River Museum, Historic Site Host Halloween Events

The Dubuque County Historical Society (DCHS) will host its annual Halloween festivities at its two properties, The National Mississippi River Museum & Aquarium and the Mathias Ham Historic Site, in October, starting with A Haunting Around Lincoln Avenue on Friday, October 10 and Friday, October 17 at the Ham House and the Mad Scientist Fun Day on Sunday, October 26 at the River Museum.

Due to ongoing restoration at the Mathias Ham House, Halloween hauntings are taking the show on the road this year with a historic ghost tour around Dubuque, courtesy of the Trolleys of Dubuque!

Join an educator from the Historic Site on a guided tour and explore key spots around Dubuque while enjoying stories of Halloween past. Attendees will learn about local ghost stories and Dubuque history. The trolley ride starts at the Historic Site, located at 2241 Lincoln Ave., down to the River Museum, then back to the Ham House for refreshments. Along the way, there will be pauses for storytelling, but the entire tour takes place on the trolley.

The evening will be spooky, but not scary, making it fun for the whole family. Tickets are $25 per person and children under 2 years old are free. There are tours at 5 PM and 6:30 PM both nights, but space is limited and advanced registration is required.

Kicking off Halloween week is a holiday staple event in Dubuque with the Mad Scientist Fun Day one week later. From 10 AM - 2 PM, guests will enjoy games, crafts, science experiments, and live demonstrations. Hands-on activities will feature dry ice, invisible ink, a pumpkin-powered keyboard, and more! Guests also have the chance to meet some not-so-creepy animals and watch an underwater pumpkin carving demonstration by the River Museum's Living Collections Team.

Mad Scientist activities are included in general admission. All regular daily programming will continue throughout the day. Every youth admission includes a reusable treat bag and a ticket to the "candy bar," where kids can fill their bag with a selection of treats!

Mad Scientist Fun Day is supported by McGrath Automotive Group and MidwestOne.

For more information about these events and other upcoming events, visit rivermuseum.org/events. Additional event information can be found on the River Museum and Mathias Ham Historic Site Facebook pages.