Robert D. Ray Asian Gardens, D Ray Dr, Des Moines, IA 50316, US

Academy-award winning actor John Wayne, aka Marion Morrison, was born in a four room house in Winterset Iowa in May 1907. The house has been open for public tour since the 1980s. An adjacent museum opened in May 2015 that explores John Wayne's life as an actor, a family man and an American figure.Best and worst time to go to the John Wayne Birthplace MuseumJohn Wayne's birthday is May 26, so the museum is particularly festive, but crowded on that day. All of Winterset and Madison County are quite crowded the second weekend in October each year for the Covered Bridge Festival.Must see/do at the John Wayne Birthplace MuseumWatch a movie at the mini-theater and sit in seats that once filled Grauman's Chinese Theater in Hollywood.Pose for a picture with the Duke with a saddle flung over your shoulder.Check out the dent in the last vehicle owned by John Wayne.Admission to the John Wayne Birthplace MuseumThe admission price ranges from $10 - $15 and includes a guide tour of the birthplace home. Discounts are available for senior citizens and children under 12. Admission is free to members of the John Wayne Birthplace Society. The museum is closed on Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year's Day and Easter.Parking and public transportation to the John Wayne Birthplace MuseumNo public transportation is available in Winterset, Iowa, so private vehicles or motor coach tours are the best resources for accessing the museum. Parking is free throughout Winterset and is plentiful on the side streets around the museum. Handicapped parking is available on the north side of the complex.Food at the John Wayne Birthplace MuseumThere is no food service at the John Wayne Birthplace Museum, but several restaurants are within two or three blocks of the birthplace, including the Northside Cafe that was featured in the movie "The Bridges of Madison County." Individuals can eat for about $10 each enjoying roast beef sandwiches, chicken fried steak and homemade pies.Insider tip for visitors to the John Wayne Birthplace MuseumExecutive Director Brian Downes was a personal friend of John Wayne. He can be found most days in the museum. He is congenial and available to talk with visitors about his conversations with the Duke and how many of the artifacts were acquired by the museum in Winterset.Author's bio: Based in the Kansas City area, Diana Lambdin Meyer covers the Midwest and the world. Follow her travels at www.mojotraveler.com.