Tour details: Drake University Archives & Special Collections is home to institutional history and university records as well as a unique collection of political papers, including the papers of Senator Tom Harkin, Congressman Neal Smith, Governor Robert Ray, and the Iowa Caucus Collection. Other notable collections include the Paul F. Morrison Athletics Collection, which chronicles the history of Drake athletics, including the famed Drake Relays. Come see some highlights from the archives’ collections and enjoy a behind-the-scenes tour of its storage space.
Location and transportation: The building is located in the historic Drake neighborhood, west of downtown Des Moines. The Drake University Archives & Special Collections is located in Cowles Library on the Drake campus and is about 15 minutes by bus from the Hilton Des Moines Downtown. Exit the hotel lobby and head west on Park Street. Continue one block to 6th Avenue. Board a #3 or #60 bus headed northbound at the corner of 6th and Park for $1.75 (you can pay cash or use the mobile app: https://www.ridedart.com/mydart-app). Stay on the bus for about eight minutes and exit at University Avenue and 28th Street, on the Drake University campus. After exiting, Cowles Library will be immediately to the north, facing University Avenue. The return bus stop is directly across the street from where you disembarked.
