The museum is not on the regular path, but the nearby city is cute, and has good dining options,…read moreeven for vegetarians. It really is worth the time to stop in, enjoy a meal, and take in the tour. Jay Johnson, who was the last owner of the property before it was donated to non-profit company that owns it now, was our tour guide. He does a very good job of it. He covers a lot of history through the history of his family that lived in the house beginning in 1882. The house was built, and expanded by his family, who used it both as a residence, and as a hotel. When Johnson inherited the property as the last, surviving member of the family, he inherited a jumbled mess of boxes stored for many years with items dating back beyond the Civil War. The really interesting part of it all is that he has all the provenance - the pictures, the letters home, and the legal documents - to go with the story. And, there's something for everyone to see there including toys, clothes, furniture, family paintings, antique and obscure pieces of dining implements, and a complete room devoted just to the Civil War. The house/museum is so complete, and so interesting, it has been licensed by local schools as part of their education program, and students are brought here to learn not only about the history of the town and family, but of the country as well. For $8.00, the price can't be beat. Children under the age of five are admitted free with a parent, and students are only $5.00. Of course, they take donations on top of the admission price, and we were so impressed, we left $50.00. It was that good!

First of all the Prospect House is the name of the Hotel that used to be run out of this house…read more One of the owners was a Civil war soldier that took some bullets and traveled around defeating the confederate soldiers. He was good at documenting things and writing letter so the history is well preserved. This is a great grandson telling the stories of the first house in town, they were first for a lot of things, electricity, phone etc. I thought the way that it was organized into different person's items or time frames of history. The basement is the Civil war area with some fascinating things to see. The tour is only $8 and they last about an hour and a half. There are structured times for the tours. Check out my photos. Of course, times may change. The older i get, the more I appreciate the history and the people that made this country great. I enjoyed the tour, the many items and Jay's weird sense of humor. It was a fun lesson and trip back in time. Jay's family didn't get rid of anything. Maybe someone needs to tell American Pickers. He has a LOT of stuff not even on display, just in storage. Lots of history for sure. Very fascinating.

If you're ever in town and have some time, stop by this museum. Not huge, but full of beautiful old…read moreboats and fishing gear. There's a lovely garden are out back where events can be held, too.

This is one of the most interesting, outstanding museums in the state. Great care has been taken to…read moremake it appealing to all ages, genders and personal likes. Shows the history of the Lakes in Minnesota, and their early importance in the economy of the state. A don't miss when in Alexandria area!! You will not be disappointed. On Select Friday nights during the summer, the museum has concerts in the Gardens, which are also not to be missed.

I've got family ties to this area and enjoyed learning more about Becker County through the…read moreextensive collection - over 14,000 photographs and over 20,000 artifacts! The staff are friendly and knowledgeable. Highlights include the two-headed calf, a WWII exhibit, and the World's Smallest Gas Station. This quaint little museum is well worth a stop and I'd recommend it to locals and visitors alike! NOTE: I never mind paying a small entrance fee when I know the money goes towards keeping places that preserve local history up and running.

Four and a half stars! (they need a better copy machine).One of my favorites in all Minnesota..They…read morehave a great book collection and research room. Lot's of kool things upstairs and down.Their meteor is huge.$$$. And they are just off hiway 10,,and for lunch check out the ''Speak Easy'' east of town(also on #10)..Also four and a half stars!

Loved my visit to the Runestone Museum! The museum may not be the largest or have the most advanced…read moretechnology but I was really impressed by the density of quality information! It took about an hour to get through the museum. There's a couple of buildings and things to see outside of the main museum. They also have a great gift shop where I was able to get a couple of postcards! There's a free parking lot and in summer they have picnic tables in the courtyard. You can bring your own picnic lunch or they have a list of restaurants that'll deliver to the museum! When I visited the museum in summer 2020, they required your information for contact tracing. Not sure what covid-protocals they have in place now, but they definitely took it seriously! Definitely recommend stopping by if you're in Alexandria!

One thing I'd like to preface this review with is how my wife and I were cautious about coming…read morehere. We didn't know how over the top this place would be as we were excited to visit, but didn't want to be overwhelmed by the narrative of the one and only almighty runestone! I'm happy to report that this museum took a very scientific and historical viewpoint on the stone! We really enjoyed that they presented a lot of evidence for and against the stone while also discussing the research done to determine more information about it! We also really liked the large part of the exhibit pertaining to native Americans, their culture, as well as the native animals to this region. The museum, while centered around the stone does a really great job giving a ton of information and highlighting different cultures which was super cool and a bit unexpected. Obviously we went there for the stone and we're not disappointed! Fort Alexandria was also cool and the Viking ship is a must see. Overall, it's a stop if you haven't been there before and you won't regret it!

Very cool museum with impressive replica Viking ship and Scandinavian church! Will return whenever…read morewe're in the F/M area!

"Wooden ships on the water, very free and easy Easy, you…read moreknow the way it's supposed to be" (Crosby, Stills & Nash) In May 1982, the Hjemkomst a massive full-size replica of a 78-foot long and 63-foot high Viking ship left Duluth Minnesota, sailed from Lake Superior across the Great Lakes into the Erie Canal, down the Hudson River to New York City and around the Statue of Liberty, then crossed the Atlantic Ocean and sailed to reach Oslo, Norway on August 9, 1982. When they arrived, Norwegian sailors gifted a keg of Norwegian beer to their visitors! After the ship returned to the US, it became the centerpiece of this beautiful museum run by the Historical and Cultural Society of Clay County. There are plenty of other exhibits to see, but the sheer scale of the Hjemkomst will captivate your attention during your stay.

If you have any Finnish heritage in your blood, as I do, then you should check out the open air…read moreFinn Creek Museum. It's an homage to all things Finnish, including the sauna. You'll enjoy going through the old Finnish house, and seeing the general store, the barn, church, and the old-fashioned outdoor sauna. This is a great place to visit with children to learn how the early Finnish settlers to northern Minnesota lived and worked. There are bathrooms on site, as well as a meeting hall, which would work great for a picnic lunch if it were raining. We enjoyed our visit.

Moorhead does it better. Here are the arts. A long time center of the arts community and…read morecornerstone of the regional arts. A great place for events.

The Rourke is much like Doctor Who's TARDIS: It's bigger on the inside! This museum might look…read moresmall, but it is jam-packed with Art that challenges, that makes you ask questions, that inspires. Bonus: the price of admission is FREE so you can visit as often as you want. My favorite exhibit hosted by The Rourke in recent years was TransNodak, which was "a photo series about twelve local trans people living in/from North Dakota." The gallery talk with the artist was both moving and educational. My favorite piece from the permanent collection is a sculpture called "Cream Puff with Frogs." It is exactly what it sounds like, and I never pass by it without pausing to smile. Weather-permitting, don't miss the sculptures on the patio to the West and the pollinator gardens to the East! Across the street, between M&H and Ace Hardware, is a small area called the Sticks Garden, which features pillar sculptures by local artists as well as beautiful flowers in the summer. It's a unique space to sit and rest your feet after an afternoon walking around The Rourke. Check it out here: https://sticksgarden.com/about-2/