The Grout Museum of History and Science
503 South St.
Waterloo, IA 50701

65 years ago, Henry Whittemore Grout (1858-1932), a very prominent resident and a former state legislator lived in Waterloo. As a widely traveled man, he personally collected more than 2000 different and varied items of interest.

His will provided for an endowment to care for the collection that he had gathered, to share his love of history, travel and science with others

Work on our current building was finished in 1956, the Grout Museum of History and Science was established as a private, nonprofit museum with its purpose being to collect, preserve, exhibit, objects relating to the history of the greater Waterloo area and all of north east Iowa.

In 1991 a 12,000 sq.ft. expansion was added, this included additional collection storage, exhibition space, and provided for full access for persons with disabilities.

Over 46,000 people (14,000+ school children) visited the Grout Museum District in 1995 making it the leading and most popular non commercial attraction in the Greater Waterloo Area.

Over 250,000 people visited museum exhibits displayed in local Malls and other public buildings in 1995 as well.

Fully accredited by the American Association of Museums, it belongs to an exclusive group that is comprised of less than 10% of the museums in the nation.

With an excellent planetarium visitors can experience twice the number of programs than they can find at most other similar facilities here in the U.S.

In 1993 the Grout Museum added the Bludorn Science Imaginarium (Carl A. and Peggy J. Bluedorn - Science Imaginarium Benefactors) to the group which at that time consisted of the Grout Museum and the Rensselaer Russell House (added in 1987) to complete The Grout Museum District.

In the past 65 years the items in the collection have grown from the original 2,000 to over 75,000 items today with The Grout Museum District offering over 700 different programs and events in 1995 alone.

The Grout Museum is an active part of the community, not just a static collection of items. Over 70 percent of the districts visitors actively participate in its many varied workshops, programs and activities.

Without the Grout Museum, the items and artifacts that show our area's culture and tell our story would be scattered far and wide. The many generous donations by local people have resulted in the incredible growth in collection size: from Mr. Grout's original 2,000 item collection to now currently over 75,000.

On of the many groups that uses the facilities here in the museum is The Northeast Iowa Genealogical Society which meets here in the Han's J. Chryst Library