The Minnesota history center is a not so hidden gem in St. Paul. The museum hosts, both permanent and 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. read more

Minnesota History Center - History Theater - Museums Near Me - Saint Paul, Minnesota

I have been to the history center multiple times in my life, starting with the classic minnesotan field 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. read more

Minnesota History Center - Julia Child exhibit here till end of may 2026 - Museums Near Me - Saint Paul, Minnesota

Revised Version Bon Appétit. This exhibit at the Minnesota History Center tells the story of Julia Child's life, from college to the Office of Strategic Services (the precursor to the Central Intelligence Agency) to becoming one of television's first celebrity chefs. Julia's life story is one of adaptation and surprise. She grew up wealthy, went to Smith College, and joined the Office of Strategic Services because she was too tall for the Women's Army Corps (WAC). She was promoted from typist to the Secret Intelligence division. It was in this role that she met her husband, Paul Child, who also worked for the OSS. She later worked in several restaurants, developed recipes, and wrote best-selling cookbooks. Eventually, she became the host of the television show The French Chef, which debuted in 1962. She appeared on television until near the end of her life in 2004. The exhibit at the Minnesota History Center does an excellent job of presenting her entire life story, mostly through photographs and descriptions. It includes many of her cooking implements, handwritten notes, letters, and recipes. There are also several video displays showing episodes of The French Chef. However, I think the highlight of the exhibit is the giant (and I mean GIANT) cookbook display that scrolls through pages of the book. Another highlight is a replica of the kitchen studio she used on her TV show, which was designed by her husband, Paul. When we visited, there were many school groups. However, I don't feel this exhibit is really designed for kids, since most of them would have no idea who Julia Child was--even as a TV chef--since she died more than 20 years ago. I also don't think the exhibit is interactive enough to hold the attention of anyone in high school or younger. That's not really a criticism--just an observation. If I were a parent or school volunteer, I would probably steer kids toward some of the other exhibits in the History Center. One amusing moment came from a kid standing in the kitchen display and yelling, "I'm Gordon Ramsay!" I suspect Julia would have been disappointed in how some cooking shows have evolved since her time--but I have to admit, it was pretty funny. read more

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I hadn't been to the Minnesota History Center since maybe middle school (I think!), but finally made it back to cash in part 1 of my best friend's 1/2 birthday experience gift. We specifically came here for the Julia Child exhibit since we both love to cook and bake, so we were excited to check this out. It ended up being the perfect rainy Saturday activity! The building is big, beautiful, and super clean. I also love the location of the history center in St. Paul-- so easy to get to. Parking was great as well as its onsite and a minimal fee was required. Prices overall were reasonable to get in. There's a ton to explore and I loved wondering the Julia Child exhibit. Learning about random facts about her life that I had no idea about. I'd have to say the section with the cookbooks and the kitchen area was my favorite. We took our time and didn't feel rushed at all. The gift shop was also fun to browse. We were surprised they didn't have any Julia Child cookbooks for sale. Overall, it was a great time and I'm looking forward to visiting again sometime in the future. read more

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Went to the Minnesota Historical Society to see the Julia Child exhibit and it was a real hoot. Saw all the other exhibits too, because, why not? A nice day to spend time with friends while learning too, because adulting is hard. Ate at the cafe in the building and we all had wild rice soup, because when in Minnesota, right? read more

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A beautiful space in the heart of St Paul. I love the architecture, open stairways, and windows to frame the city views. I attended a speaker event that was related to their current exhibit Girlhood, It's Complicated. I appreciate how the speakers relate to their exhibits to provide additional education. The speaker event was very well done. I liked the exhibit. I could easily replace the 1980s basketball team pic with my own and you would never know the difference. Being a huge basketball fan, I appreciated the attention given to our amazing local talent. Great exhibit on menstruation as well. It's part of life. Why should anyone be afraid to talk about it. I didn't have a lot of time to see the other exhibits but I did like the feel of being in a mine and bellying up to the soda counter. Fun few hours. read more

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I visited the Minnesota history center last Saturday to see the Mill city Quartet perform music by women composers for women's history month. Parking was spacious and available for $6. When I walked in, I was immediately in love with the space: it felt warm and inviting and the natural beauty of the building was breathtaking. The auditorium is an acoustic delight, and the performance was so captivating. I appreciate their diverse programming and free events offered throughout the month. There was an exhibit by the Smithsonian on girlhood and women's history, and other informational exhibits about the various historical elements of Minnesota's development. I can't wait to come back and see the other exhibits! read more

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One of the best history museums I've ever been to. Big, beautiful building, immaculately clean, friendly staff, and well thought out, informative exhibits. My girlfriend, nine year old son and I came here on a Saturday morning in March. We are from NJ and loved learning about Minnesotan history. It wasn't crowded at all and we were able to enjoy all of the exhibits at a leisurely pace, including the special exhibit about Charles Schulz, hometown hero and creator of the comic strip Peanuts. My son especially enjoyed the tornado room, the mining section, grain elevator playground, and learning about how native Americans used the different parts of the bison. Definitely recommended for people who enjoy history and for people with children. read more

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Went to the Minnesota Historical Society to see the Julia Child exhibit and enjoyed it. Saw all the other exhibits too. A nice day to spend time with friends while learning too. Ate at the cafe in the building and we all had wild rice soup - a Minnesota tradition. read more

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A couple of months go, I had found out about the Life and Art of Charles M. Schulz exhibit on FOX 9 Good Day. As someone grew up reading Peanuts comic strip, it made sense to check it out. I purchased a ticket online. It was $12. You get a receipt, which is your ticket. This exhibit runs until June 9, 2024 at the Minnesota History Center. I dropped by early last month on a Sunday afternoon. It was a gloomy, rainy day. It was perfect to be indoors. I had no problem heading over to the downtown Saint Paul area. I am kind of used to it because I see Wild hockey games at Xcel Energy Center. Minnesota History Center is close by. The first thing I noticed was a clear view of the Minnesota State Capitol. I would learn later that you can view it well inside the Minnesota History Center itself! I found the parking lot. It's $6 for parking. I paid with a credit card with the help of the parking attendant. Done! No one checks your ticket. It's the honour system. There is a ticket counter where you can purchase tickets if you didn't have a chance to get them online. The Schulz exhibit was excellent. It's a self-guided tour where you get to see Peanuts comic strips and their characters, and fascinating details about them and the cartoonist. I loved a map that pinpointed Schulz's life and where he lived in the Twin Cities. I learned about how comic strips were coloured before they went digital. I also loved that every Peanuts character got a special profile, including when it was first introduced, its character profile, the history behind the character's development, and comic strips featuring that character. Excellent! Charlie Brown was the first character that Schulz introduced in October 2, 1950. He felt that he was an ordinary looking person in appearance. When he developed Charlie Brown, he made the character have a round, ordinary face. This centre has other exhibits that were equally fun and informative: - Our home: Native Minnesota - Then and Now - Weather Permitting Our home: Native Minnesota put the spotlight on each nation and its culture. I learned about its struggles, the need to preserve their customs and culture, and more. Seeing how detailed their clothes were for various ceremonies and personal accounts from Native Minnesotans was amazing and thought-provoking. This exhibit was excellent. Then and Now was the most interactive out of the exhibits. You could simulate being a miner by drilling and working in an underground iron mine. There was a teepee that you could explore. I liked standing next to the Jolly Green Giant. It was a feat trying to pose for a photo with it because I looked so tiny! There is an actual Jolly Green Giant statue in Blue Earth, MN. It's apparently 55 feet high and green. Weather Permitting is exactly what you think the exhibit's theme is about. It's warm in the summer in the state, but can get super frigid in the winter. I learned about the weather ball on top of the Northwestern National Bank building. The ball changed colour based on the weather condition. The ball died in 1982. Both the building and ball were demolished in 2000. This centre has stairs and elevators. It's a stunning building architecturally. It was enjoyable walking around it. There were also washrooms that were well-maintained. I visited the museum shop. I finally found a Minnesota keychain that has my name on a replica licence plate. I was thrilled! I also got a small Snoopy pouch and a cute Minnesota state plushie. The woman at the payment counter was extremely nice and personable. I paid with a credit card and got a small paper bag for my items. I thanked her and headed out the door. The centre closes at 4 pm on Sundays. There is a cafe, Market Place, that you pass by between the parking lot and the actual center. It closes an hour before the center does, which I found a bit sad. I feel that they should both close at the same time, likely because I hadn't had lunch yet! I will be getting a membership to the Minnesota Historical Society (MNHS). I had a fabulous time. It makes sense to support the society's efforts putting together the research and artifacts behind the exhibits. A membership provides free admission to 26 historic sites and museums in the state. You also get free parking at the Minnesota History Center and Historic Fort Snelling. I also like the 10% discount at all MNHS museum stores an its online store. It's a steal to show your support for MNHS. If you are looking for a touristy place that is fun and affordable, come here. I look forward to returning. I had an excellent experience. (357) read more

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Fantastic first visit to the history center in St Paul. Went for the current Snoopy/Shultz exhibit stayed for all of the other amazing experiences and information! Really enjoyed all of the exhibits! When we toured it included Life & Art of Charles Schulz, Our Home Native MN, Then Now Wow, Grainland, Weather zPermitting, and Minnesotas Greatest Generation. Each one had a standout item for everyone in our group! Tracing Snoopy, the Sod House exhibit, D-day transport plane, the iron ore mine, the fur post, stories in a tipi, 1930s soda fountain, climbing up a grain elevator, learning about the Native peoples! So many great interactive exhibits all on one floor! Check this fabulous museum out!! Free parking behind the building. I had a difficult time navigating that for some reason. Navigating the exhibits was much easier! read more

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Fun times are always had at the History Center! We decided to go to "free" day and we had a good time. We checked out some cool exhibits and had some fun as well. They do a great job on showing you the history of Minnesota and what makes us great. 2 best exhibits: the tornado one and the world war 2 airplane one. They explain history very well and make you feel like you're actually there. Parking can be tight on busier days but plenty to do around there. read more

Minnesota History Center - Museums Near Me - Saint Paul, Minnesota

I was lucky. I had time to visit this museum before it closed on a Thursday evening. They had some sort of event where admission to the museum was free. Scored! I was staying nearby at the Radisson hotel - downtown St Paul, do the Minnesota history museum was a short walk away from there. I didn't know that the museum had an event that night that gave everyone free admission, but I was about to pony up whatever before they told me otherwise. I was pleasantly surprised when they told me. With that said, I picked up a map of the museum from the admissions guy and started to look around the museum. I arrived here around 5pm and left just before closing at 8pm. It was probably enough time to see everything but could have used more time. They had a gallery for the cartoonist Charles M Schultz, who created the Peanuts and Snoopy. This was the most active one with maybe 35 people in the room. I learned later that the exhibit was ending soon, so I was lucky to see it. It was neat to learn that Mr Schultz lives in the Twin Cities. It was cool to read about the individual characters and see various Peanut strips displayed there. I also learned about the Jim Crowe and how it relates to social and cultural aspects in Minnesota. There are other exhibits that highlights the native Americans and the impacts and importance in Minnesota history. The Minnesota history museum showcases all things about the modern history we know it as. Post 1500 AD. How Minnesota became a state after countless confrontations with the local native Americans tribes. Then the decades that flowed that turned what you see Minnesota today. The overall experience here at the Minnesota history museum was very insightful and enlightening. I only had like 2 1/2 hours to go through everything but it was a quick one. I was glad that they closed at 8pm and thankful it was summer time and the daylight was longer, so I could get back to the hotel without getting lost. I learned a lot about the history that surrounds Minneapolis-St Paul as well as the entire state of Minnesota. It was a tragedy to hear about the countless clashes with the Native Americans with the fledgling American Government in these times, but it was what it was. I learned a lot from the Jim Crowe exhibit as well, how racism and laws really can limit a group of people in this country. So much prejudice and misappropriation of life and liberty in this country during the 1800's became the norm until things changed for the better in the 1960's, namely the Civil Rights Act of 1964. The Minnesota History Museum was quite large, included 3 stories of exhibits, a gift center, and various offices. There was also a replica of an early commercial airplane, which I think is a replica. The last exhibit I found during my time here was the tornado storm cellar. It was kind of cute and geared more for the kids, but I have not experienced a tornado yet, so thought it would be interesting. The presentation was brief but was very lifelike. I'm sure I would be terrified if I was going thru a tornado in real time. With that said, the Minnesota History Museum is a great place to be. As a tourist, I was glad that they had a free admission day while I was there. This may be the hidden gem in St. Paul. Go have a look and it may be worth your time and money. The Minnesota History Museum is located in St. Paul, Minnesota. It's physically located at 345 W Kellogg Blvd, St. Paul. They charge an admission for adults and children who visit. They also have free admission evenings too, which somehow was lucky to get while visiting St. Paul. They accept major credit cards as well as cash. They also do online ticketing, so when you get there, you would show your online receipt and you'll be free to explore the various exhibits they have displayed. As far as parking goes, they have a parking spaces for everyone and everyone. As for me though, I walked it from the Raddison Hotel downtown St. Paul nearby. There is public transportation in St. Paul, so best to check out the right routes to get you here, or at least close to the museum. The museum has varying hours, so do check those before you head down. As always, Uber and Lyft can be an option too, if you wanted. I must say, I enjoyed the Jim Crowe and the Native American exhibits. While I did grow up with the Snoopy gang, the Charles Schultz exhibit was pretty cool and nostalglic. The tornado shelter one creeped me out, but that's how it is. It was cool to be here to kill time before dinner and learn a lot about the history of Minnesota. 5.0 stars for the overall experience. Support local! A+ read more

Came here for their Thursday evening free admission. So the exhibit the greatest generation. Really well done, and I wish we had time to do other exhibits. Also, the parking is free Thursday evening. read more

Likes it well enough to get a yearly pass. Covers 26 sites! Best deal in MN!!! Great exhibit for Sherlock Holmes but it's ending soon. Very interactive. read more

I found this museum by reviewing the flyers that were in my hotel. I saw that there was a Sherlock Holmes exhibit so I was intrigued to check it out. The price of the admission was worth it for this exhibit alone! It was like part escape room + part history. The volunteers were excellent in explaining the exhibit. I was a little bummed that there was a $6 parking fee but no big deal. The other exhibits were interested as well. I spent about 2 hours going through the whole museum. Nice way to get out of the cold. read more

This has been one of my favorite Saint Paul stops since I was a kid. It's such an incredible experiential museum - so interactive and informative. Perfect for kids *and* adults. And with admission only $12 for non-members, it remains an affordable option for a fun experience. This time, I came for the Sherlock Holmes exhibit, which is a must see! It's gorgeous, informative, and you get to solve an actual mystery. What could be better?! I loved that it went deep into the history of Holmes and the real science behind the books, and I enjoyed how visually stunning it was. Getting to do stamps in the passport, rubbings of evidence, and recreate the scene was so fun! Even though it was a busy Saturday, it wasn't packed. Plenty of room to distance. Some other must-sees are the tornado simulator, the D-Day parachuting immersive exhibit (and the Greatest Generation exhibit as a whole), and the mining exhibit. A real treat for kids and grownups alike, and a great spot to go solo or with a group. If you have time, check out the Gale Library. But be forewarned, you might spend the day in there alone. Parking is a steal at $6. read more

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Fun Very fun I am 13 and went there with family and it was cool to interact with the things there. It was fun

I couldn't help but be disappointed with my visit a few months ago: We went to see the Peanuts special exhibit as I am a massive Snoopy fan. With all the hype and social media ads I was expecting an extensive exhibit, but was surprised to find that it was little more than one small room. There was very little in the way of actual historical artifacts save for some Peanuts merchandise and memorabilia that many Minnesotans probably have in their family's basement. None of the actual comic strips, just printed reproductions. Since we had paid for regular admission we did the rest of the museum as well and I found myself disappointed with it as well. I remember going to the History Center for school field trips and with my family during spring break and I was shocked to find that none of the exhibits had changed at all since my last childhood visit--the same three or four galleries, again with little in the way of actual historical items. With museums already facing difficulties in bringing in visitors, I would think that a place like the History Center would be keeping up with trends/public interest and amending their exhibits accordingly to show visitors history in conversation with current events, via real artifacts to look at. I don't know if the HC doesn't have any of these artifacts or isn't willing to put them on display but there was a distinct lack of things to actually look at--just placards and copy. Unfortunately I don't see coming back to the HC for another decade--when my nostalgia wants me to see the same old stuff. read more

Well worth the price! The exhibits are organized and visually appealing. The information presented is interesting. We loved the tornado and bomber exhibits! The staff is pleasant. The building that is home to the museum is beautiful! There is also a cafe and a gift shop. A great way to spend an afternoon! read more

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This review is in relation to the Gale Family History Library, which is an amazing genealogy resource that I've only just begun to dive into. The people who work in the microfilm room are so helpful. It's always busy in the room but the staff finds a way to help everyone who needs it and get the microfilm refilled quickly so the next person can find what they're looking for. Logistics to be aware of: - parking is $6 unless you're a member of the history center - appointments aren't required but highly recommended to get a reader - copies or scans are 35 cents each; you can put money on a copy card to fund these efforts - death certificates are on microfilm and you are allowed to make copies, take pic or scan - birth records can be viewed on a select few computer in the library. Prints, pics or scans are not allowed. You can purchase the record for a fee I previously spent an afternoon in the "reading" room and the staff there are equally friendly and helpful, not to mention extremely knowledgeable. I had asked for some records to be pulled from the archives and I was able to thumb through the papers of a Minnesota woman leader from the 30s and 40s. Remarkable. read more

I enjoyed my time at the museum. Great exhibits, clean, and very informational. I especially enjoyed their exhibits that had informational videos of the event and tried to replicate the experience. Overall, it was a great time! read more

This museum is great! So much to see, read, and learn of Minnesota and US history. There's lots of interactive exhibits. Each exhibit is different navigating the history of Minnesota weather, to the living homes and stories of families that moved here, to its historical sites, and a time capsule of US history. We found ourselves in discussion and in awe of all the events that took place in Minnesota... we were there for almost 3 hours! Perfect for those visiting and into history. read more

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We really enjoyed the history of all of the peanuts characters. There was also a baby boomer exhibit that was interesting. read more

Minnesota History Center - Museums Near Me - Saint Paul, Minnesota

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Lots to look at and plenty of activities to keep the kids busy too! Great interactive parts to the museum. Definitely hop on a plane for the D-day demonstration! read more

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I always enjoy coming here when different exhibits are on display. It is fun to learn about the states history along with the grand building that houses it. read more

This place made me realize I was really in love. I brought J to the action figure exhibit a few years back and realized after willingly seeing that thing and learning about the history of action figures, it must be love. The History Center does an amazing display of their exhibits specifically the toy one as well as some of the other exhibits. The other one that stood out was the history of music. I remember picking up the headphones and hearing; "Pure Energy" by Information Society who is from Mpls. Who knew? I didn't . Learned something new no matter how trivial. $10.00 for admission is not that far fetched. We defintely got our money's worth and it's free to the public on Tuesdays from 5-8 pm. It's close and a nice way to spend an afternoon or longer depending on the exhibit. I remember being there for awhile learning about GI Joe and the other action cronies. read more

Minnesota History Center - Museums Near Me - Saint Paul, Minnesota

For $12 not bad. The interior of the building is imposing with the massive two tone columns and the cathedral like hallways that go into the heavens. The displays were interactive. We did the C- 47 airplane ride that reminds you of the real cost of war. I highly suggest you give it the full 7 minutes for the display. They have exhibits that start from mid nineteenth century immigrants the Germans to today's new immigrants the Somalians. On a cold day at winter, it's not a bad place to visit. read more

the best place to go when your bored lots of cool actives to do there 5 stars so goood read more

Minnesota History Center - Museums Near Me - Saint Paul, Minnesota

We've been regular visitors and members of the Minnesota History Center for a couple of years now. Not being a native Minnesotan its a fantastic jumping off point to learn about this great state that I've adopted as my home. As many times as I've been its strikes as odd that there are people that were born and raised here that have never been there before. I can understand that from those that live outstate but I figured everyone locally had been there at least once. If you haven't then you are missing out. They have had the same standard exhibits for some time now: Minnesota's Greatest Generation, Grainland, Then Now Wow, Weather Permitting, etc. I've seen them numerous times and have made the History Center one of my go to places for entertaining out of town guests. There is also always a special temporary exhibit on the upper level that changes every few months. I've never been disappointed in what they select for that room. The Chuck Jones exhibit was great. There was an African-Americans in the 70s exhibit that was probably my personal favorite as I got to see thru the photos what life in the city was like then. Suburbia was another good one. You can easily blow thru a couple of hours there if you stop and take a look at everything they have to offer. If you purchase a membership in the Minnesota Historical Society you get free admission to the History Center as well as 25 other locations spread around the State (places like Split Rock Lighthouse, and the Oliver Kelley Farm). The admission charges to all of the places you can get into for free with the membership greatly exceeds the cost of a membership, plus there are other discounted and special events that are thrown in as well. There is a good gift shop and and cafe (that I have patronized yet) on the lower level. There are meters for parking and a large lot next door (members get a discount on the lot). Its not just for the MPR supporter type. You'll be amazed at what you learn here that you didn't know before or had already learned and forgotten. I'm genuinely impressed with the place. read more

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My wife and I go here about once a year, and the best was when they had the travelling Baseball Hall of Fame exhibit. Some amazing stuff. We trekked our way from Edina to St. Paul and had a little lunch at Plum's bar before hand, so we were satiated as we toured the newest exhibit about old maps of Minnesota. That exhibit was awesome, lots of cool stuff from the 1800's and early 1900's. Even cooler than that was an exhibit we hadn't seen before about one house on Hopkins Blvd. that has had a ton of families live in it over 150 years or so and they go into the history of a lot of the people that have lived in this triplex in Minneapolis. It was really interesting to see how it went from one German family to 3 Hmong families living in it now. They also have a cool exhibit on the 150 most fascinating things about Minnesota, voted by the people of Minnesota. That was the reason we swung by last year. The cafe looked real good here as well, lots of upper echelon food for pretty reasonable prices. My wife said we have to try it next time we venture out to the History Museum. The museum is kind of steep at ten bucks an adult (Which would totally be worth it if you had a day to spend there, trust me, you could), but Hennepin libraries have free passes you can check out, so we got in for free. Extra bonus. read more

The place to be for your multigenerational entertainment needs. I bought a membership here last spring when one of those coupon sites was practically giving them away and good play MHS, bc I'm hooked for life. I've got a bucket list with 26 historical sites to visit. But we'll be regulars at MHC for a long time. Huge exhibits in a beautiful building to keep both the kiddos and the grandparents entertained for hours. Who wants to know more about the grasshopper plague? Beaver pelts? The changing population of a neighborhood in St Paul over a hundred years? The inside of a buffalo? A cafe featuring local foods at bargain prices. My Dad had walleye for the first time ever. I bought a slew of award winning MN maple syrup in the gift shop to hand out as teacher gifts this year. read more

One of the coolest museums i have ever been to. The staff is so friendly and very welcoming. The place was very clean. And the exhibits were awesome! Great place to come to learn about Minnesotas History! Love this place can't wait to bring my family here! read more

Hiked here from Nearby Saint Paul College Parking Ramp to check out surrounding neighborhood. Grabbed cold brew & light bite enroute to pursue disrupted Gale Family Library Research Project. read more

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Pretty good museum. They had lots of different exhibits. Nice pace to get out of the weather.

So far I have been here for business events. I do want to come back and explore on a day that I am not working. So for the morning we started around 7:30 and D'Amico caters in a buffet breakfast. I was surprised with their food. The eggs with cheese on top were warm and fresh, the bacon was large thick slices with maple cooked into it. Yum. Omg yum. The hash browns were lackluster...dull and brown and not the crispy color of brown. The old tv movie black and white brown. ... what's up D'Amico?! To be fair... they did open the buffet earlier this year... about 40 minutes for us. Last year they made us wait staring at a full buffet for 25 minutes .... just because ... "schedules." So the meeting room... comfy chairs. Cannot complain. Great sound quality and the screen is great. I would recommend. read more

This is strictly a review for the gift shop and the personnel, since - unfortunately - we didn't have time to tour the museum. We were passing by the building and apparently it was a real lapse on my part to not have known about the museum, but it looked very impressive (and quite large). I couldn't resist visiting the gift shop and it has a great selection of books (there were also some nice gift items). All of the people working in the gift shop (it's actually divided into two shops) were very friendly. Also, there's a large & very attractive-looking café and the person working there was pleasant - and the man at the reception desk was very friendly. read more

My sister just got married here this weekend and we had a phenomenal time. The venue, especially at night is nothing short of spectacular! If you decide to host an event here do not skimp on colorful accents. The granite columns are beautiful but beige, very beige. The view of the capital is breathtaking. They had the ceremony, cocktail hour, dinner and dancing all in one location--no waiting around between church and dinner and we were in the cool air conditioning the whole time. Bon Apetit did a great job with the catering. The food was delicious and negotiable. The Chef is very willing to tweak his menu to suit your party's needs. As a matter of fact, my mom gave him a recipe to use. Christy, the event coordinator did a wonderful job organizing the evening. I know she just started there a couple of months ago but she seemed like a pro to me. The rest of the staff was *mostly* professional and kind--and this is the reason I had to knock off a star. Unfortunately, one person really left a sour taste in the mouths of many guests. She was flat out rude and looked like she couldn't stand to be at work that day. This female bartender lacked all tact and sensibility. She was rude. Period. Thankfully, most party-goers still had a great time. read more

Every time I've been to the MN history Center I've been impressed by their exhibits, the current feature of prohibition was one of the best! At first I was surprised to see elementary age kids there but then the exhibits are really made for all ages. There's a dance floor with the markings for learning the Charleston steps, a photo booth for taking your bootlegger mug shot, trivia iPads... Tons of interactive components. On top of that if you want to read all the signs, different sides of prohibition are presented keeping even the most knowledgeable audiences engaged. We had two hours just in that exhibit and it flew by! If you want to see the whole museum, you'll need more time! read more

Minnesota History Center - Museums Near Me - Saint Paul, Minnesota

Okay I admit, I didn't actually see any of the Minneapolis History that was going on in this place, because I was too busy eating and drinking during our evening event...but I hear it was good.stuff. And something about one of Prince's old outfit, cuz yanno he's from this area. Sweet. The museum is not the most attractive building from the outside, in fact it reminded me a little of a jail, what with all the brick and darkened windows. But once inside it was pretty posh and modern at the same time...lots of windows and stairs and altogether a good layout. Their inside catering company, Bon Appetit, catered our dinner. Awesome & attentive waitstaff, but only mediocre food. I guess what do you really expect from an inside-a-museum-catering-company?? The roasted turkey was actually the hit of the evening..artichoke dip was a little too cheesy for me...the fish sticks barely resembled actual fish. The champagne and desserts were tasty and big props for the cute little white chocolate cups they had made that you could then fill with the liqeur of your choice....this was a hit with our crowd. Party on. read more