INDIANOLA, Iowa -- Artifacts have officially returned to the National Balloon Museum in Indianola for the first time after a fire in early 2024.

On Friday, a truck carrying 25,000 pounds of inventory arrived at the museum. It was the first of two shipments bringing artifacts back to the museum from a Michigan facility where they were cleaned and restored.

Museum officials are now finally able to see the artifacts in person and can determine which ones can go back on display.

Operations manager, Kendra Minks, said 350 items were returned in this shipment. She said she is relieved they are finally back in Indianola.

The museum doesn't have an accurate count for how many items were destroyed in the fire because they didn't have a sophisticated inventory system, according to Minks. This is

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