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Nationally-known acts, indie bands, and local musicians perform at various venues downtown. Literary readings by authors at local bookstores and coffee shops.
Tour Iowa's first capitol building in the center of the Pentacrest. Inside you'll find three floors of exhibits linked by a beautiful spiral staircase within the building's rotunda. The original Senate and Legislature Chambers are open as well as a couple of galleries which host changing exhibitions. Gift shop.
This museum's collection includes some European paintings, a large collection of African and Mesoamerican art, and some modern art among other objects.
One of the oldest museums west of the Mississippi, this place has many well-crafted displays of taxidermy figures, prehistoric artifacts, and exhibits on Iowa's geology and ecology, as well as the state's Native American cultures. Among the highlights of the museum are a reconstruction of a giant Ice Age sloth, a complete whale skeleton, and an extensive Bird Hall with over a thousand birds on display, including a marvelous cyclorama (a 360-degree diorama) depicting bird life on a remote Pacific island. Gift shop.
Displays about the history of the Hawkeye teams, including Nile Kinnick's Heisman Trophy.
An oft-noted local attraction, the Black Angel is a statue in Oakland Cemetery. Designed by famed sculptor Mario Korbel, the statue is 8.5 feet tall and depicts a dark angel of death guarding over a grave. The beautiful yet eerie angel has been a source of local urban legend since its construction. Many legends say that if anyone kisses the statue, he or she will be struck dead unless they are a virgin. Despite this, the Angel and her folklore have been embraced.
Ped Mall
A pedestrian-only plaza in the middle of Downtown that is home to many locally-owned restaurants, bars, and stores, as well as the Iowa City Public Library. The Ped Mall serves as a pleasant gathering spot for locals, and plays host to public art displays and events.