Cancel

    Open app

    Search

    Bell Museum

    4.3 (69 reviews)
    Closed 10:00 am - 4:00 pm
    Updated 2 months ago

    Bell Museum Photos

    You might also consider

    Recommended Reviews - Bell Museum

    Your trust is our priority, so businesses can't pay to alter or remove their reviews. Learn more about reviews.
    Yelp app icon
    Browse more easily on the app
    Review Feed Illustration

    Reviews With Photos

    Jakesa T.

    So many things to see and not enough time. Wow is all I have to say about the Bell museum. We went specifically for the planetarium show which showcased our very own night sky. It was immersive and interactive which was great for my littles. Parking in the overflow lot across the street was less than ideal for the frigid temps of MN but otherwise not a big deal. This place is totally accessible as well. Staff are around and are enthusiastically willing to help explain something or show you the way. There is also a gift shop and place to buy food. Will definitely return!

    We held our wedding ceremony and reception at the Bell Museum and can't recommend it as a venue enough! The Bell is a beautiful location that has proved to be a picturesque location for capturing our event in photos, the staff are all kind courteous and professional, and our guests were obsessed with over how cool of a venue it was for a wedding. Laura and Korra were exceptionally helpful when it came to planning and hosting the event. Laura walked us through the process of planning step-by-step so that when the big day came it ran exactly to plan and we had zero issues whatsoever. Korra provided excellent day of support and was helpful in answering all of our questions as the event unfolded. If you are planning a wedding or event that involves children as guests, or adults who just want to have something fun to do between the festivities, we can't recommend the Bell Museum enough. You will have zero regrets, and your guests will rave over the fun and inviting venue.

    Sean C.

    The Bell Museum has some great exhibits, awesome life-sized pieces, and some newer storytelling spots. Definitely take some extra time to thoroughly go through the upstairs exhibit, there are tons of spots that are super interesting. However, the layout is a bit odd, we double backed a few times because the order wasn't inherently understood. The worst part, in my opinion, was the pricing. Not only is there admission, but there is also a parking charge. All-in-all it seemed pretty steep for the small museum.

    Outside
    Kathryn E.

    I took my four boys here on a day off. It was a neat museum and a place I'd recommend a visit! Pros: - hands on exhibits - recreated life size creatures - clean facility - unique learning opportunities - beautiful grounds Cons - they charge for parking and the museum is already a steep price - the planetarium was boring. I'd recommend they use the university creative writing department to come up with a more entertaining show. I thought it would be so educational but we were all bored and disappointed we paid extra for it.

    Travis H.

    First time going to The Bell Museum and we will definitely be going back! My son and I saw the show at the planetarium and we enjoyed it. Next we got to see live insects and snakes, we even got to pet a live snake! We went upstairs and saw a wooly mammoth along with lots of interesting exhibits. Parking is easy and cheap, $2 and we were there about 2.5 hours. Can't wait for our next trip.

    Touch and See lab
    Phyllis M.

    My husband and I were looking for a fun and unique date night, that wasn't just us going out to eat! Enter, the Bell Museum! We had the opportunity to check it out, they have an "after hours" type experience and we jumped at the chance. It is a pretty cool museum that sits on the edge of the University of Minnesota campus in Saint Paul. This museum of natural history has some pretty cool collections! My favorite ones were the Touch and See lab (holding the skull of a hippo was crazy!) and the observation deck where we tried to look at the sun! There's also an awesome gallery that walks you through Minnesota nature and all the cool plants and animals we have in this state I definitely think kids would love it (there's a cool DIY creativity section for kids) - for me, it was pretty fun but a quick experience. I do however want to go back when it's dark to use the telescopes on the observation deck and learn more about what I can see with them! It was nice that they had on-site parking. One thing I thought it was missing was some sort of cafe or food situation! All-In-all, something you should check out at least once!

    Missi V.

    This was a fun experience. My girls really really enjoyed the animals and the staff was so nice about explaining things about the animals and showing them the animal pelts, they really loved that because you can't really pet a red fox or wolf in the wild. The displays of the native animals was definitely a eye opener especially the woolly mammoth. It's great to know about what animals used to roam this region and what we can expect to see now. My girls are not really big into space so the we browsed through and listened to a talk about space rocks which was very informative. The Solution Studio is a great place for young and old minds a like. Lots of brain challenging activities. My girls had fun playing with the robots. Verdict- I would advise anyone who is interested about wildlife and plants in Minnesota and The Northern Region this the place for you. If you have kids I would strongly recommend only come if your child is interested in animals or space otherwise they might be a little bored.

    Creepy...
    Monique H.

    What a great museum! I didn't really know what to expect going in, but it's fun, interactive, and the building is beautiful. If you're looking to learn about the history of Minnesota, its wildlife, and our solar system, then this will be your jam. They have a creepy crawly section filled with living snakes, tarantulas, and giant cockroaches. I honestly did get a tad creeped out, but their intention is for you to face your fear and get up close with these gross--ehem--wonderful creatures. The mammoth is a sight to behold and while you're at it, catch a show in the planetarium. The Bell is rich with information and stunning exhibits. Parking is $5 and the lot is rather small, however, if it's full you will be directed to other parking options and a shuttle will drop you off at the museum and get you back.

    One of the cool exhibits
    Jim R.

    Decided to finally check this place out on a snowy afternoon. Opened in July 2018, it features a state of the art planetarium as well as the more traditional natural history museum. Its a blend of space science and natural history. The building is beautiful and airy and everything you'd expect in a modern museum. Its a great blend of the historic (1940's era dioramas brought to life in clever new ways) and modern (search for life in the solar system). There are hand's on items to explore and a few cringe worthy critters in the Explore Lab like cockroaches, snakes and tarantulas. We spent around 3 hours including attending a show. But the centerpiece of the building - and literally in the center - is the planetarium with seating for maybe a hundred. While we had no trouble buying tickets on site, we were visiting on a slow weekday. There were several different "shows" throughout the day. We went to the 1:30 show centered around space exploration in which the audience votes on where to explore (Mars vs Saturn) and how best to get there. It's geared to inquisitive school groups and does a good job of illustrating some of the science behind these types of adventures. IT lasted about an hour. We also enjoyed the special "wicked plants" exhibit highlighting the toxic nature of ordinary plants-fascinating and creepy. I was really impressed with this museum and would definitely bring out of town guests of any age for a visit in the future.

    Obligatory Mammoth picture
    Mikayla K.

    This was my first visit to the Bell Museum of natural history. The building is beautiful and the inside is airy, open and aesthetic. We took a stroll through the creation of the universe into the beginning of Minnesota. I was particularly impressed by the short video found behind the Mammoth which features the beautiful photographs and video by a Minnesotan photographer. The pictures/videos were phenomenal. We also got to take a look at the sun through some outdoor telescopes (this little patio area was a nice place to sit too). We didn't visit the planetarium because we didn't want to pay more at the time, but I kept hearing how great it was. If I come again, I'll see a show for sure. This would, no doubt, be a great place to come with kids on a field trip.

    Having fun sketching the woolly mammoth!
    Christy H.

    Loved the open airy architecture and the amazing detailed dioramas. Came specifically to sketch the life size wooly mammoth in all its glory. Can't wait to come back and sketch the other animals.

    Eagle
    Michelle A.

    My son and I visited this museum for free for a yelp event. I'm not much of a space fanatic so I just skimmed this area. The dioramas were super cool and 3 Dimensional. I didn't do the planetarium as I didn't want to wait another hour. This museum is educational and seems like a perfect place for a school field trip.

    Shania H.

    I haven't went to a museum in quite some time so I was excited to visit Bell Museum one hot summer day. I went for an after hours Apollo event. They have a parking lot next to the museum that was $5. I went a bit early so there was plenty of parking but if it is peak hours it may fill up quick. There is a rock garden outside and also plenty of flowers around the parking lot and in the garden area. Walking in, the front desk is on the left next to the curiosity shop. Definitely check this out! There are a lot of neat items for purchase. Check the drawers and you'll find the beautiful crystal display! The gal running the counter was very professional and polite. She was the one who pointed out the drawer to me as well as a few other interesting drawers. I had to hold it together or I would have bought 3 of the crystals for sure. They also have a decent selection for food and drink items as well. There are wraps, sandwiches, an espresso machine, and a few sweets. There is a relaxing lounge next to the shop as well to sit down for a bit. There was an Apollo talk in The Nucleus room I believe they call it. They hooked up the TV in the lounge to project the live feed of the talk so I was able to watch in a comfy spot that was away from the crowd. On the main floor they have a coat room, interactive space with neat activities, micrometeorite exhibit, and a neat space with a few animals. They also have a ton of other bugs and animals on display with an earth exhibit. Don't forget to check out the rooftop as they have two telescopes you can see the sun in as well as some seating if you want to take a rest. Great spot to view the pond and rock garden from above too. The staff were very nice and helpful. The first floor by the entrance seems a bit empty with the large open space but there is a decent amount to see throughout and I could see if it is busy this would be a nice place to gather with a group. I would like to go back and check out a planetarium show as I've heard they are pretty great. If you have kids there are a few things to keep them entertained and busy too.

    Tundra Swans

    See all

    2 months ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    7 months ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 4
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 1

    3 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    11 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Sean C.
    419
    592
    2914

    3 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 2
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 3
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    5 years ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    3 years ago

    Helpful 3
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    7 years ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    7 years ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Pani
    0
    2
    0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    7 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    7 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Sue S.
    326
    1235
    4268

    8 years ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 2
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Jim R.
    50
    1821
    5837

    7 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    7 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    3 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    7 years ago

    Helpful 4
    Thanks 0
    Love this 2
    Oh no 0

    7 years ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 2
    Oh no 0

    6 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 1

    5 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    7 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    8 years ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 2
    Oh no 0

    7 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Molly M.
    174
    1850
    16145

    7 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    11 years ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    5 years ago

    A very nice museum- planetarium is fun! I would start upstairs and go down! You do have to pay for parking FYI!

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Xia Y.
    254
    730
    2402

    7 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    7 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    7 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    7 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    7 years ago

    Helpful 3
    Thanks 0
    Love this 3
    Oh no 0

    4 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    7 years ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 2
    Oh no 0

    10 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    7 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    7 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    Page 1 of 2

    Ask the Community - Bell Museum

    Is there a restaurant? How is parking?

    Parking is hard on a weekend, small parking lot. I did not see a restaurant on site.

    Don’t See Your Question? Ask Away!

    Review Highlights - Bell Museum

    The detail and craft that goes into their dioramas rival those of the Chicago Natural History Museum and the Smithsonian.

    Mentioned in 13 reviews

    Read more highlights

    You might also consider

    Minnesota History Center

    Minnesota History Center

    4.5(91 reviews)
    5.0 miDowntown St. Paul

    The Minnesota history center is a not so hidden gem in St. Paul. The museum hosts, both permanent…read moreand rotating exhibits focusing on differing aspects of Minnesota history. All of the exhibits are fascinating deep insights into topics that you may or may not know about Minnesota. It also has a theater, and that is what true is there last night. LeeAnn Chin's daughter is in town for the weekend performing a solo show about her growing up in Minnesota and her relationship with her mother. That too was excellent. I have been going to the Minnesota history center for years, and and I'm a bit sad that some facets of it has faded away post Covid. The gift store is excellent though a bit smaller. We used to come down to the cafeteria for lunch more often, but I think that post Covid they weren't able to fully support the restaurant in the same way., it just isn't as vibrant as it used to be. Nonetheless, it is so worth coming to the history center any day of the week. And if you're interested, but can't afford the ticket price you can get in for free on Thursday evening evenings.

    I have been to the history center multiple times in my life, starting with the classic minnesotan…read morefield trip in grade school. I have been back a few times for a few of their special exhibits. We went when the peanuts exhibit was here, I went with the Junior League of Minneapolis when there was a womens exhibit and we just went to see the Julia Child exhibit that ends at the end of May. Every Thursday evening admission is free which is absolute treat (Parking too!). We found ourselves here for the final game of round 1 for the Wild (GO WILD) and discovered they were allowing parking for the game and there was a line to get in (I think they charged $20). I called as there was a line to see if they had different parking for museum guests, which they did reserve several for museum guests, so we got to park for free which was amazing. The History Center does a really great job of mixing the educational and interactive aspects. On the day we attended we discovered they also had a music series going on (starting at 6:30) so we were able to sit and hear some beautiful music as well which was a added bonus and something we didn't know they did. There are exhibits that are totally kid friendly which is great as it caters to such a wide variety of people.

    Photos
    Minnesota History Center - Julia Child

    Julia Child

    Minnesota History Center - Julia Childs exhibit

    Julia Childs exhibit

    Minnesota History Center - Camp Snoopy

    See all

    Camp Snoopy

    Twin City Model Railroad Museum - 2022 Night Trains

    Twin City Model Railroad Museum

    4.7(39 reviews)
    2.1 miMidway

    Wow, what a cool train museum, ESPECIALLY for young kids. This place brings me back to my days of…read morehaving a train as a child, but watching my kids interact with the trains is the best part. If you have young kids (under 8 or so), this is a wonderful place to take them, and if you live nearby, consider a membership. Here's a summary of the cool aspects for kids: 1) Almost all the trains are interactive. There are buttons kids can press to start trains, and also start other aspects of the displays, like turning on lights, making cars go, helicopter blades spin, and even a roller coaster go (yes you read that right!). 2) There's so many trains, my kids would walk around for hours if I let them. 3) They change aspects of the displays often, so even if you visit a lot, there's always something new to look at. 4) There's three tables with large Lego trains and Brio trains, we always end here and my kids play endlessly with them. 5) There's a few other cool things like a scavenger hunt, a couple "racing" tables, and night trains (have not been yet but looks cool). 6) The bathroom is clean and set up for kids. All in all, this is a phenomenal place to bring kids, and even if you don't have kids, it's great for people who are kids-at-heart!

    We came in time for the night train display. I have to say they "bring it" for this event. The…read moretrains are fun and they even had live music. There were many staff and volunteers on hand, including a train doctor. If you look closely at the displays, there are some (not literal) Easter eggs. They have a gift shop too with hats, whistles, books, and postcards. My kid actually lasted an hour and then it was too much. Many of the displays were hard to read in the dark, so if you're there for more of a museum experience, go during day hours. Overall a good experience. You can see the love and care put into the displays.

    Photos
    Twin City Model Railroad Museum - Night at the train museum event.

    Night at the train museum event.

    Twin City Model Railroad Museum
    Twin City Model Railroad Museum

    See all

    Alexander Ramsey House - Elk given to Governor Ramsey by Governor Sibley.

    Alexander Ramsey House

    4.0(7 reviews)
    5.4 miWest Seventh

    My wife and I hit a new pub in St. Paul called the Blue Door before touring this cool old Victorian…read morehouse of one of the first governors of Minnesota. We had some awesome burgers and beer before our free tour the Historical Museum was giving of its properties this weekend. We entered the house feeling full and happy from a couple of Surly Furious pints and signed up for our tour. We entered the house with a great guide dressed in a top hat and suit of the 1800's when Ramsey would have lived in the house. The house was one of the few in old time Minnesota with gas lighting and running water. There was a bathtub and even an indoor water closet. It was interesting that there were chamber pots around the house because women did not like to remove all the bussels and stuff. They showed the bells and talking tubes for the servants to be called upon. They showed the kitchen and offered baked cookies from the oven. The children's' rooms were well adorned and Ramsey had a play room for the children up in the attic along with the servants' rooms. The whole layout was perfect, great character actors as guides and pretend servants. Even though they had a lot of people taking the tour, they kept it well run and you quickly became envious of such a large, cool house. Highly recommended for a crummy day outside when you're looking for something to do. Hey, and it's educational!

    I had a bizarre experience here today. I walked into the Gift Shop and hung out looking at stuff…read morefor 20 minutes while people were talking in the back. I wanted to pay admission and walk around the house. Finally, I peeked in the back and some lady said, "are you Dustin?" Huh? When she saw I was just a member of the public she hurriedly hustled me out the door and told me they were closed for staff interviews and did I not see the sign, etc. I did see a small, handwritten sign on a dry erase board, but I was confused about why the gift shop would be wide open, lights on and merchandise unattended if the entire place was closed down. All the sign said was that there were no tours, not that the entire building was closed. I thought it was possible to take a self-guided tour even if staff were "busy." Honestly I haven't been to very many historical sites where self-guided tours are forbidden. Basically, the point of this weird experience is that whatever non-profit is running this place is extremely disorganized and unable to communicate something as basic as being closed to the general public, not to mention the fact it can't even secure its premises. It's pretty irresponsible to leave the front door open and an entire gift shop unattended. I could have walked off with half of their stuff and no one would have been the wiser. On her way to rushing me out the door, the lady acted very annoyed and mumbled something about what they can't do because of budget cuts, even as she was discouraging me from making a purchase from their gift store. To me, this illustrates exactly why non-profits are in dire straights. They want charitable donations from everyone even while turning down opportunities to become more self sufficient. A similar thing happened a week or so ago when I attended an evening lecture on 19th century spiritualism with a friend at the Ramsey House. We arrived late and didn't have the chance to pay for our tickets until it was over. I had to ask three people how and where to pay. No one made any effort to bother us for money, and had I not been extremely proactive, it would have been free for my friend and I, but not for the taxpayers. This is ridiculous, and perfectly illustrates why non-profits do not deserve financial support. This place can't even manage to collect money from people attending an event. It isn't like we slipped in quietly or secretly either. To many organizations, "non-profit" doesn't simply mean they don't make any money, but that they actively throw it away.

    Photos
    Alexander Ramsey House - Neat old paintings all around the mansion.

    Neat old paintings all around the mansion.

    Alexander Ramsey House - Outside on the lawn, looking at the carriage house and museum shop.

    Outside on the lawn, looking at the carriage house and museum shop.

    Alexander Ramsey House - The parlor.

    See all

    The parlor.

    Jackson Street Roundhouse - Sasquatch! Look for the details on the model railroad

    Jackson Street Roundhouse

    4.6(14 reviews)
    5.0 miMidway

    The name, "Minnesota Transportation Museum" is an umbrella name for three locations: the Osceola…read moreand St. Croix Valley Railway, which gives 90-minute rides; The Minnehaha Depot, which was restored to its 1890s appearance, and this location, the Jackson Street Roundhouse, which is a museum with indoor and outdoor trains. The event I signed up for is called Tots and Trains is geared for ages two to five. It includes full access to the museum (but not actual train rides), Story Time readings, a small snack, and crafts ($11 for adults, $6 for ages 3 to 6). The normal adult admission is $16.05. I would say there are two audiences for this museum. If you have a small child and are looking for a 2 hours or so of entertainment, your toddler will have a blast playing with all of the levers and buttons on the actual trains, as well as watching the model railroad, the various play areas, and the built-in story time and snack. My toddler had a blast. The second very different audience would be older teen through adults who are train buffs. They are at least half a dozen (or more) actual train engines inside the museum and volunteers who are happy to give you as much detail as you could possibly want. If you are model railroad person, this is also a good place to check out their very large exhibit. I'm glad this part of history has been preserved by this museum and the hard-working volunteers.

    Nice railroad historical museum with a short train ride included with entrance fee…read more Run by very enthusiastic volunteers. Had to say thank you four times and escape to the bathroom to get out of a couple lectures we didn't ask for. Love the enthusiasm but wanted to just look at stuff ourselves after 5 minutes. We're more readers and enjoyed the plaques and write ups discovering info ourselves. Interesting for kids a bit older but saw lots of toddlers exploring. Interesting for a couple hours. Some awkward stairs into some of the outdoor exhibits that could be difficult.

    Photos
    Jackson Street Roundhouse - This the caboose we rode in!

    This the caboose we rode in!

    Jackson Street Roundhouse - Toddlers actually listening to story time

    Toddlers actually listening to story time

    Jackson Street Roundhouse - A flying clown.  Just because.

    See all

    A flying clown. Just because.

    Bell Museum - museums - Updated May 2026

    Loading...
    Loading...
    Loading...