National Mississippi River Museum & Aquarium

Watch sturgeon, river otters and rays in more than a dozen aquariums, then see a historic Mississippi River steamboat dredge.

350 East 3rd St · Dubuque, IA

About National Mississippi River Museum & Aquarium

This Smithsonian-affiliated campus on the Dubuque riverfront pairs a river history museum with more than a dozen aquariums. The tanks hold wildlife of the Mississippi River and the Gulf of Mexico, including catfish, sturgeon, rays and river otters. Two main buildings house riverboat artifacts and hands-on exhibits such as River of Innovation and a maker space. On the grounds you can see the steam dredge William M. Black, a National Historic Landmark.

#aquarium
#river museum
#mississippi river
#steamboat
#family activity

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What's around here?

The closest stops to National Mississippi River Museum & Aquarium, ordered by straight-line distance. A few more like it, plus some different kinds of fun so you can build a full day.

Sightseeing
Quirky Fun
Fenelon Place Elevator
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Transit: reachable by public transit
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Museums
Dubuque Museum of Art
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Sports & Outdoors
Mines of Spain State Recreation Area and E. B. Lyons Nature Center
Check prices
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2.4 mi awaySwitch it up: Sports & Outdoors
Sports & Outdoors
Eagle Point Park
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3.0 mi awaySwitch it up: Sports & Outdoors
Museums
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Iowa museum displaying farm toys, scale models, and exhibits on the history of agriculture.
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Museums
Dyer-Botsford Historical House and Doll Museum
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