7 Nutty Little Museums You'll Only Find In Iowa

The Bily Brothers began making handcrafted clocks in the 1920s, as a way to spend time together when they had no other work to do. Today, their entire collection of 20 clocks is on display at this Spillville Museum! Their largest one is called "The Apostles’ Parade" and is nearly 10 feet tall. Even though Henry Ford offered to buy one of their clocks ("American Pioneer History") for $1 million in 1928, the Bily Brothers insisted none of their clocks could ever be sold.

The Pottawattamie County Squirrel Cage Jail is the largest of the three rotary jails still in existence today. Once thought to be a brilliant, space-saving design, the idea of a jail where the cells rotated turned out to be a dangerous disaster. Read more about it right here.

In the late 1800s, farmers were frustrated with steam powered farm equipment. One man, John Froelich, decided to take matters into his own hands, and in doing so, changed the farming industry forever. In 1892, he invented the first gas-powered tractor that could be driven forwards and backwards. Today, the museum celebrates his achievements in this tiny Iowa community.

Kate Shelley is one of Iowa's most famous women. She defied all odds and rode through a storm to save a train full of people when a nearby high bridge washed out! You can visit the bridge named in her honor and a small railroading museum in Boone. Read more about it right here.

Did you know that the Ice Cream Capital of the World is here in Iowa?! Blue Bunny Ice Cream calls Le Mars their home. Visit their museum and ice cream parlor for an experience that's sure to take you back in time. Read more about it right here.

The National Hobo Museum in Britt, Iowa, is a fascinating place where you'll learn about the history you've never considered! "Hobos" still ride the rails today, and an enormous festival comes to this small town ever year. Read more about it right here.

Meredith Willson is Mason City's "favorite son", and he put his hometown on the map when he wrote and composed the Broadway show The Music Man! Head to the replica of "River City" and enjoy an entertaining day visiting the famous storefronts. Read more about it right here.