Sanford Museum & Planetarium

Sanford Museum & Planetarium The Sanford Museum and Planetarium has exhibits and activities on a variety of subjects W.A. Sanford of Cherokee, in memory of their only son, Tiel.

The museum was made possible through a trust fund established by the late Mr. & Mrs. It was their intention to create a charitable trust for historical, cultural and educational purposes that was to be free and open to the public. The facility was officially opened to the public in 1951. Since then, more than one million visitors have viewed exhibits, attended demonstrations, and taken part in a wide variety of activities.

Don’t miss the Lunar Eclipse!Penumbral Eclipse begins Aug 27 at 8:23:58 pm YesPartial Eclipse begins Aug 27 at 9:33:54 p...
08/26/2026

Don’t miss the Lunar Eclipse!

Penumbral Eclipse begins Aug 27 at 8:23:58 pm Yes
Partial Eclipse begins Aug 27 at 9:33:54 pm Yes
Maximum Eclipse Aug 27 at 11:12:53 pm Yes
Partial Eclipse ends Aug 28 at 12:51:59 am Yes
Penumbral Eclipse ends Aug 28 at 2:01:47 am Yes

Thursday night (August 27) ,beginning at 8:24 pm, the Earth’s shadow will begin to cover the moon. A soft shadow (penumbral) is followed by a darker part of the shadow as the eclipse begins at 9:34 pm. The maximum eclipse ( 96% coverage) begins at 11:13 pm and ends at 12:52 am.
Unlike a solar eclipse, a lunar eclipse is safe to view with your unaided eye or you can use a telescope or binoculars.
All you need to enjoy a lunar eclipse is a view of the moon on a clear night sky.

We had a great time on Saturday with our Back to School Block Party, held with the Memorial Presbyterian Church!
08/25/2026

We had a great time on Saturday with our Back to School Block Party, held with the Memorial Presbyterian Church!

Coming up this Saturday!
08/19/2026

Coming up this Saturday!

It has been a while, but the intersection of 1st Street and East Willow Street is open!!
08/14/2026

It has been a while, but the intersection of 1st Street and East Willow Street is open!!

08/13/2026

We are canceling our Meteor Shower Party! It is just too cloudy to see stars or meteors.

August 12: Our annual Perseid Meteor Shower will be held at Stiles River Farm and Woodland Preserve 9:30 pmThe Sanford M...
08/10/2026

August 12:
Our annual Perseid Meteor Shower will be held at Stiles River Farm and Woodland Preserve 9:30 pm

The Sanford Museum Association invites you to come join us for a night under a sky filled with meteors. The Perseids is one of the best meteor showers to observe, producing up to 60 meteors an hour. Stiles River Farm and Woodland Preserve

We will have maps available. It should be a great location to see meteors!

Map in the first comment.

If it's clear we will be there!

Tomorrow!
08/07/2026

Tomorrow!

We're proud to be partnering with the Sanford Museum and Planetarium to have some pretty neat activities for Infinity Day on August 8 from 10-12 at the Sanford Museum!

There will be a brand new full-dome movie to view, as well as free crafts, activities, and all the excitement of the museum to enjoy! Curious? Send us a message for more information! Thank you once again to the museum for being such an amazing community partner and resource!

Members of our Sanford Museum Association are unpacking some new chairs! The Association has purchased a few new chairs ...
08/07/2026

Members of our Sanford Museum Association are unpacking some new chairs! The Association has purchased a few new chairs for to upgrade our seating oprions.

On Sunday we had some distinguished visitors! Brennan Dolan, Cultural Resources Team Lead/Tribal Liaison,Iowa Department...
08/03/2026

On Sunday we had some distinguished visitors!
Brennan Dolan, Cultural Resources Team Lead/Tribal Liaison,Iowa Department of Transportation, brought the Otoe-Missouria THPO (Tribal Historic Preservation Office) youth group 2026 youth heritage trip to the Sanford Museum.. Leaving their reservation territories at Red Rock, Oklahoma they re-traced their removal path back through Kansas and visited a number of historic sites in Nebraska. From there they stopped at a handful of Oneota sites across Iowa on their way to Wisconsin to meet up with the Ho-Chunk THPO. Brennan recommended visiting the Sanford "because of its brilliance as a small but mighty resource”

07/29/2026

Hey everybody, someone left their notebook and things here at the museum. Help us find the owner, please!

Address

117 E Willow Street
Cherokee, IA
51012

Opening Hours

Monday 9am - 5pm
Tuesday 9am - 5pm
Wednesday 9am - 5pm
Thursday 9am - 5pm
Friday 9am - 5pm
Saturday 12pm - 5pm
Sunday 12pm - 5pm

Website

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Sanford Museum & Planetarium posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The Museum

Send a message to Sanford Museum & Planetarium:

Shortcuts

Share

Category