Next on the agenda was “The Barn Museum.” I was excited to visit this museum of “Rural America in Miniatures.” These miniatures were all built by one man, Henry Moore. There are a number of themes, including Amana, Iowa farmsteads, a Plains Indian village, a California logging camp, and even Abraham Lincoln’s village of New Salem, Illinois which I visited growing up.
However, it was not to be.
As we pulled into the parking lot of The Barn Museum, we noticed not one car was there. Now I know not everyone is as enthusiastic about miniatures as I am, but there should be some cars here, I thought. I walked up to the entrance while Dan, not quite as optimistic, waited in the car. There was a small handwritten sign on the door which said, “Closed. Multiple doctor appointments. Open Wednesday 9 am.”
Disappointed, we went back to Amana. There we walked around the shops for a bit. We went to The General Store which features an “International Christmas Market.” All that Christmas was a bit overwhelming for me, but I am sure many will love it. We also visited an outdoor metal art store and an antique shop. A little shopping goes a long way with me, so before too long, we were done.
We had planned to eat our dinner in Amana at The Ox Yoke Inn, but since we didn’t spend time at the museum, we weren’t quite ready to eat just yet. We headed back to North Liberty. There, we found a park and played Scrabble until we were ready to eat.
We ate our dinner at The Tin Roost in North Liberty. The food was delicious, and the service was top notch. It looks to be a popular place.
Now, there’s way more to The Amana Colonies than what I’ve written about. There are all kinds of festivals. There’s a golf course. And a future disc golf course. There’s places to hike. There’s a theater. There’s a paved bike trail which connects some of the villages. There’s even an RV park with an event center.
We hope to return and stay at the Amana RV park. While it looks more utilitarian (as it caters to large events), it does offer full hook ups, and it connects to the bike trail system. This would allow us to explore more of Amana while on our e-bikes.
I’d like to visit the Amana Heritage Museum more thoroughly. I’d like to visit more of the shops, especially those that are run by the Amana Society – including Amana Furniture & Clock Shop, Amana Meat Shop & Smokehouse, and the Amana Woolen Mill.
Maybe I could even go into The Chocolate Haus or the Bakery and Cafe if I rode my bike enough. It’d be nice to take in a play or attend one of the festivals. We’d like to eat at The Ox Yoke Inn and the Ronneburg Restaurants. And you know I’m going back to that Barn Museum with all the miniatures.
When I look at this second post about the Amana Colonies, it seems like a post of things we didn’t see and do. But hopefully, my two posts about The Amana Colonies has given you a flavor of all that is there, and, if you should ever visit, would be helpful to you as you are making your plans.
Now, I assure you, my next post is 100% experience. We did everything we went to do and a bit more. And should you ever want to visit where we went, it would behoove you to read my next post.
South Amana, Iowa
Chambers on the Road 
“…a post of everything we didn’t see and do”…I love that, and it made me chuckle. Some days a diamond, some days a stone…but now I know what the barn picture was!
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We still enjoyed our day in spite of it being somewhat of a “stone.” We were out exploring; the weather was perfect; it might not have been a diamond day, but I’d say it was a gem. 🙂 Thanks for reading, and I’m glad you chuckled. Enjoy your day!
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Too bad that you had so many disappointments. It sounds like you’ll be returning though, Betty, so all is not lost. Your posts about the Amana Colonies has sure piqued my interest. If we ever head that way, I know we’ll check it out
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The disappointments weren’t all that bad,and it does give us a reason to return. We really did enjoy the area, so we do hope to return. Our August days are usually very hot and humid here in St. Charles. So, going to Iowa then works for us! Enjoy your day!
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You have to leave some things undone to give reason for retuning.
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But, of course!
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So much to see and do. This is a place we really want to stop at next year thanks to your blogs. Looking forward to future posts and all that you were able to do. Have a great day!
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Now that we’ve been to Iowa, I am looking forward to exploring the state even more. I’m looking forward to your future blog posts, too! Enjoy your day.
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You must go back and visit the Chocolate Haus and the Amana Woolen Mill.
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We will definitely do that!
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Thanks for both your posts about the Amana Colonies. When we traveled through Iowa we drove right by there without knowing what it was. I had no idea there was so much to it. Sorry we missed it.
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You are welcome! There is a lot there – including a lot of shopping. It was a quaint and charming area. Thanks for your comment, and Enjoy your day!
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After I read your first paragraph, I was most excited to get to see your photos of the miniatures. Being a fellow lover of small models, I could sense your disappointment in them being closed. Sorry you could not go the next day to see them so you will definitely have to go back.
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Yes, sorry to let you down like that! We will definitely return. I do have a couple “miniature” related posts coming up – eventually. Enjoy your day!
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Amanas has changed over the years but it’s still a cool place to visit. Especially since there’s several villages to choose from and so many places to visit. Unique stores, bakeries, I mean who doesnt love the smell of fresh baked bread. Butchers for meats and cheese, kitchen stores,candles. Definetly worth a good day trip to visit a few villages depending on what your looking for.
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I had not heard of the Amana Colonies before this trip to Iowa. I was glad to have discovered, and we hope to visit again. Thanks for reading, and enjoy your day!
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Excellent article. I will be going through many of these issues as well..
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