Throughout its 45-year history, the Grout Museum of History & Science, widely acknowledged as one of the cornerstones of culture in Northeast Iowa, has worked to fulfill its mission to collect, preserve and interpret cultural and natural history of the region. Henry Whittemore Grout (1858-1932), a prominent Waterloo resident, financier, and state legislator, loved to travel, to collect reminders of places he visited, and to share his finds with children in the community. By the time of his death, Grout had collected over 2,000 objects. His will established an endowment and named trustees to care for his collection, which was displayed for many years at the local YMCA (now the River Plaza building on 4th St.). The current building (503 South St.) was completed in 1956 and opened to the public as a private not-for-profit museum. Drawing from the museum’s extensive collection, the museum features many permanent exhibits and ever-changing temporary exhibits. Experience astronomy at the Grout Planetarium as the star projector turns the 17-foot dome into an exciting virtual world. The Grout’s acclaimed educational programs involve students from Waterloo, Cedar Falls, and surrounding towns as far as 75 miles. Explore historical and genealogical documents in the Hans J. Chryst Library/Archives.
