Loved my visit to the Runestone Museum! The museum may not be the largest or have the most advanced technology 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! read more

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One thing I'd like to preface this review with is how my wife and I were cautious about coming here. 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! read more

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This museum was very fun and informational! My husband had done some research of the rune stone prior to arrival but I had no idea what I was walking in to! There are a ton of cool artifacts from native Americans and Vikings as well as a ton of local animals to the area! There is a clear path that leads through the museum as well as fun outdoor buildings to view. It takes about an hour to see everything! There is also a cool kids area with games and a dress up closet! The staff is also very friendly! read more

Runestone Museum - Replica Viking ship - Museums Near Me - Alexandria, Minnesota

Really fun little museum, very interesting history and thought provoking. My kids absolutely loved the exhibits, especially the little "town" of buildings outside. Really fun to explore, great for kids read more

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This museum might be more appropriately called Alexandria area museum. They had buildings from the settler times with their furnishings: a school building, blacksmith shop a personal house. They had a lot of Native American things:?buffalo skins, arrowheads, beaded moccasins. And of course they had the rune stone with artifacts from the time: newspaper articles, photos. They had a gift shop with nice bathrooms and it is connected to the Chamber of Commerce. My husband and my father both said the runestone was hoax and a quick check on Wikipedia shows that they're probably right. But reading from the inscriptions at the museum would you lead you to believe that although there is controversy, it turns out after out it's authentic. This museum had some nice interactive things like call in and press the number and It will tell you more about the display. There is a kids area where you can draw moonstone alphabet in clay, put on Viking shields and get in a Viking boat, play Viking board games. They also had a nice scavenger hunt with a temporary tattoo gift at the end which kept my 10-year-old completely engaged in this experience. It was $32 for six of us to get in, overall not a bad use of an hour of our time and that amount of money. read more

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A very nice little museum I think the Runestone and the story surrounding it are very interesting. They do a good job displaying the Runestone and providing the history. The have a scale (2/3 size I think) Viking ship on display also which is pretty cool. There are some other displays describing the general history of the area. The staff is knowledgeable and friendly. The price is very reasonable to get in. Worth a visit if you are in the area. read more

I was flipping through the history channel and found a show called America Unearthed with Scott Wolter. The episode identified a rock that was discovered in MN with a runic inscription. I was surprised to find the museum featured in the show was only a couple hours from me. The museum is pretty neat and in the spring and summer has a children's explorer park. I watched a short video explaining the stone and toured the museum. The staff is very friendly and helpful. read more

Runestone Museum - Museums Near Me - Alexandria, Minnesota

What a beautiful museum here in Alexandria. I've alwways been a big supporter of the Kensington Runestone and the theory that vikings visited the area first, well before Christopher Columbus. This museum houses the runestone itself, as well as other artifacts from the history of the area. The staff here are extremely friendly and helpful. The gift shop has a bunch of neat books on viking mythology and the history of the vikings in Scandavanvia and the North American regions. The outside houses a wonderful exhibit with an old country store, church, and schoolhouse similar to what would have been in the area many years ago. It was also the same spot on which Fort Alexandria, a large fur trading post was! On a side note, we did find a gravestone for a baby next to the old church. It's definitely real although we did not inquire about it. The large outdoor warehouse houses a 2/3 size Viking longship made in Denmark by a viking history association or something like that. A must-stop if you're in the Alexandria area. read more

Runestone Museum - The fabled Kensington Runestone - Museums Near Me - Alexandria, Minnesota

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What a fun gem! A great layout for kids and fun discovering the little historical buildings. A fun place to learn and walk around. Highly recommend this museum. read more

One doesn't expect to find a fine little museum in a town of 10,000 people. But the Runestone Museum is a gem. http://www.runestonemuseum.org/ It's chief treasure is the much-debated Kensington Runestone, found in 1898 under the roots of an old tree. Is it authentic? Did the Vikings actually visit this area? The evidence is impressive and well-documented. In addition to the Viking display, the museum also exhibits The Period Room, with a fine collection of pioneers of the late 1800s and early 1900s. Local wildlife is the subject of several dioramas, and artifacts from Native Americans who once lived in the area form an attractive display. Outdoors, the highlights include a near replica of old Fort Alexandria,built in 1862, which features a log cabin, a church, a schoolhouse and a blacksmith shop. Dominating the park beside the museum is Big Ole, the statue of a huge Viking originally created for the 1964 World's Fair in New York City. Painted on Ole's shield are the words: "Alexandria, Birthplace of America." If the Vikings were indeed here, that claim is not totally far-fetched. A good museum at a modest price -- great for kids and adults. The staff is knowledgeable and friendly -- like most Alexandrites. read more

This was well worth the admission. We could bring up the descriptions for all the exhibits at https://runestonemuseum.oncell.com (there is a QR code on site). That allowed us to spend longer or shorter amounts of time as desired. They included a balance of opinion about when early on some people said the Rune stone was faked. There was a lot about the indigenous peoples of the area and to differentiate their customs and art. There were also many early pioneer buildings which complemented the area. read more

After living in MN for almost 45 years, I finally got to the Runestone Museum. This was a really impressive museum, with lots of information about the Alexandria area when the runestone was found and some excellent examples of buildings from the early part of the 20th century. Whether the runestone was carved by vikings or not is left to you to decide, but there is lots of information in the short video to chew on. The staff was very nice and helpful, and the gift shop has some fun things to take home. All in all, this was a great experience and I would go back the next time I am in Alexandria. read more

Cute little museum that is rich in exhibits. Though there are few, they are well done. You can learn about local Native American tribes, viking lore, and early colonization. All related to the local area. I would tell anyone to go check it out. And for $6, you can't go wrong. read more

Great place to while away some time. Probably more than one can absorb in a single visit. It is amazingly comprehensive review of the history of the settlers of the region. read more

Museum you can go through at your own speed. They have a movie you can watch that lady's about 10 minutes. Tells about actual Vikings that came over on the ship not the football team. Interesting to hear about. Kind of pricey but worth the visit read more