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Minnesota History Center, Saint Paul, MN

Photo: Cliff, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons. Cropped and resized.

MuseumsHistory BuffRainy-Day PickFamily Favorite

Minnesota History Center

345 W Kellogg Blvd · Saint Paul, MN

Why you should go…

The Minnesota History Center is the 1992 headquarters of the Minnesota Historical Society, a large building near downtown Saint Paul whose design draws on Fort Snelling and the State Capitol. You can walk through exhibits such as Our Home: Native Minnesota and The Stories We Keep, which shows 25 objects from the society's collections. The Gale Family Library is open for research, and Cafe Minnesota serves food on site.

  • #history museum
  • #native american history
  • #minnesota history
  • #research library

Good to know

General museums guidance

Habits that pay off across this whole category, not rules for this one venue. Always check the official site for the specifics.

  • Check the special exhibition separately

    Touring shows usually carry their own ticket and their own opening hours, listed apart from general admission.

  • Look for the free window

    Many museums run community days, member evenings, or discounted late openings. It is worth a look before you pay full price.

  • Travel light through the door

    Large bags and backpacks often have to go to a coat check, and lines for it move slowly at opening.

  • Weekday mornings beat weekend afternoons

    School groups clear out by early afternoon midweek, while weekends stay busy from late morning on.

What's around here?

The closest stops to Minnesota History Center, ordered by straight-line distance. A few more like it, plus some different kinds of fun so you can build a full day.

  • Sightseeing
    Iconic

    Cathedral of Saint Paul

    Free

    One of America's grandest domed churches, crowning a hill with sweeping views over downtown St. Paul.

    0.3 mi awaySwitch it up: Sightseeing

  • Museums
    History Buff

    James J. Hill House

    Under $25

    Tour the Gilded Age mansion of railroad magnate James J. Hill on Summit Avenue, with its skylit two-story art gallery.

    0.4 mi awayMore like this

  • Sightseeing
    Iconic

    Minnesota State Capitol

    Free

    Cass Gilbert's 1905 marble statehouse with one of the world's largest self-supported marble domes, free guided tours leave hourly.

    0.4 mi awaySwitch it up: Sightseeing

  • Museums
    Family Favorite

    Science Museum of Minnesota

    $25–$50

    Hands-on science playground on the Mississippi bluff with dinosaurs, a giant Omnitheater and endlessly pushable buttons.

    0.6 mi awayMore like this

  • Sightseeing
    Local Gem

    Explore Minnesota Tourism Office

    Free

    Minnesota's state tourism office in St. Paul, offering trip-planning help for visitors traveling around the state.

    0.6 mi awaySwitch it up: Sightseeing

  • Museums
    Free

    Schubert Club

    Free

    Free music museum at Landmark Center in Saint Paul with hands-on instrument galleries and a historic keyboard collection.

    0.9 mi awayMore like this