If you’re looking for a unique day trip idea this fall in Iowa, head to the city of Ames to visit the Iowa State University Campus. You’ll find one of the state’s hidden gems here, in between classroom buildings. The Iowa Farm House Museum is sure to capture your heart.

Iowa State University was established in 1858, and the very first building on campus was the Farm House.
Facebook / University Museums, Iowa State University
Today, the Farm House is a museum open to the public so that every Iowan, Cyclone or Hawkeye, can get a look at what life was like in the late 1800s.
Facebook / University Museums, Iowa State University
Each of the Farm House rooms are decorated as they would have been when this was used as the Dean's home when ISU was establishing itself as a serious institution of study.
Facebook / Iowa State University

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The furnishings are all accurate to the period, and walking through each one is like taking a step back in time.
Facebook / University Museums, Iowa State University
Throughout the Farm House, you'll see stacks and stacks of books. It's incredible to see what people were reading way back when, and see which titles you still recognize from shelves today.
Facebook / University Museums, Iowa State University
Even the sheet music is from the 1800s, and you can almost hear the piano playing soft hymns to start the day.
Facebook / University Museums, Iowa State University
Mark your calendars - the best time to visit is around Christmastime, when the parlor and rooms are all decorated for an old fashioned holiday celebration.
Facebook / University Museums, Iowa State University

Admission to the Farm House Museum is always free, but there is a suggested donation of $3 per visitor. This beautiful time capsule is open Monday through Friday from 12:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. while ISU is in session, and it is located at 601 Farm House Lane, Ames, Iowa 50011.

If you love the history of the Hawkeye (or Cyclone!) state, you’ll find These 12 Photos Of Iowa From The Early 1900s Beyond Fascinating.

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