Ice House Museum

Built in 1921, this unique round structure was originally home to the flourishing Cedar Falls Ice and Fuel Company. It stored six to eight thousand tons of ice each year—cut right from the frozen Cedar River.

Now it is the only museum in the United States that combines an original ice house with an extensive collection of ice harvesting artifacts and archives.

Smell the original wooden beams, see the tools that carved the ice, test your strength at lifting blocks of ice, and imagine the chill of working on the frozen Cedar River.

Visit our first floor exhibits to experience an international industry that brought fresh food to the family table. Explore our River Walk balcony to learn how the Cedar River shaped businesses, culture, and everyday lives in Cedar Falls.