charles h. macnider art museum

We enjoyed looking at the variety of art & media. The kids took an art class that was offered and had a great time. Nice staff. Excellent puppet exhibition.

Wow - what a fun and unexpected pleasure to visit the MacNider Art Museum. It's housed in a beautiful brick building, a former home and convent next to the town library. We found each gallery filled with interesting, unique and eclectic pieces. It was just plain fun to wander through each collection - the variety of works is amazing. I couldn't believe my eyes when I stepped into the puppet exhibit and immediately recognized the sweet puppets used in the Sound of Music movie. We loved the "Area 44" exhibit which displayed works of local artists, all of which were exceptional. The staff were friendly and very helpful. We enjoyed browsing the interesting gift shop too. We give this museum two thumbs up; it's a winner!

This museum doesn't change much over several visits, but I still enjoy their collection. I took my parents to see the puppet collection - they were amused.

We just saw the Sound of Music on stage and so it was nice to see the puppets used in the 1965 movie.

Mason City has another famous son: Bill Baird, the puppeteer who created the marionettes for the Sound of Music. These and many others of his puppets are displayed in an exhibit that also has interesting footage about him and his career. There are other good pieces by American artists and a reading room and activities for kids. The gift shop has items by local artists and other fun things, too. Well worth a visit.

Although he was "a little before my time" the Bill Baird puppet exhibit was very interesting; in particular, the video of an Edward R. Murrow interview of Mr Baird was fascinating.

Wonderful & FREE museum. It was fun to see the puppets from the Sounds of Music. My husband enjoyed the blue foam tinker toys.

I was born in Mason City but moved away as a child and now live in NYC where I am exposed to art and culture galore. I recently visited my birthplace and was completely shocked at what a gem this museum is. For those of you not expecting much art in a place like Mason City, you will be very pleasantly surprised. There is a surprising diversity of works here, and even the building is fascinating, set in idealic grounds with nearby parks and a river. Well worth a visit!

Great for the whole family. Can feel the creative vibes just walking by. My favorite part was the dress-up clothes for the children to dress up like the people in the paintings. My daughter also the loved the hand puppets, while I enjoyed the photography.

A nice museum for a city this size. It's free to stroll through the galleries. There is a beautiful gallery on the back side that looks into the green space along the creek. It was a good stop for a cool summer afteroon.

We went to the MacNider Museum to see the Sound of Music puppets, but we were pleasantly surprised to find so much more to enjoy! Lots of great art from different periods and in different media, especially considering the small size. Of course, the Bil Baird puppets are an amazing walk down memory lane. Don't miss this gem!

Two other couples joined us in making a day of touring Mason City--Music Man Square, MeridenthWilson home, Prairie Style Houses. This wasn't on our list, but because it was close to the other attractions, we took it in. I'm glad we did!There's something for almost everybody here--modern art, classics, even Chinese. Background and concept are explained on the styles and pieces.If you have children along, there are even the puppets from "The Sound of Music"!

A surprising gem of a museum with many Grant Wood and Thomas Hart Benson etchings, a Chuck Close portrain, Andy Warhol. Lovingly restored former home with a wonderful atmosphere.

We don't expect small-town museums to compete with the Met in New York or the Art Institute in Chicago, but this small museum did not disappoint us, and we appreciate the ability to see the whole thing in an hour or two (although one could spend much more time). It carries a good mix of American traditional and contemporary art, housed in a large architecturally-beautiful home. Don't miss the original Sound of Music puppets.

Nice collections, great exhibitions. Beautiful house.Love the 'greenhouse' with pond/waterfall. The gift shop had unique gifts.