National Mississippi River Museum & Aquarium
Iowa
The river otter tank is the unofficial star of the museum — families cluster there more than anywhere else, and the local nickname 'water cats' has become shorthand for the whole visit.
Why Roamward picked it
Smithsonian-affiliate museum built around the Mississippi itself on a 14-acre Port of Dubuque campus; anchors the Great River Road corridor and pairs with the Fenelon Place Elevator a few blocks away for one strong Dubuque stop.
Sources
rivermuseum.org · en.wikipedia.org · traveldubuque.com · maps.apple.com
Hours, admission, and access change — confirm with the official source before you plan the detour.
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