Arts & Humanities

The Corridor proves you don't have to live in a large metropolitan area to indulge in cultural richness.

Hancher Auditorium, a performing arts center in Iowa City, hosts some of the world's greatest musical and performance icons. The Cedar Rapids Symphony Orchestra also showcases world-class talent. Plus, you can enjoy many other live music venues - featuring blues and rock to jazz and polka. 

Numerous theatres also offer access to the performing arts. We also enjoy more than 30 museums, including the African American Museum, Herbert Hoover presidential Library and Museum, Old Capitol Museum, National Czech & Slovak Museum, Cedar Rapids Museum of Art and the University of Iowa Museum of Art. Plus an interactive Science Station features an IMAX^_R Dome Theater and Iowa Children's Museum.

There's a lot to experience . . . including three National Historic Sites:

The Amana Colonies – Come explore Iowa’s number one tourist attraction, which is a National Historic Landmark, tucked away in the rolling hills of eastern Iowa. Made up of seven quaint villages, the colonies were established before Iowa became a state by a group of German-speaking European settlers who belonged to a religious group known as the Community of True Inspiration. The historic villages illustrate the fascinating history of one of the longest lasting communal societies in the world.

Herbert Hoover National Historic Site and Presidential Library/Museum – West Branch –Ten miles east of Iowa City is the birthplace and gravesite of President Herbert Hoover. The Presidential Library-Museum is a must-see for those interested in United States history and politics.

National Czech & Slovak Museum & Library - Founded in1974 by a local group of second and third-generation descendants of Czech immigrants, the National Czech & Slovak Museum & Library is the nation’s foremost institution interpreting Czech and Slovak history and culture. Its permanent exhibit, Homelands: The Story of the Czech & Slovak People, tells the story of the Czech and Slovak people from the days of Slavic tribes entering Central Europe through the Velvet Divorce, which separated Czechoslovakia into two countries. One of the museum’s most popular exhibits is its restored and furnished 19th-century immigrant home.

Some of the state’s largest visitor attractions are located right here along with numerous local features. Check out CulturalCorridor.org for a complete listing of nearly 3,000 activities to do and see in the Corridor.