When Iowan Ruth Rasmussen bought a set of salt and pepper shakers to commemorate her trip to th Brookfield Zoo in Chicago, she had no idea that the purchase would impact her entire life. The pair, purchased in 1946, was the first of more than 14,500 salt and pepper shaker pairs that she would add to her collection throughout her life. The Traer Salt and Pepper Shaker Gallery is a quirky Iowa museum dedicated to curating one of the largest collections in the world and continuing her work.

Traer, Iowa is home to about 1,600 people, but the salt and pepper shaker gallery in town has 16,000 shakers on display. Yup, that’s right, there are ten times as many salt and pepper shakers as there are people out here!

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Every year, thousands of tourists make their way to this quirky Iowa museum to see the impossibly large collection up close.

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You’ll find shakers organized by theme - the food shakers feature burgers, cakes, ice cream, and more - and they look good enough to eat!

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Holiday shakers may remind you of your childhood, when you would help your parents unpack boxes of decorations for each season.

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Some of the salt and pepper shakers are works of art, carefully handcrafted and meant for decoration rather than use.

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You’ll spot landmarks and some of your favorite characters. Who do you recognize when you browse the shelf?

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Don’t forget to get a photo in front of one of their themed displays! The Traer Market shows off dozens of fruit and vegetable themed shakers and makes for a great backdrop.

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The Traer Salt and Pepper Shaker Gallery is open for tours from April 1st through November 30th, Tuesday through Saturday from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m., and open by appointment in the ‘off-season’. They’re closed on major holidays, and tours cost just $5 for adults, $1 for children 5-12, and children under 5 get in for free.

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Tripadvisor / Sandi B.

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Visit their website for more about this quirky Iowa museum!

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Address: Traer Salt and Pepper Shaker Gallery, 411 2nd St, Traer, IA 50675, USA