Living History Farms
Wedding venue in Urbandale, Iowa
About Living History Farms
Living History Farms is a 500-acre outdoor history museum in Urbandale, with historic farms and the 1876 town of Walnut Hill. It offers year-round indoor event spaces and seasonal outdoor settings for weddings, receptions and other events. Church of the Land, a nondenominational church in Walnut Hill, is available year-round for weddings. The Flynn Barn is a rustic, non-climate-controlled reception and event space available May–October; the year-round Learning Center has a Great Hall, adjoining Celebration Room and closable Welcome Wing. The Murray Conference Center is a separate event facility accessed from the Douglas gate west of the interstate. Seasonal outdoor options include the open-air Walnut Hill gazebo, Flynn Mansion porch and lawn, MidAmerican Energy Foundation Pavilion, and nearly seven-acre front lawn. Capacities and included features vary by space, and some sites have nearby restrooms and parking. Rental fees include setup and teardown of venue tables and chairs, trash removal, and an on-duty staff member during events. Renters may choose a preferred caterer or another caterer with proof of liability insurance; alcohol service is restricted during museum operating hours and otherwise requires a licensed, insured professional caterer.
The facts
- Guests
- 55–330 guests
- Price
- Up to $1,350
- Pricing note
- Venue rental rates listed for contracts signed in 2026: four-hour minimums are $1,100 for Church of the Land, $1,000 for Flynn Barn, $1,350 for the Learning Center, $500 for Murray Conference Center, and $600 each for the gazebo, Flynn Mansion porch/lawn, MidAmerican Energy Foundation Pavilion, and front lawn. Additional hourly rates are $275, $250, $337.50, $125, and $150 respectively; the front lawn is listed at $150 per additional hour. A nonrefundable 50% deposit is due with the signed contract and applied to the total. Members and nonprofit organizations receive 10% off.
- Setting
- Indoor & outdoor
- Kind of place
- Museum · Barn
- Last updated
- November 2026
This listing was compiled by wedplan.ai from the venue’s own website and public listings. Work here? Claim the page to keep it current.
On the big wedding guides
- Listed on WeddingWire (checked November 2026)
- Not listed on Zola (checked November 2026)
How to reach Living History Farms
- Website: lhf.org
- Phone: (515) 278-5286
- Address: 11121 Hickman Rd
Wedding venues near Living History Farms
- Hotel Renovo — Urbandale, IA · up to 60 guests
- Revel Hotel — Urbandale, IA · up to 75 guests
- Horizon Events Center — Clive, IA · up to 3,000 guests
- West48 Conference Center — West Des Moines, IA · up to 100 guests
- Ron Pearson Center — West Des Moines, IA · up to 2,000 guests
- The Meridian — West Des Moines, IA
- Your Private Bar — West Des Moines, IA · up to 90 guests
- Events Center West — West Des Moines, IA · up to 350 guests
- Sherwood Forest Event Center — Windsor Heights, IA · up to 250 guests
- Des Moines Golf & Country Club — West Des Moines, IA · up to 300 guests
More museum venues nearby
- Des Moines Art Center — Des Moines, IA · up to 200 guests
- Salisbury House & Gardens — Des Moines, IA · up to 250 guests
- World Food Prize Hall of Laureates — Des Moines, IA · up to 500 guests
- Italian-American Cultural Center of Iowa — Des Moines, IA
- Madison County Historical Complex — Winterset, IA · up to 70 guests