UI Pentacrest Museums

The University of Iowa Pentacrest – completed in the early 1920’s. Did you know that a campus-wide contest was used to name this beautiful set of five University buildings? Read more here.

Have you visited the University of Iowa’s Pentacrest Museums? Here at Our Iowa Heritage, we’ve used many resources from the museums’ websites – particularly the Old Capitol Museum website. Kudos to all these good folks who have generously given their help in making our pages on Old Capitol, the SUI Red Brick Campus, and the Pentacrest what they are.

Visit the Pentacrest Museums website.
Visit Old Capitol Museum. Old Capitol is the oldest building in Iowa City – with construction beginning in 1840. Did you know that today’s Pentacrest was originally called Capitol Square when Iowa City was Iowa’s Territorial & State capital (1841-1857)? Read more here.
Visit The Museum of Natural History. MacBride Hall hosts the Museum of Natural History. Did you know that in 1905, the SUI Science Hall – today’s Calvin Hall – was moved from the Pentacrest to its current home across Jefferson Street so that the construction for the new Natural Science building (MacBride Hall) could begin? Read more here.
Visit the Pentacrest Museums Tour Page.
Exhibitions. The Pentacrest Museums host a variety of changing exhibitions to enhance learning, teaching, and connections across our campus and throughout our community each semester. Browse new, changing, and virtual exhibits here.
Take a UI Then & Now campus tour via the photographs of F.W. Kent and two contemporary UI photographers.
Click here to check out a list of current programming at the Pentacrest Museums.

Click here for a Calendar of Upcoming Events.