(Des Moines) Thousands of fairgoers have visited the Iowa State Fair’s Fish and Game Pavilion and Aquarium since its permanent aquariums opened in 1926. This marks the 100th anniversary of the aquarium at the Iowa State Fair.
John Lorenzen, fisheries biologist with the Iowa Department of Natural Resources in Southwest Iowa, says the DNR aquarium is one of the places fairgoers enjoy coming to.
The 21 aquariums were built in just over a month and opened with the 1926 fair. The building became home to Oscar, a famous lake sturgeon first displayed in 1925. Oscar lived in the aquarium’s Lunker Tank until her death in 1953.
The pavilion was completed in stages from 1927 through 1929. Designed by Proudfoot, Rawson, and Sours, the Italian Renaissance-style building was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1991.
The aquariums have undergone several upgrades, including new plumbing and custom acrylic tanks installed in 2020 and 2021.
The aquarium, located in the DNR building near the west entrance, is open from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily during this year’s Iowa State Fair, August 13-23. A special program celebrating its history will be held Saturday, August 15, at 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. at the Courtyard Stage.
You can stop on Saturday and say hello to John. He will be at the fish cleaning and frying demonstration area and pick up a free sample.
