Indianola, Iowa: National Balloon Museum (Closed)
One of the museum's displays is of a homemade plastic basket that took a daredevil to an altitude of 38,000 feet.
National Balloon Museum
- Directions:
- North edge of town. On the west side of US Hwy 65/69/N. Jefferson Way, a mile north of Hwy 92, at the corner of Orchard Ave.
- Hours:
- Closed by fire March 2024. (Call to verify)
- Phone:
- 515-961-3714
- Status:
- Closed
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Visitor Tips and News About National Balloon Museum
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I didn't think it was really worth the trip. When I arrived it was empty. I kept calling "hello" and no one answered, so I sat down. It took about 15 minutes before anyone came out. When I did tour the museum, I was in and out in maybe 10 minutes. Not much to see that interested me. A lot of the rooms (movie and kid room) were closed.
[Bianca Giron, 11/21/2019]
The National Balloon Museum covers ballooning from 1700s to the present. It's a unique exhibit that shows the evolution of gas, hot air and smoke ballooning, airships, zeppelins, and all the memorabilia that goes with those experiences.
They have the first modern hot air balloon that flew over the English Channel. The Japanese Fugo paper balloon is also represented in an exhibit. They also have a Children's Learning Center with a chance to fly balloons via a simulator.
[Becky Wigeland, 10/25/2010]July 2017: Photo added.
Indianola has a museum dedicated to Hot Air Balloons, and has a Balloon Classic every summer with a whole little festival going on.
Also outside of the Lake Aquabi Nature Center there is a large Buffalo made entirely out of barbed wire. The buffalo took three years to build.
[Jay Que, 01/25/2007]The museum proudly displays a homemade plastic basket that took one daredevil to an altitude of 38,000 feet.
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