Another great kids railroad museum in the twin cities! This one is more interactive than others,…read moreyou can explore old rail cars and even take a train ride. We did the Santa train this past winter. Admission got us into the museum plus a quick train ride on a car decorated for Christmas time.

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.

I wanted to scratch my train itch on my recent trip to Minneapolis and my friend was able to find…read morethis activity. The streetcar museum runs this old streetcar for ~10 to 15 minute round trips near Lake Harriet. If you're a transportation or classic technology enthusiast I highly recommend. The volunteers are very nice and helpful and do a great job of maintaining the streetcar and the station. You can get a round trip or full day ticket and also upgrade them for an activity depending on what the schedule is. When we went there was a pumpkin patch at the end of the line where kids (or I suppose adults too if you really wanted a pumpkin) could choose a pumpkin and take it back with them on the return ride. Being on the streetcar was enjoyable. The seat comfort was about what you would expect from 1908, but the rest was nice. Dropping the token in the machine, hearing the driver ring the bells and horns, feeling it pick up speed which clicking along the tracks, reading the era accurate add adorning the inside of the car. All in all a fun and inexpensive activity to do at the park! Also as a note, the address here is for the maintenance building that I don't think you can walk into normally. If you want to purchase your tickets and board the streetcar you need to go to the station at 2330 W 42nd St.

This is such a fun activity to do as part of an outing to Lake Harriet, especially with kids! While…read moreit's only a 15 minute activity, it's a TON of fun, and both of our kids loved every minute. It was also really neat to learn more about the streetcar lines from the volunteers, and to see a little bit of the area that's hard to visit on bike or foot. The price is super reasonable at $3 per person (babies are free). While I would not make a special trip here just to ride the street car, it's an awesome additional activity to eating at Bread and Pickle, walking around the lake or kayaking/boating on it, or playing in the playground!

Wow! What an impressive sight! I was in the area to see the next door Millennium Gardens, but…read moredecided to extend my visit by walking down the trails. I ended up at the Hilde Amphitheater. There wasn't an event going on at the time, but the facility still really impressed me! Gorgeous piece of architecture, but also a really well maintained lawn and surrounding grounds that looked like it could accommodate a considerable gathering of people. There's a fountain near the memorial plaque, along with some statuary and some cute music makers for people to play with. I was quite enamored by the multicolored mosaic animal statues (I had to snap a photo with each!) near one of the entrances. I noticed a couple of port-a-potties and many trash cans. Also the geese waddling about the grounds were kinda cute. I'll probably look online to see if they're having any upcoming events that interest me, because it'd be cool to show up for a performance!

Support local arts!! Quaint theater with great talent! Went to a performance here and there is no…read morebad seat in the place. Small bar with some wine and snacks available to purchase at reasonable prices. All the staff were super helpful and happy to be there.

Located right by the MIA...this is a very unique and interesting museum...that I didn't even know…read moreabout until I came here for an art workshop. Came here actually for an interesting art workshop called "Create 'Unexpected Art' with Becka Rahn" which involved creating images and computers and the final product would be a swatch of material from an image that I created!Which is to be mailed to the participant via mail.. which I haven't yet received...I took this workshop with a past participant who was raving about it ... I really did enjoy my experience and I am so looking forward to my finished product! $5 gets you in and also a tour of the museum/mansion.. oh what a deal.. and like Rhonda G. says below... it's really like having a Downtown Abbey right here in Minneapolis! FREE Parking that's connected to the museum, too! Look forward to attending more interesting events here in the future!

If you are a native Minneapolite - or even just a transplant / convert - check this place out. It's…read morekitty-corner from the MIA so you can make a day of museum hopping followed by a meal at one of the many restaurants along nearby Eat Street (Nicollet Ave). For a minimal fee, you'll be able to check out the fantastically-curated exhibits that explore different topics relevant to Hennepin County's history through photographs, textiles, paintings, videos, audio-recordings, sculptures, artifacts, and more. It is a full-sensory experience in a historic mansion that cannot and should not be missed. In addition to traditional exhibitions, they have unique and fun programming - which sounds like it will be more frequent according to an article I read recently about the new director! Plus, the mansion is available as a venue rental. I even considered it for my upcoming wedding! The biggest downsides (and biggest complaints I had while working there) are 1) the fact that the building is not handicap accessible and 2) the lack of air conditioning in the summertime. It's an unfortunate reality about many historic buildings but even more so for HHM...as a non-profit and lesser-known museum, lots of funding is needed to facilitate the appropriate and allowed retrofitting while still protecting the historic integrity. Admittedly, I am a bit biased in my love of this place. When I graduated with my B.A. in cultural studies and comparative literature, I began scouring the Twin Cities for non-profit gigs, especially those in the Arts. I landed my first post-college job as a museum administrator at the Hennepin History Museum despite having never stepped foot in the mansion or even knowing of its existence. It was an amazing experience and I learned a lot, but the most valuable thing I learned was what an exceptional gem HHM is. Please do not miss out on the opportunity to explore!

The Landing is a historic and unique, outdoor living history museum that preserves and interprets…read more19th century life in the Minnesota River Valley. Wooded trails stretch along nearly one and a half miles of scenic river valley, which really brings alive the charm and challenges of life in the 1800's. Walking through this village, a person will firsthand witness the early days of the fur trade era. Back in a time when people traveled by footpath and canoes to the bustling village with its shops, homes, church, town hall and railroad depot. Some days there are costumed interpreters who are prepared to spin a tale, demonstrate their craft and explain the daily life of men, women and children. Many days, however, the park is unstaffed so it is primarily a self-guided tour, with occasional informational signs that describe a building's or area's historical significance. No cost of entry or parking, which is great!

The dogs and I have visited the park a number of times and always enjoy our strolls through the…read moregrounds. Lots of parking, many flat trails for easy walking, beautiful spots for photo opportunities, interesting building and history, nice bathrooms hidden in a building that matches the barns. Definitely will be going back.

We visited during the spring to see The Wizard of Oz and it was the most amazing & magical…read moretime--hands down one of the best theater experiences of our lives. The place speaks to kids and is SUPER inclusive of everyone and anyone. There was a photo opp area with props related to the production and plenty of space for everyone to mingle. There are treats for sale that was mostly cookies, candies, soda, etc. The production itself was outstanding. The actors were awesome. We got photos and signed programs after the show and the woman who played the Witch was mesmerizing in her role. We adored our time there and would wholeheartedly recommend it to anyone and everyone who wants to see some top tier actors perform! There is plenty of street parking and its a cute neighborhood. Go and visit! You will love it!

We had a wonderful time at the CTC, seeing The Wizard of Oz. I havent been to CTC since I was a…read moreyoung child and saw Iqbal with my class. It was great getting to experience it as an adult! We were in row N, which is definitely somewhere id sit again. I dont think there's a bad spot in the house! The graphics during the show were amazing, as was the sound. The actors did amazing work, they sang beautifully and had so many hilarious parts mixed in. I went with my husband and I, and I would say there was a mix of adult-only couples wanting to experience as well, so definitely still a great experience not as a child! They allow drinks inside the theatre, but no food. Bathrooms are located a floor below. Concessions line moved very quickly, especially with intermission. What a lovely experience!!

This is a focused, unique but not peculiar museum. They have handsomely repurposed a church,…read morecreating several gallery spaces. The anchor paintings in their permanent collection are worthy, plus they feature several sets of Russian nesting dolls, most of which featuring cats--which is cool. We caught their outstanding show of USSR propaganda posters. The objects are interesting (most are in great condition) plus the wall text is illuminating. Definitely worth a visit.

We had driven by this museum countless times over the years and were so glad to finally check it…read moreout. The museum used to be an old San Antonio mission style church constructed in the 1920's. It was really cool how it was converted into a museum. The museum houses art from both pre and post Soviet Era. They had a really amazing visiting exhibit called the Violins of Hope that featured violins crafted and played by Holocaust Jews. It was a great day to spend the morning.

Visited this hidden history gem with family, learned more about Fleming Field, learned you can set…read moreup a ride on a historical plane and funds go toward the museum and maintaining the planes. So fun watching them depart and return!

They have a great museum with very cool airplanes. And the volunteer staff is incredibly friendly…read moreand helpful! And their hanger dance was amazing, everyone dressed up and there were so many people swing dancing that it spilled out off the hanger.