blue Star Museums program! Please show military ID upon arrival.
Genealogy & Education Center
The museum’s Genealogy & Education Center is located on Main Street in Elk Horn. Since opening in 1996, the Genealogy & Education Center has assisted many individuals in finding links to their past and to immigrant ancestors and lost relatives. The center maintains a significant collection of family history resources and background materials for individuals, settlements, and institutions.
Hours
Wednesday-Friday: Call to schedule an appointment.
Closed: Saturday-Tuesday
Closed: New Year’s Day, Easter Sunday, Thanksgiving, Christmas Day
*Other times by advance appointment.
Location
Genealogy & Education Center
4210 Main Street
Elk Horn, IA 51531
Admission
Members: Free
Non-Members: Free*
*Fees per hour for research services.
Bedstemor’s House
Step back in time at Bedstemor’s (Grandmother’s) House, a charming Victorian home built in 1908 by a Danish immigrant and now on the National Register of Historic Places. The home has been restored and furnished to reflect the lifestyle of the Danish-American families who lived there in the early 20th century.
Hours
Wednesday-Friday: 1:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Closed: Saturday-Tuesday
Closed: Labor Day through Memorial Day
Closed: New Year’s Day, Easter Sunday, Thanksgiving, Christmas Day
*Other times by advance appointment.
Location
Bedstemor’s House
2015 College Street
Elk Horn, IA 51531
Admission
Members: Free
Non-Members: Free
Group Tours
We welcome large groups at the museum, including reunions, field trips, group outings, and more!
Group Tour Pricing
To best plan your group visit, please call the museum in advance at (712) 764-7001.
Field Trips
The Museum of Danish America’s educational programs are hands-on experiences that can be tailored to most grade levels in a variety of subjects including art, social studies, language arts and science. (Iowa Core Standards fulfilled are available upon request). If registering for more than one program, bundle discounts are available. To get a sneak peek of what MoDA has to offer, check out a virtual tour here.
Fees: $2/student
Program Length: 2 hours
Our most popular tour begins at the Museum and includes activities and experiences that explore immigration and the Danish-American culture during the turn of the 20th century. Students will learn about the journey to America, the immigration experience at Ellis Island and have a hands-on presentation packing a Danish immigrant’s trunk for his trip from Denmark to Iowa.
Next, we will journey to Bedstemor’s House (Danish for grandmother), a 2-level historic home restored to its original period. Students will step into the world of early 20th century immigrants, discuss the differences and similarities between past and present times, learn the story of the home’s builder, its history of residents, and the efforts to restore the house.
Last stop is the Genealogy & Education Center which houses one of the largest collections of resource materials on Danish immigrants in the U.S., including many rare and unique items. The Center is open to the public for family and local history research and has assisted many individuals in finding links to their past. Tours of the Center cover the wide variety of resources available as well as the exhibition space.
Fees: $1/student
Program Length: 1 hour
Students have the opportunity to interact with nature in this outdoor classroom setting. Hands-on learning programs led by our museum staff could include any of the following topics – prairie preservation, restoration and history, identifying different plants and animals, seed collection, soil testing and comparison, etc. Other outdoor opportunities on museum grounds are the Jens Dixen Cabin – a historic one-room cabin from South Dakota furnished to reflect the lifestyle of a Danish immigrant and schoolteacher, the Green Roof, a wetland and Danish-designed exercise equipment, which are all unique to our community.
We’re happy to discuss tailoring your field trip with other cultural options in Elk Horn, the largest rural Danish settlement in the U.S. Visit for an hour or make a day of it by combining multiple learning programs to include the Museum of Danish America, the Danish Windmill, Kringle Man Bakery, and more!
For more information or to plan your visit, please contact the museum at 712-764-7001.
Traveling Exhibits
Why not have one of our traveling exhibits visit your school? For more information visit our Exhibits page or contact curator@danishmuseum.org
Museum Guidelines
When touring any of the facilities owned and operated by the Museum of Danish America, we ask that visitors observe the guidelines listed below. These guidelines help protect collections and other resources and enable all visitors to have an enjoyable experience.
Accessibility at the Museum
The Museum of Danish America is committed to removing barriers to access and ensuring our museum is a welcoming space for all.
The main museum building and Genealogy and Education Center are both wheelchair-accessible. The Museum also has a wheelchair available for visitors; inquire at the front desk if you would like to use it during your visit.
The museum has two accessible parking spots, located on the driveway to the right of the entrance to the museum. The main floor bathrooms have larger stalls with grab bars; there is also a gender-neutral family restroom available on the lower level that is wheelchair accessible. There is elevator access to all three floors of the main building.
Large format labels are available for many of the exhibits; please inquire at the front desk if you would like to use these for your visit. In general, there are no flashing lights or loud noises in the galleries, although there are some areas with video content playing.
Bedstemor’s House is a historic property with narrow spaces and a steep staircase that may not be suitable for visitors with limited mobility. We have a virtual tour available so that everyone can still see and enjoy the space.
If you have any questions about accessibility at the museum, please contact us.