This is a must visit museum if you are visiting from out of town. It walks you through the overall history of Minneapolis, why it was essential to be built next to to St Anthony falls, and how the city grew and faded with the Mississippi River. The museum is so well put together bringing both milling and water harnessing to the core, intermixed with history and the development of the city. You'll absolutely love the Flour Tower exhibit. Won't spoil it for you. If you have kids, highly recommend spending a solid 2 hours or more at this brilliant museum. Also given its strategic location next to the river, it is awesome to combo it with the river-side walk.

Super cool space to learn more about something we all have, flour! My kids loved the interactive exhibits. The water lab was a special favorite. Make sure to go up to the very top!! Incredible place!

Excellent exhibit and shows! Highly recommended for all ages! We came on New Year’s Eve and learned so much about the culture and history of Minneapolis! The elevator show is the best! We truly enjoyed it! For travelers, the museum has three large lockers, and each could fit two (2) carry-on luggage’s. We checked in our luggages while visiting the museum and also the bridge near by. Best museum In Minneapolis!

Great museum. Friendly staff. For a little extra fun, park on the other side of the river and walk across the Stone Arch Bridge (about a half mile each way).

Wonderful museum and staff. I have been twice now and the tours were both a little different and my mother enjoyed it a lot. The flour tower elevator tour to start is a step back in time. Then going up to the 8th & 9th floor for a better view of the ruins and the Mississippi is breathtaking. Beautiful in the winter, and outstanding in the summer, when you can go out on the observation deck. Don't forget to walk around the museum after and read all the interesting facts and artifacts all over.

This museum was very informative and hands-on! I thoroughly enjoyed the exhibits, the elevator mill show, and the staff were friendly do a great job! The elevator show was shared with a school class that was obnoxious but still enjoyed the show. The water table lab was so fun for the kids. The "baking" lab was neat, and we got to make flour. They also had a sample of a baked short bread. How fun to learn more about Minneapolis and the flour milling industry. I highly recommend this museum for families. The tickets are reasonably priced.

A beautiful museum. My favorite part was the “flour tower” elevator ride that not only showed off the timeline of the museum, but also simulated some of the big movements and disasters. It ends with a great view of the city from the observation deck. The ruins are picturesque, as well.

Much more interesting than we expected. Very low key. We looked around inside the museum and then a trip up the Flour Tower to hear about the operations of the old mill. Great views from the observatory deck at the top.

Beautiful

What a great experience! And a surprise really as we had gone only knowing about the 19 min video about Minneapolis. We were very impressed with all the interactive elements and the staff were so knowledgeable. The river was raging which was the perfect time to view it. A great place for kids and adults alike.

The museum was exceptional. The layout was well done. The elevator experience was the best. You go to 8 floors and see what it was like to work there. The staff was very knowledgeable

Very fun interactive museum. Some great history to learn, but will definitely be going back at a quieter time to look more fully as the Friday we went there was a couple busloads of school children.

Amazing Museum with very fascinating exhibits, and great views at the top! Awesome location, and a perfect Minneapolis activity!

The reviews don't lie, this was such a fun and unique museum and I'm so glad we made time to visit! Do **not** under any circumstances miss the short movie about the city - it was SO good and funny, and my husband and I were literally laughing out loud multiple times during the video and we immediately pulled up and listened to more from Kevin Kling on our drive home. Don't skip the elevator ride/tour, that was informative and our guide was great -an older gentleman who was a local to the area. We went on a Saturday and watched a pie demonstration, went up to see the great view across the river, and learned a lot about the lumber industry and deforestation of the land, in addition to the flour milling history! Well worth the visit!

Do the Flour Tour!! A fun, creative way to tell the history of the building and area. Good for all ages. And the view from the observation deck is beautiful. Also take the time to walk around the river as well.

We went to Mill City Museum on 2/10/24 and walked right in at 10:30 am, no wait. A wonderful museum with helpful staff, interesting movies and exhibits and amazing views. It won't disappoint.

What a fun, educational adventure! Low cost entry fee. Lots of fun history to look at. I loved the flour tower elevator ride and getting to go to the observation deck. What a beautiful view of the city!

Such an interesting place to visit! They have some fun, interactive areas that even our teenagers enjoyed. Definitely worth taking a little bit of time to visit.

This is a children-centered small museum with fantastic views of the river from the observation deck on the 9th floor. There are many displays with good explanations. There is a children's water play table where they can dam up rivers to run turbines. It also had a nice outdoor space to eat.

Ahh. Tbh it’s a museum. Can you honestly recall the last museum you had actual fun at. Me neither. Anyways you get your ticket for the next available tower show and wait till then. They have some interactive attractions on the first floor that opens the little kid in you a bit. The elevator show is boring. Just boring. Perhaps I don’t appreciate the flour milling industry but I was bored. The elevator show is four or five floors/stops. There alright. The top decks views were absolutely beautiful and worth the wait.

This is truly a gem for any heyday nostalgic industrial nerd. Excellent staff and educational models regarding history, technology, risk, and health. Highly recommend for the geek in your life. Free baked goods too! Museum shop could use a better variety of available goods for sale that cater to geeks and tinkerers.

A quaint and cozy stop if you're in the mill district. An interactive water table experience for kiddos and some video story telling via an elevator ride.

This place was very interesting. I learned so much about the history of Minneapolis in addition to milling. I had children with me from ages 2-9 and they were all engaged by tour and many of the displays. They loved the room with all the water tables were you could dam up water or guide logs down the river or rebuild the buildings on the banks Minneapolis. We happened to be there when they did a demo of the explosion that happened there in the late 1800s and my kids thought that was neat. I loved the view from top of the mill. Definitely glad I came here and would recommend it to anyone especially if live in Minnesota. However one of my kids commented how you didn't get to see any flour being milled.... which it would be cool if they had one of the old machines running or just something small that was milling wheat to flour to give kids an idea how that process looks. There are old machines that are on display and there are some cranks you can turn to move gears on some displays but no actual flour being made.

Flour Tower exhibit is our favorite! We love this museum and hands on exhibits that help young and old learn about flour mills and Minneapolis! Very cool museum!

Fantastic experiencial exploration of the mill district history, making it relevant to today and looking forward. Also an extremely thought-provoking and carefully curated exposition of photos from the aftermath of the George Floyd murder from community and professional photographers. Truly worth the trip for people of all ages and interests.

Visited with wife and 17 yr old daughter. We all thought it was great. It was STEM day so perhaps there was a bit more going on than normal, but for $30 total, it was well worth the 2.5 hours. Minneapolis movie is well done. Flour tower is extremely well done and observation deck is great (exterior closed in winter). We all felt it was well worth our time. Highly recommended.

Definitely worth the $12 admission to the museum portion! It’s much more than just a regular museum. Very interactive with a storytelling freight elevator tour with views from the top of the building. Very knowledgeable workers who don’t bore. Everything they said was interesting and all of the regular museum displays hold your interest. Wonderful gift shop as well!

such a great place for kids and adaults to learn about ancient things! and its really pretty on the inside!

I really enjoyed this museum. It is not large so doesn't require a lot of time to view everything. I highly recommend the freight elevator tour which is novel, informative and leads to the observation deck where the views of the stone arch bridge is beautiful. It was great to see original machinery and the small bakery kitchen. The staff was super friendly and very welcoming. Make sure to explore the ruins across the street between the museum and the stone arch bridge. It's just a nice little walk and a bonus.

Very interesting and good remains of the mill. Unfortunately much of its equipment were destroyed with the fire. So there is not so much to see, but you can get a good impression, learn much about the work life and receive an unique view. I personally loved the historic elevator ride! That was my personal highlight. The museum is more for kids (also grownup kids) as it has different water experiments.

This is a great museum. It's really well laid out with a lot of information and some interactive exhibits for kids. Definitely worth the visit, especially for the low ticket price. I learned a lot about the history of Minneapolis and the mills.

Really cool museum! The views are crazy cool from the observation deck and there is some great history about the cities and how things came to be! If you like museums and have a spare hour I recommend checking it out, and then walking next door to the Guthrie for a fantastic show.

This is a wonderful museum that allows you an opportunity to look into the past of the mighty milling industry that once was of Minneapolis. If you are strapped for time, it is easy to get through everything in a couple of hours or you can take your time. The highlight of the tour is definitely the Flour Tower and the top observation deck.

The tour is self guided and the building itself is something to behold. We are in our mid-50's and were there without children, but I was really surprised to see so many interactive rooms for the families and young people there. There was even a big group of boy scouts- and their enthusiasm was contagious.

Cool place to visit to get some history about Minneapolis. A good two hours to do most of it.

Pretty neat experience. I loved the basement part with all of the flour brands and their marketing history like Pillsbury etc. A back room for kids with hands on exhibits to explain the water engineering of the Mississippi and the mills is great. The elevator ride is neat, though a bit loud and jarring whole the huge doors open and slam shut plus the loud audio recording (it keeps going between floors instead of one floor at a time). The lookout at the top is great at the end however! Would recommend this place for sure!

Ruins of an old flour mill.

We loved this museum! The flour tower was fantastic! Very cool place for kids and adults.

Cool bit of history

View from 8th Floor

There is a cool elevator that takes you up and down through multiple levels of different time point of the flour mill. I have never seen anything like it and the kids really enjoyed it. There are lots of hands on interactive things for the kids to play. There is also an observatory on the very top where you can see the falls and other side of the Mississippi River.

Loved coming here. Came here as a kid maybe a decade ago and decided to revisit. The elevator tour is very cool and there’s a lot of history to read while there. Totally recommend checking this place out to learn a little more about Minneapolis.

A unique tour and very well done by the Mill Museum docent. You really get a feel for a unique part of the city and how important the river was for the mills on both sides. Easy walking tour. I highly recommend for locals and visitors alike.

This is Fred, 75 year old but young as a buck. Super friendly, welcoming and happy to share his experiences, and ask you about yours. Made the museum tour such an amazing experience. Be sure to say hi to him. This is just one example of the kindness in Minneapolis you’ll find. The museum itself is small and cozy, but reflects hundreds of years of history of the city. A number of interactive engineering activities had us 30 year olds engaged and smiling the entire time. Also offers gorgeous views of the city. Highly recommended.

This is an absolutely wonderful museum jampacked with much to learn and experience. The Flour Tower elevator trip to the top is something you would definitely want to do, as well as the 19 minute flat video about Minneapolis. I wholeheartedly recommend visiting this museum with the whole family.

I have been to a lot of themed museums. Old houses made into museums, factories, small town museums, company museums, car museums, crime museums, you name it. This is hands down the best themed museum I've ever been to. The elevator show is interesting, respectful, and so current! They've clearly updated the video part of the show on the last 5 or so, and it shows. Well worth the investment. The test kitchen is so cool, and learning about the history of baking mascots/spokeswomen in America is really neat! Highly recommend!

Amazing Museum! So many great learning experiences. The kids aged 8-10 Really enjoyed it.

Super freaking cool place. The tour is one of the neatest and most unusual I've been on. The hydrodynamics hands-on exhibits are really fun, even for 40 year olds. There's a lot of original equipment on display and historic advertising from both General Mills and Pillsbury.

I've always loved this place! I started bringing my daughter when she was 3 years old, now she's 19 and still had fun. I'm allegedly an adult, but I still had fun playing in the water tables. Definitely recommend it. The views from the observation deck are with the price of admission, make it a day trip across the bridge and take time to check out the ruins.

Nice museum with some artifacts. The demo of the dust explosion was great. And story told while in the huge elevator to the roof was fun.

Wonderful museum that tells the history of Minneapolis through its successful flour milling companies that still exist today. The exhibits and experiences help understand the initial founding of the city, early colonizers, and necessary labor movement that grew out of a highly profitable but dangerous industry in its early days. The ruins of the former mill are a dramatic backdrop to the gorgeous river and falls views, which show how civic engineering can change a city's fortunes.

So cool! Who knew there was so much to know about the history of grains and milling? The flour tower exhibit was impressive. Make sure you stop by the test kitchen for samples! (Not allergen friendly, but it's a flour mill museum, so it's only reasonable).

Mill City museum really exceeded my expectations. The museum was filled with fascinating information in video and exhibit turn which is pretty expected, however there is a really cool introduction movie and the elevator show was fantastic. Also the view at the top of the museum is exceptional. Highly recommended.

This was a FASCINATING and extraordinary museum! I kept wanting to know more about how the machines worked, feel what the working conditions were like, etc. This was a “quick” museum (3 hours max) with lots for kids. The views of the mill, stone arch bridge, city… breathtaking! Definitely a must see. Also the eatery inside was outstanding. A few exhibits were too elaborate to be educational, like the giant water table “for kids” of all ages. Some smaller more hands-on all-ages things to see, taste, touch, and smell would have been great. Bins where you could touch and feel the grains run through your fingers, sample what they tasted like, etc. lots of great information to read on the plaques that I hope can be brought to other input experiences, too. I think this museum will improve greatly over time. Please visit and support them today! Note: I visited on a weekday, but between Christmas and New Year’s Day. There was a lot of space, but I can’t guess what a “typical” day would have been like in terms of crowd levels.

Small but very interesting and informative museum on the history of flower industry in Minnesota. Probably the most interesting parts are the freight elevator ride and the view of St Paul from the top floor. Must see!

b .

Isn't it about time you open?

(Translated by Google) Sneakers (Original) Snigers

Awesome place to learn about history! Would not recommend for people with very small children.

great place

Took family photos here

Went here a while back. Great place to bring family

Lots of great local info.

Absolutely amazing!! If you go here, don't miss your chance to ride up the Flour Tower. The films and rooms and equipment they use during the mini tour are impossibly cool. The view is beautiful, and you can visit the ruins for free. We didn't go to the restaurant inside, but it looked spectacular.

This museum is a must see! The facility is like a gorgeous Phoenix rising from the ashes. Everything about this place was spectacular, except the film about the history of Minneapolis in 19 minutes. Actually, the film was quite entertaining and rich in information. The reason why I'm giving this place one star has to do with the film and how a jab was made toward a certain group of people causing some of the audience to snicker. We supposedly live in an age of equality, where all values and opinions are respected, yet this film clearly communicates that it is acceptable to demean Christians.

A very interesting museum where you can learn about flours. I like how they combine the old structure with the new glass structure inside it. The overlooking view is also something I really enjoyed. I think once in a while they also have something like bread making workshop or similar. Very educational.

Really interesting place. Kids may get bored.

Such a fun place for kids and adults. Amazing views and great history of Minneapolis and Minnesota can be learned here.

Where it all began.... Right in a city block.

Very historic. Worth seeing.

Little historical stop.

Cool old building.

Came after hearing about the "poultrygeist" chicken. Sauce did not mess around but neither did my girlfriend and I, we tag teamed the sandwich and it was amazing. Great flavor and not too hot while you eat but be sure to have some beer or dessert at your table because it will burn for a while (and the next day no doubt). Will definitely be back.

Great pilgrimage for an F. Scott fan!

Enjoy historical sites.

Playground in the corner is a bit advanced for my tykes but super cool fun rope ladders and such for older kids.

In my neighborhood

Impressed.

I had my doubts - it is a flour museum... Honestly really well put-together and fun. Really informative glimpse in Minneapolis' history. The Flour Tower was also pretty cool. Recommended as a fun 1.5 hr activity

Great place to bring elementary age kids. It is a fun and learning environment

One of the best places where you can explore the downtown area. Very family friendly!

Not accessable upon my visit but made for a great photo opp.

Enjoyed learning about the beginnings and history of the Mill City

Great place to learn the history of milling. Tons of demonstrations and things for kids too! There is a meeting room you can rent out as well as an event venue.

The Mill city museum is in what was the largest mill in the United States from the 1880's until it closed in 1965. The tour takes you through the history of the mill as you ride up and down the service elevator. When the tour is complete you exit the elevator on the 7th floor of the mill amd you can go to the observation deck up on the 8th floor where you get an amazing view of St. Anthony Falls as well as the downtown Minneapolis area. If you're interested in the history of the milling industry or Minneapolis I would highly recommend that you take this tour.

I didn't die!

My BIL got married here. Such a cool and unique venue especially the back open courtyard among the ruins of the exolosion.

It will make you say WOW

good place to spend a few hours learning Minnesota history. talk to the people

Very nice here.

Good experience, especially if you love baking and use the product of general mill. The tour presentation is great and the ruin look like a castle. You can have farmers market in the building for Sat 10-1pm

Cool historical site, with great views of the city and the river.

The elevator shaft tour is the best part ! Also, a great view from the top!

Great museum!

Great hands on learning. Who knew a mill could be so entertaining?

This is a great place to take 6th graders on a field trip. They have improved the field trip program a lot in the last couple of years.

Great museum. Figure 2 hrs for a good tour

Well done sharing part of this area's history! My son and I enjoyed it-he especially enjoyed the water lab!

Amazing history