Minnesota Museums Month: New App & Visiting the Minnesota History Center

With nearly 60 museums in the Twin Cities alone (trailing behind only Chicago and Washington D.C.), it’s no wonder we have a month-long celebration dedicated to these structures. This is the second year we’ve deemed May Minnesota Museums Month, with more than 500 museums statewide participating.

While all 500 are certainly worth the visit, it’s a tad unrealistic to see all of them within the month. New this year is a way to help direct your visits: the Minnesota Museums app. Launched by the Minnesota Association of Museums and the Minnesota Historical Society, this (free) app steers users to the museums, allowing you to browse by name, category or location. You can also create an itinerary, check off those visited as you go, upload photos, and receive suggestions based off of location.

Photo courtesy of the Minnesota Historical Society

You’ll want to make sure the Minnesota History Center (which houses the Minnesota Historical Society’s collections) is included on your itinerary. Located in St. Paul, the museum highlights the state’s history through interactive exhibits.

There are a number of great exhibits currently on display, including Then Now Wow, the largest exhibit ever created by the society, which explores “wow” moments that have shaped the state. To hear the stories of those who experienced the Great Depression, WWII and post-war boom, check out Minnesota’s Greatest Generation. We’ve certainly had our share of weather peculiarities lately, of which you can learn about in Weather Permitting, an exhibit that debunks weather myths and illustrates its highs and lows. While Minnesota saw no Civil War battles on its soil, we still made significant contributions to the Union effort, of which you can learn about in Minnesota and the Civil War. Lastly, to mark the U.S.-Dakota War’s 150th anniversary last year, the museum produced the exhibit The U.S.-Dakota War of 1862, offering insights into a shameful part of Minnesota’s past. 

In honor of the celebration, the Minnesota History Center will offer free admission this Sunday from noon-5 p.m.