Museums & Historical Sites
Minneapolis and Saint Paul are full of history! From the American Swedish Institute celebrating the Swedish culture to Historic Fort Snelling showcasing life of a soldier in the Civil War to the Science Museum of Minnesota bringing visitors back millions of years to when dinosaurs roamed the Earth. Prepare to learn some seriously cool stuff at the numerous historical sites and museums throughout the Twin Cities!
Minneapolis Institute of Art inspires wonder with extraordinary exhibitions and one of the finest wide-ranging art collections in the country. From Monet to Matisse, Asian to African, 40,000-year-old artifacts to world-famous masterpieces, Mia links the past to the present and enables global conversations. The museum is free every day.
The Minneapolis Sculpture Garden is one of the crown jewels of Minneapolis’ park system. The 19-acre site, located across the street for the Walker Art Center, is home to the iconic fountain-sculpture Spoonbridge and Cherry and showcases more than 40 works from the Walker Art Center’s renowned collection.
Minnesota Children’s Museum brings an exciting, immersive world to children by arousing their curiosity. Through their exhibits and programs, the museum emphasizes play as a critical ingredient in every child’s development. Consistently rated as one of the top children’s museum in the country, the Minnesota Children’s Museum is a must visit when in the Twin Cities.
Minnesota History Center is an interactive museum with permanent and changing exhibits and hosts concerts, lectures, family days and other special events throughout the year. Visitors can climb aboard a 24-ton box car or experience the extremes of Minnesota weather in a multimedia show that recreates the power of a tornado. It’s also home to the Minnesota Historical Society’s collections and provides a place for visitors to discover their connections to the past.
The Minnesota Museum of American Art showcases the unique voice of American artists from the 19th century to the present. Discover yourself and your community through American art.
The newly renovated capitol is considered an architectural masterpiece and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. See the capitol restored to awe-inspiring glory! Discover its incredible history, art, and architecture on their tours.
Experience the history of Minnesota and upper-Midwest railroads through interactive displays at the Minnesota Transportation Museum. Travel through history with in-depth exhibits featuring local and regional railway and bus history. Operate a genuine roundhouse turntable, one of the last of its kind in the country.
Norway House is a convener, connector and facilitator of Norwegian-American business, educational, social and cultural organizations. Offering space for exhibits, meetings, presentations, and office tenants, as well as a coffee shop, art gallery and gift store.
The founders of Roselawn selected 160 acres on the outskirts of Saint Paul in a tranquil rolling meadow dotted with magnificent oak, maple, and ash trees. Soon after, under the direction of renowned architect Cass Gilbert, work began on the chapel and administrative building that stand at Roselawn’s entrance. Although Gilbert’s credits include the Minnesota State Capitol and the U.S. Supreme Capitol and the U.S. Supreme Court Building, Roselawn’s buildings display his genius on a smaller, more personal scale. The stone exterior, the chapel’s beautiful fir truss ceiling, the oak woodwork, the stained glass and countless other details combine to show the hand of a master at work. Of Roselawn’s 160 original acres only 110 are in use. Of the remainder, 50 will be used in the future and 10 have been committed to remain in a natural undeveloped state.
Saint Paul City Hall and Ramsey County Courthouse is a 21-story monument of Art Deco high-rise architecture. Hour-long public tours are offered on Mondays.