Living History Farms has been awarded a $100,000 Legacy Grant from Prairie Meadows, the museum announced today. The grant will go toward the Cultivating Our Future Capital Campaign, which will expand programming and transform the outdoor interactive museum from a seasonal attraction to a year-round destination.
“We are grateful for Prairie Meadows’ support of our mission to educate and connect all peoples to the many stories of Midwestern rural heritage,” said Ruth Haus, President of Living History Farms. “With this grant, we are 85 percent of the way to our $6.2 million goal.”
Groundbreaking was held last week for a new Cultivation Center that will more than double the modern indoor space at the entrance to the 500-acre museum. The building will house museum admissions, climate-controlled exhibit space, the museum store, offices, and accessible amenities including a family restroom, adult changing station, and mother’s room. The current Visitor Center will become a dedicated Learning Center with flexible year-round space for school groups, day camps, and historic skills classes. A three-season picnic pavilion and courtyard will round out the Cultivation Complex. Ribbon-cutting is expected in spring 2026.
“This is the next exciting stage in Living History Farms’ service to our community, our state, and visitors from around the world,” said Laura Ingram, Living History Farms Board Chairperson.
Living History Farms was established in Urbandale in 1970. It encompasses three working farm sites—the 1700 Ioway Farm, the 1850 Pioneer Farm, and the 1900 Horse-Powered Farm—as well as a re-created 1876 town and the Flynn Mansion and Barn built on the site in the 1870s, now listed on the National Historic Register. Historic interpreters in period dress demonstrate farming, housekeeping, and trades, immersing visitors in each era.
The Prairie Meadows Legacy Grant program provides funding for large-scale, signature projects in central Iowa.
