The museum consists of exhibits presenting local and regional history from pre-Columbian to present eras and a library with items pertaining to the history and genealogy of the eastern United States.

A research project to use Historic Building Information Modeling (HBIM) technology to digitally preserve and reconstruct the OPCC building was conducted to archive the courthouse for preservation, operations, and maintenance.

[3] The Polk County Historical and Genealogical Library was established in 1937 and opened to the public in 1940.

Over a decade-long renovation, the library came to encompass all three floors of the eastern wing of the courthouse.

[4] The library holds more than 40,000 items in its collection, including books, microfilm, and periodicals related to history and genealogy, including newspapers, photographs, maps, directories, property tax rolls, and cemetery records.