Happy 170th birthday, Iowa

It's time to party like it's 1846.

Iowa City was the capital when Iowa was granted statehood on Dec. 28 that year, and William 'Buffalo Bill' Cody was a baby in Le Claire.

Fort Des Moines was in its infancy, as well. It's all grown up now, dropped the 'Fort' in 1857 and became the capital in January 1858.

The State Historical Museum is turning back the hands of time so Iowans of all ages can celebrate Iowa through the ages, in honor of the state's 170th birthday.

Here are some of the candles on the cake at the State Historical Building, 600 E. Grand Ave., Des Moines:

l Celebrate Iowa Gala — 7 to 11 p.m. Friday, Dec. 9, $75 to $500, Iowaculture.gov/gala. The event is to showcase Iowa arts, history, cuisine and culture, with a sneak peek at the new exhibition, 'Iowa History 101.' Musicians include folk singer Chad Elliott of Coon Rapids at 6 p.m., DSM Dueling Fiddles of Des Moines at 7 p.m. and Des Moines indie rocker Christopher the Conquered at 9 p.m. Got the munchies? Pizza is being served at 9 p.m.

l Iowa History 101 — Three free exhibits open Saturday, Dec. 10.

'Iowa History 101: Museum Gallery' opens like a time capsule and includes a flight suit worn by NASA astronaut and Iowa native Peggy Whitson; a farm family's first radio; sprinter Natasha Kaiser-Brown's Olympic warm-up jacket; and the boots Charlie Wittmack wore to hike up Mount Everest, where he conquered the summit in 2003 and 2011.

'Iowa History 101: Hands-On History,' designed for kids ages 10 and younger, provides a hands-on learning experience. They can sit on a real tractor; play with model trains on an Iowa map, to imagine how railroads and highways spread across the state; see a Lego replica of Iowa's tallest skyscraper — the 45-story 801 Grand in downtown Des Moines — then build their own.

'Iowa History 101: History on the Move,' a multimedia exhibit housed in a custom-built Winnebago RV, showcases stories and artifacts. It is to hit the road in 2017, visiting all 99 counties over the next three years.

l Winter Break Programming — Dec. 27-29, free admission. Different themes each day highlight games, a movie and a big birthday party.

Dec. 27 — Official Iowa Symbols, 1 to 3 p.m. Learn about geodes, Iowa's state rock; draw a goldfinch, Iowa's state bird; play Artifact Bingo; and explore the hands-on Iowa History 101 gallery.

Dec. 28 — Iowa Birthday Party, 1 to 4 p.m. It's the big day, so the festivities include cupcakes, treats and games, like 'Pin the Wings on the Goldfinch.' Other activities include a kids' butter sculpting class (must be accompanied by a parent, registration required at Iowaculture.gov after Dec. 1), art project and music by the Flying Pig Fiddle and Banjo band.

Dec. 29 — Winter in Iowa, 1 to 3 p.m. Rewind to prehistoric times at 1 p.m. with 'The Croods,' a 2013 animated film featuring Iowa actress Cloris Leachman as ferocious cavewoman Gran. Hands-on activities include creating a favorite Iowa winter memory art project; exploring the Hands-on History exhibit; and playing Artifact Bingo.