Get your hands on history at the Fort Des Moines Museum!

The Fort Des Moines Museum offers programs, tours, and educational events for all ages. Click on the links to learn more about our offerings.

School Groups: Tours are available for students in elementary through high school from 10 am – 4 pm, Monday through Friday, or upon special request outside of regular museum hours. A general tour includes an exploration of all three galleries (The Black Officers, The Interwar, and The Women’s Army Corps) a hands on activity, and a military style graduation ceremony. Focused activities and tours are also available. Check back soon for downloadable lesson plans for activities available at the museum or to be used in the classroom!

Student price: $2 per student Chaperone: $5 We recommend at least one adult chaperone for every 25 students. All tours must be scheduled in advance.

Classroom outreach to accompany school tours is also available. For one school day, a museum staff member will travel to your school and work with students in classroom groups of 25 – 30 students. Students will learn the basics of military drill and the most important events in the history of Fort Des Moines through large group participation, physical movement, and small group worksheets.

Classroom outreach: $30/day

Please contact Michael Kates for more details.

Outreach:
Museum staff can come to your school or organization and tell the story of Fort Des Moines through artifacts, presentation and activity. Available outreach programs include:

The Black Officers’ Experience: 1917

The Women’s Army Auxiliary Corps Experience: 1942

Please contact Michael Kates for other possible outreach topics and fees.

Summer Camps: This summer’s camp themes are: Military Spy Camp, Hunt for the Lost Treasure of Fort Des Moines, In the Army Now, Advanced Army Training, Surviving During WWII, and We Can Do It!: Women of WWII. New for 2011 are Treasure Hunters and Army Basics for boys and girls in grade 1-3. All other camps are for students entering grades 3-8. Download the registration form below or contact Michael Kates for more details. Registration Form (pdf)

Adults and Family groups:
General tours are available for adult groups of any age. Adult tours do not include hands on activities, worksheets, or other activities unless requested.

Adult Admission: $5 per person

Senior Admission: $4 per person

Group Admission (for groups over 10): $3 per person

Family Admission: $10

Children age 5 and up: $2

Children age 4 and under: FREE

Members: FREE

Guided tours must be scheduled in advance. Written-self-guided tour sheets are also available upon request.

Contact Michael Kates for more details.

Other Programs:

Contact information: Michael Kates, 515-282-8060 or at katesedu@qwestoffice.net.