Absolutely amazing center! Very hands on and interactive. Perfect for families! We were three adults, a ten year old and a 12 year old and everyone loved it! Plan for a minimum of four hours! There are live performances, so look at the daily schedule because the performances are great!

Very friendly staff. We got lunch from the deli area, and it was fairly priced, and pretty good premade sandwiches. There were great activities for the kids to take part in and plenty for the adults to take in. We spent about 4 hours there total and did each of the exhibits more than once. Very time I went back in one there was more to see.

Learned a lot about the history of MN. Went on a school field trip with my son, chaperoning. There was an educational class, the students got learn about the fur trade and stocks. They have great modules, we got to experience a tornado while in a basement back in the 1960. And, experience a soldier perspective preparing for war on an aircraft. Kids loved the bison and it’s organs learning uses. And the mining shaft and explosion experience. Loved how the kids worked together arranging the sitting cubes to match the diagrams on the wall. The crew members were extra patient and educational. Each exhibits we had visited, they always had a knowledgeable crew member explaining or demonstrating the history uses of the items. Please bring your kids and educate them on the history of MN. Would recommend and love to return back again!! Please note there are no public parking available on their premises, only drop off or must park in ramp and pay.

Attended a private event here after hours. This place is beautiful and the exhibits were open for viewing. We loved everything and want to come back to spend more time in the museum. At night they have a beautiful, unobstructed view of the capitol building. Highly recommend for special events or just casual visits.

I really enjoyed the MN History Center. The interior architecture of the exhibit hall wings is stunning. I thought there would be more to see and do, but of what was there I especially loved the powerful WWII "Minnesota's Greatest Generation " exhibit. The movie in the fuselage of the plane (in the back) is an absolute must! The exhibit, "Our Home: Native Minnesota" is detailed, powerful as well and artistically beautiful. And the gift shop was full of great finds. The deli Cafe served a large variety of pre made sandwiches, coffee, etc.

I thought my visit to the Minnesota History Center was pretty entertaining and educational. They have many great exhibits on the third floor of the History Center. The second floor has a great and vast library. The "Weather Permitting" exhibit was probably my favorite. They have an old house that you sit in and it simulates being in a tornado. The exhibit about life in the old prarie times was also very cool. They have a special exhibit area that changes to different things Minnesota related. There's also many Native American artifacts as well. I would suggest visiting during the weekend because weekdays have school tours where kids are running around like madness with apparently no supervision.

We arrived on a Sunday afternoon. Perfect for couples and people who like quiet. I suggest not bringing kids on Sunday afternoon as they would be very put off. They want the fun and excitement for sure!!

A fun museum for adults and children. They have some hands-on exhibits that allow lots of interaction and an agricultural area that functions as a place for kids to climb and play. Social exhibits roll through the museum making sure they always have something new.

The best experiences I have had here were worth all the boring ones. They were: 1. Retrorama: Huge party where everyone dresses retro with different themes each year. They included signature cocktails, a fashion show, music, h'ors d'oeuvres, vintage pop-up shops — allllllllllllll kinds of fabulous. Incredible epic parties 2. The chocolate exhibit: Life-size cacao tree in the rotunda and a fascinating walk through of the history of chocolate, including how it was used in religious sacrifice. Amazing exhibit. Wish I could revisit this one of one of the best events I've ever attended.

So much work has been put into these exhibits and it shows. The staff is friendly and knowledgeable. Always ready and willing to educate us on the rich history of our state and nation. Very passionate. We had a wonderful time here and highly recommend a visit!

Worth visiting with grown up kids. Presentation of Historical development of Dakotans and ujabwe people is amazing

As an out of stater looking to learn from scratch the history of this area, this fell short. I guess I expect a museum to flow better and tell a cohesive story. This seems to be a disorganized assortment of facts disconnected stories that’s honestly frustrating to piece together. Maybe it’s intended for residents that already know the foundational knowledge to come and randomly explore with their families.

Great display of Charles Schultz life and his origins of comic characters. I will be back!

Beautiful building, great exhibits, and a genuine staff that want to help! Their gift shops have great items too!

We recently visited on a Sunday morning...and...it was not busy at all. We have been here before but...it had been several years. They have many permanent exhibits...along with other temporary ones. Some of our favorites are: 'Then...Now...Wow!'...and...the tornado simulator in the 'Weather Permitting' gallery. The two-story wooden play structure replica of a grain mill [Grainland] is a huge hit with little ones. You can go inside an actual-sized tipi...mud house...or...even an old Saint Paul streetcar. Minnesota has deep roots in Native American culture...history...and...heritage...and...you will find quite a few references to that impact at the History Center. It is an entertaining option for most age groups...from younger to older...as there are many hands-on pieces to learn from. I would say you could spend around two hours here to get the full experience. They do have a research library onsite...hours are by appointment only. There is also a gift shop...auditorium...and...a small cafe with light dining options. It is conveniently located right in downtown Saint Paul with both the state Capitol...and...Cathedral of Saint Paul just a few short blocks away. You get nice views of each from different places inside/outside the History Center. There is a paid onsite surface parking lot...pay as you enter...with plenty of spots. We really dig this place...it's always fun to return to see favorites...and...appreciate the visiting exhibits. If you get the chance...definitely check this place out...you won't be disappointed.

We could have spent the whole day here! Some of our favorites are: the Peanuts exhibits, Native History & the Greatest Generation exhibits. The place is easy to navigate and get around and well organized. I recommend taking your older elementary kids here for some really great MN History. As a transplant from out of state, this is a place I'll defiantly visit again!

This is such a fun place to visit. Very informative, the displays are interactive so it keeps kids entertained, and they offer a History Connects Program. This program offers reduced cost to those in certain programs that they specify on the website and includes those who receive EBT and medical assistance. The kids favorite exhibits were the ice cream store in Minnesota's Greatest Generation and the Charles Schulz exhibit. That was a fun one!

Interesting exhibits and beautiful building prepare for a double whammy of being charged to park in their lot and again to get inside

Love it here been going here sence grade school will be back soon

Very thankful for the free admission here! And more thankful to the Minnesota Historical Society and all the work they do!! Very great and immersive exhibits, and so much to take in. 10/10 would recommend for all ages and groups.

The Minnesota History Center is the absolute best field trip I have ever taken with my students! The exhibits are fun and educational. The classes fit our Minnesota standards. Best of all, the kids LOVE it! I recommend a ratio of 2/3 kids per adult chaperone for the littles, if you go.

I really enjoyed the mix of cultural history combined with Minnesota music history!

I really enjoyed my visit. I felt the exhibits were well labeled and suitable for all ages. Most of the staff was fantastic and great with kids. I was also really impressed with how clean and tidy this place was. They bathrooms were clean and properly filled with all supplies. Overall a great place to take the family!

Went for an impromptu date night and had such a good time! Staff was friendly and knowledgeable and the exhibits were very interesting. The coal mining interactive exhibit was especially fun. The only downside was it was a bit confusing going through the museum. I wish there was a more clear route we could follow to see everything without having to double back. Overall great experience, especially for $30 for 2 adults including parking. Would definitely recommend and do it again.

Beautiful venue for a party! Nice view of downtown St Paul and Cathedral Hill on the other side. The hall is great for dining, but the acoustics are a bit rough.

The Charles Schultz exhibit was a lot of fun! Interesting facts like what year each character was introduced, fun photo ops, drawing tables to make it trace your own cartoon. Great for all ages! It was our first visit there so we got to see the tornado drill, the old military plane which felt so real I can't even imagine how they felt actually being shot at! So many things to see and do, mining, making shells for shooting, Native American people's exhibit and art... It's all a must see!

Very enjoyable experience. They cover a lot of Minnesota History. My favorite is the Fridley tornado exhibit.

Free Tuesdays are the excuse you need to check out these fine exibits.

Great place for the whole family. Very well curated exhibits

This place is incredible, from interactive exhibits to well-prese ted displays, it's well worth a trip!

What a beautiful building!!!! The newest exhibit of Our Home Native Minnesota was incredible. Such an important part of our MN history featured here. There is a wild rice demonstration too that is a must see. I will definitely return, my time was short and there is so much to see.

Have always loved this place since a child. Love history and that of our beloved MN! A must see for anyone in area. Kids love it. Areas to play and also relax watching movies. Gift shops and bites to eat. Very clean place and well kept. Y’all do a great job here. Same as Science Museum

Staff very welcoming. The Charles Schultz exhibition is great..the across the hall to the Minnesota exhibits. Also great. We shopped and also visited the cafe..wonderful afternoon. The history membship was a great gift .

Recently re-visited the History Center after having not visited since I was in college. This time, with children, was a blast. All the exhibits are very hands-on and the kids got s kick out of lots of it, especially the grain elevator playroom. Everything had a nice depth so it could be casually explored or looked at in greater detail. The tornado room was exactly how I remembered it.

A great place to bring kids or to do family history research. The exhibits are fun and interactive for all ages and the museum is a beautiful, huge building - wear your good walking shoes. The Gale Family Library is full of friendly, helpful staff that will guide you to find out more about your family. They have amazing resources that you can't access online, especially the people there, so I recommend a visit. The cafeteria is sunny, clean and full of healthy options to eat and drink too. Visit soon!

This building has such a majesty in the halls of stone with great vaulted ceilings. The military cargo plane that lets you experience what it was like to be a paratrooper during WW2 was extremely immersive. All in all a day here is one well spent

This place is special. Incredibly reasonable admission. The food is very good. The exhibits laid out incredibly & the staff will go to any inconvenience to make sure your time spent here is excellent. 20/10. Must do!

I used the library and was totally impressed. Reservations are necessary but you have your own work area. You can request materials in advance and they are waiting for you when you arrive. Plus they will get additional resources for you once you arrive. Very helpful staff. Great experience.

This place is awesome! They have so much information on Minnesota history. The Sherlock homes exhibit was super informative but be prepared for a lot of reading.

Enjoyed the museum! I especially enjoyed the tornado exhibit.

The school field trip was awesome here! The staff was very helpful and friendly and knowledgeable! There was a space for kids to eat lunch during the field trip as well as so many things to explore, we didn't have time to see it all. They have a plane crash simulator and a tornado shelter simulator. We went into the tornado shelter simulator and it was very life-like of a real event years in the past. They have lots of hands-on experiences including machinery and geography. The presentation about the Dakota tribe was enjoyable and informative, with stories, demonstrations, skit participation, and videos.

First time to the museum for the Sherlock Holmes exhibit. It was very nice! A great place to bring kids.

As a history nerd this is one of my favorite places to go when I'm in the cities. Great gift shop with excellent book collection for sale, amazing archives library, wonderful exhibits and the staff are so welcoming 😍😍 So thankful we have a society preserving Minnesota history. I highly recommend a membership as it is for many sites around our state.

(Translated by Google) Very interesting museum, which explains well the history of what it meant for American culture to enter Minnesota. The photos of the early 1900s with teepees on the side of the first wooden houses give an idea of ​​what these lands were just a century ago. The area dedicated to tornadoes is very interesting, which tells very well the difficulties of living in these areas. (Original) Museo molto interessante, che spiega bene la storia di cos'abbia significato per la cultura americana penetrare nel Minnesota. Le foto di inizio '900 con teepee a lato delle prime case di legno rendono l'idea di cosa fossero queste terre soltanto un secolo fa. Molto interessante l'area dedicata ai tornado, che racconta molto bene le difficoltà del vivere in queste zone.

It was fun! The museum was very hands on.

Good experience

Incredible museum, library, and research center!

History in chaska Minnesota

Absolutely love this place...its huge and has that grand feeling when u walk in...my favorite is The Day of the Dead celebration they have had..They had stuff..activities..dancers and performers all set up through the building its amazing 👏 🙌 I really hope they continue to do it..I loved bringing my oldest now i wanna bring my toddler..Please keep hosting this event 🙏 ❤

This museum is amazing! Many history museums can be dull and boring but that is so not the case for this Minnesota museum! Everything here is so hands on! There were lots of school groups visiting when my husband and I stopped in, but we just made sure we went to the rooms they weren't currently in and then would swap rooms when they did! We didn't manage to try out the tornado room as that was a huge hit with the kids but it sounded like they were having a blast! I loved the large section that gave a huge overview of time, and the exhibit where you could walk through the same "house" over time with it's different inhabitants. Great museum, great price, and just a short walk away from the state capitol!

If you are interested in the history of the First Avenue club in downtown Minneapolis go see the exhibit on display at the history center. It was very interesting. Make sure to check out the great view of the state Capitol. The restaurant has great options for lunch or a quick snack.

This place is both educational and entertaining for all. Be sure to visit the tornado and bomber plan experiences. Something for all ages. Wonderful gift shop and cafe.

The building itself is breathtaking and worth a visit just to see that. Fascinating displays; the exhibit on the 1960s was so detailed and well done. Additionally, we visited the historical library and talked to one of the archivists who was friendly and helpful.

Historical!

So many neat things to see here, recommend for all ages.

Great place to visit. Lots of interactive exhibits. Lost track of time while in there

We took a behind the scenes tour of this place and it was amazing! Each of the guides were super enthusiastic about their work and had a great attitude! Couldn't be more pleased! Thank you for sharing your work 😊

Always a great visit to the MN History Center. A well done, well taken care of, and educational museum.

Regardless of your age, there's bound to be something of interest for you to learn and explore at the Minnesota History Center. You could easily spend an entire visit looking at the various exhibits. The exhibits are really interactive and involving so they leave an impression of what it was like for people that experienced these events. There's a high amount of care and attention to detail to essentially all aspects of the visit: the website clearly details what you need to know, the parking is straightforward, and there's even a free coat check (with lockers available for a quarter).

Fantastic 1st Ave show. Really brought back some great memories of an era.

The Minnesota History Center is very well put together and gives a unique hands on interactive walk through time covering off different eras and important historical aspects of Minnesota. This is a must for kids and adults.

Nice small museum but the creativity especially simulation of paratroopers in the airplane and the tornado basement were amazing. Special exhibition with prince is an extra point.

Amazing place to visit. Kid friendly, and wonderful atmosphere.

(Translated by Google) Very complete and fun, many areas to interact while you learn (Original) Muy completo y divertido, muchas áreas para interactuar mientras aprendes

We had a great time, incredible exhibits with interesting information of each historical era are recreated here in details, so  informative. It is impressive how organizers have created simulations using new technologies. We were in the basement and experienced tornado, next we were in the airplane during the war and our airplane was attacked. We made a puzzle of MN map, it took 6 mins :-D. I could sit hours in Dakota tipi, so comfortable I felt there. Amazing experience. I definitely will recommend  everyone to go there. I will come back with my family again. P.S. Delicious food is served at cafeteria here. Yum!

Great!

I attended the museum with the First Avenue exhibit. For those of you not familiar, First Avenue is an iconic night club and concert venue in Minneapolis. The history center put on an exhibit for its 50th anniversary, which was excellent. The rest of the museum's exhibits are worth it as well.

Great place to learn about our great state of Minnesota history

Lovely experience. Have eaten in the cafe a few times and the food is always freshly prepared and delicious.

Cool place. Good to spend a couple of hours

Love it

1st ave and prince exhibit is great. Beautiful building and space. The permanent exhibits are cool too.

Had fun learning about Minnesota

The workers and volunteers are what make this place. They're all so sweet and helpful. They'll bend over backward to patiently show you or tell you one more time the answer to something they've answered a hundred times already today.

Great programs for all ages.

They have fun demonstrations.

Terrific museum for learning the state's history

I loved very fun time with friends

I love this place

Great exhibits, however the research areas appeared to have taken a set back since last visit in 2010. Could use more readily available maps particularly maps developed prior to 1940.

Old stuff

I have been to this place