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Our Mission

Our mission is to inspire in our community a sense of meaning and belonging by sharing the history and culture of the Ankeny area. 

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We follow Ankeny School's guidance regarding mask-wearing. 

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What's New At the Museum?

16th Annual Ice Cream Social

The 16th Annual Ice Cream Social at the Ankeny Area Historical Society will be held on August 29th from 2:00-4:00PM. Homemade pies, cookies and brownies will also be served. A $5 donation would be appreciated. Please contact the Museum to volunteer to help. 515-965-5795

We are Back!

The museum will be open to the public on Saturday, 7/10, from noon to 3:00 pm or by reservation during the week of 7/5 to 7/9 by calling 965-5795. Open Houses will be held on 7/11 and remaining Sundays during summer from 2:00 – 4:00.  We will follow current standard safety guidelines.)  

Come, see our new Ankeny Sports Championships exhibit and coaches interviews covering over 50 years … and more! New videos will be playing in the barn in several areas, and all of the displays have been updated. We’ll also reveal the Old School Bell, encircled by all the donated memorial bricks. Join in the fun for the grandest of re-openings! 

The"Old Central" school bell finds a new home

"Old Central"

This Bell was originally found at the present location of the Ankeny Are Historical Museum atop what became known as “Old Central” the Ankeny School built in 1909. That school was destroyed in the tornado of 1974.

The Bell was placed in front Ankeny High School (now Parkview Middle School) in 1971. V.W. Smith (Class of 1929) chaired the Ankeny Alumni Association committee to fund the move and placement in that location.

In 2020, due the widening of 1st Street, the Ankeny Community School District asked the Ankeny Area Historical Society to place the bell on its original location where the museum now stands. The bell was placed in May, 2021.  Welcome home! Thanks you to those who contributed money and bought comemorative bricks that have been place at the base of the bell.

Centennial high School Students volunteer at the museum to help get it ready for our re-opening!

A heartfelt thank you to the Ankeny John Deere Quality Group volunteers who did a fantastic fall cleaning of the porches and grounds of the Ankeny Area Historical Musem. A job well done and an example of community supporting community! Thank You John Deere.

Events Calendar

Click on an event for details.