Dubuque Museum Grabs $10K Iowa Tourism Grant

Great news for the National Mississippi River Museum & Aquarium in Dubuque. They've just received a $10,000 grant from the Iowa Tourism Office, which is part of the Iowa Economic Development Authority. This money will help fund a special digital marketing campaign in Illinois and Wisconsin during the summer of 2024.

The River Museum has its eyes set on two big tourist destinations: Galena, Illinois, and Madison, Wisconsin. These places are perfect targets since Galena attracts a whopping one million visitors each year and Madison's Henry Villas Zoo is a favorite spot for families. To reach these crowds, the campaign will use these tactics:

• Geofencing: This tech delivers ads to people’s mobile phones when they enter specific areas.
• Video Pre-roll: Short ads that play before online videos.
• Streaming (OTT): Ads on streaming services.
• Podcast Ads: Ads during popular podcasts.

The main goal is to get more people who haven’t been to the River Museum or the city of Dubuque to check it out. By doing this, the museum hopes to boost awareness of Dubuque as a great vacation spot and draw in more tourists. This should help increase the $16 million in tourist dollars the museum already brings in each year.

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“We are appreciative of the support of the Iowa Tourism Office and Iowa Economic Development Authority for supporting tourism efforts across the state, especially as we work to increase awareness of what Dubuque has to offer as a vacation destination.”

-Emily Adlfinger, Marketing & Communications Manager at the River Museum

This campaign is a big step in the River Museum's mission to inspire people by creating fun and educational experiences that bring history and rivers to life. The grant will help the museum reach new audiences and promote Iowa’s rich cultural heritage.

The National Mississippi River Museum & Aquarium, located at 350 East 3rd Street in Dubuque, is a Smithsonian Affiliate accredited by the American Alliance of Museums and the Association of Zoos and Aquariums.

The museum is home to over 41,000 historical items and more than 2,000 animals from over 250 species. Visitors can explore exhibits that highlight the importance of the Mississippi River, its watershed, and rivers across America and beyond. For more information, visit rivermuseum.org.