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Today: 9:00 AM - 6:00 PM

Featured Exhibit

Da Vinci: The Exhibition

Journey back over 500 years and follow the Renaissance master, Leonardo da Vinci, on a journey of innovation, creativity, artistry, science and wonder.

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About Us

Part aquarium, part museum, part science center, the National Mississippi River Museum & Aquarium inspires stewardship by creating educational experiences where history and rivers come alive!

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Upcoming Events

Opening Weekend - Mathias Ham Historic Site

May 26, 2018 @ 10:45 PM - May 28, 2018 @ 11:45 PM

2241 Lincoln Ave., Dubuque, Iowa 52001

Opening Weekend - Mathias Ham Historic Site

Makers Faire - DaVinci Days

June 9, 2018 @ 10:00 AM - 3:00 PM

350 E. 3rd St., Dubuque, Iowa 52001

Father's Day @ the Museum & Aquarium

June 17, 2018 @ 10:30 PM - 11:30 PM

350 E. 3rd St., Dubuque, Iowa 52001

Now Showing / Coming Soon

Showtimes:
Weekdays (12 p.m., 2 p.m.)
Weekends (10:30 a.m., 12:30 p.m., 2:30 p.m., 4:30 p.m.)
Runtime: 4o minutes
Now playing through October 8, 2018

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Meerkats

Follow Klinky and her clan as they take on the challenges of living in the unforgiving Kalahari Desert. This tale of strength, survival, family and FUN will delight audiences of all ages!

Showtimes:
Weekdays (11 a.m., 3 p.m.)
Weekends (11:30 a.m., 1:30 p.m., 3:30 p.m.)
Runtime: 4o minutes
Showing: May 12 - December

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Living in the Age of Airplanes

Filmed in 18 countries across all seven continents, the film explores the countless ways the airplane affects our lives (even when we don’t fly)--with a fascinating take on history, breathtaking visuals, soaring music, and a truly unique perspective.

Featured Animal

Bufflehead

Meet our buffleheads. He sports a classic black and white look with glossy green and purple feathers. She is more subdued in gray-brown feathering. These “lovebirds” can be found in our Backwater Marsh exhibit. And in the wild, buffleheads can be found in the forests of northern North America. THey are the smallest diving ducks in North America, and the term “bufflehead” is a direct reference to the duck’s large-headed appearance. These ducks, unlike other diving ducks, can take flight from water without having to run along the surface.

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Featured Artifact

Birch Bark Canoe, circa 1908

Traveling on water was the quickest and most common mode of transportation for early Native Americans. Canoes made of bark were fairly easy boats to build, they were fast, and they could haul heavy loads, yet were still light enough to be carried by one man when portaging. The materials used in building a birch bark canoe included not only bark from the birch tree, but also spruce root, cedar planks, and pine pitch for sealing the seams.

Conservation

The Museum & Aquarium's vision is to become the world's leader in interpreting and protecting the life, history and culture of our rivers, to create a more global, knowledgeable and engaged citizen. Among our many conservation efforts are citizen science programs, propagation of endangered species, promotion of the Monterey Bay Aquarium's Seafood Watch, and above all else, education.

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