National Czech and Slovak Museum and Library

In the second half of the nineteenth century, Czech immigrants came in large numbers to eastern Iowa, drawn by farmland and by the promise of a new start. In Cedar Rapids they settled along the Cedar River and built a thriving community with its own churches, halls, shops, and bakeries, a neighborhood that came to be known as Czech Village.

This part of Iowa is homeland to Native peoples of the region, including the Meskwaki and the Sauk, whose long presence here runs deep. The Meskwaki, known as the Sac and Fox of the Mississippi in Iowa, own the Meskwaki Settlement not far away near Tama, a living community. The immigrant story the museum tells unfolded on this older ground.

The museum's collections and exhibits range across folk costumes, textiles, glass, and art, alongside the everyday objects and documents of immigrant life. Together they trace how Czech and Slovak families carried their traditions across the ocean and wove them into life in Iowa and beyond.

The story reaches back to the old countries as well, through the history of the Czech and Slovak lands under empire, the birth and breakup of Czechoslovakia, and the long shadow of the twentieth century, from world war to communism to the peaceful revolutions that ended it. It is heritage told with both intimacy and sweep.

The museum's own recent history is dramatic. In 2008 a historic flood on the Cedar River swept through Czech Village and inundated the museum, damaging the building and threatening its collections. It was one of the hardest blows the institution ever faced.

Rather than retreat, the museum literally rose to meet the river. In the years that followed, the main building was raised well above the flood level and a new home was built and reopened, a striking act of resilience that mirrors the endurance of the community it represents. That comeback is now part of the story visitors come to see.

A visit is best paired with time in the surrounding Czech Village, where brick storefronts, bakeries, and shops keep the neighborhood's heritage alive. Traditional pastries like kolaches are a local staple, and the district hosts festivals through the year that spill the culture out into the streets.

Along with the neighboring New Bohemia district across the river, the area has become one of Cedar Rapids's most characterful corners, a place where heritage, food, and community come together. The museum anchors it all, giving depth to a walk through the old immigrant streets.

The closest Boutel™ stays, so you can turn this stop into an overnight. Each is an independently owned, editorially selected place to stay.