The State Historical Museum sits at the foot of the capitol hill and is the obvious complement to a capitol tour. The permanent collection traces Iowa from glaciation through agriculture, immigration, and the various twentieth-century booms; the upper-floor exhibits on the meatpacking industry, the prairie ecosystem, and Iowa's role in the Civil War are the strongest sections.
Admission is free. The building also houses the state archives and a small research library, plus a museum store that is genuinely worth a stop for state-themed books and Iowa-made gifts. Allow ninety minutes for a focused visit; longer if the rotating special exhibition catches your interest. Closed Mondays.