DES MOINES, Iowa — The Iowa State Fair Butter Cow is one of the biggest draws for the hundreds of thousands of fairgoers every year, and now that interest is growing outside of Iowa. 

The Iowa State Fair Butter Cow will be on display at the Smithsonian American Art Museum in Washington, D.C., starting next week. 

Sarah Pratt is the butter sculptor at the Iowa State Fair. She said two curators from the Smithsonian explored the fair two years ago to get ideas for a new exhibit called State Fairs: Growing American Craft. After they saw the butter cow, they asked her to sculpt one for their museum.

“It really took a few seconds for it to all sink in, and I feel like it’s still sinking in,” she said. 

The exhibit is a collaboration involving 43 states across the United States and has been in development for the past five years. The exhibit will showcase over 240 artworks. 

The exhibit opens on Friday, August 22nd, and will be available through September 7, 2026. There will be a grand opening celebration on September 18th, where the Pratt family will attend.