The former packing floor of the mill, now Mill Commons, now features the museum store, cafe, changing exhibits, and visitor information. The exhibits are free to the public during regular museum hours and change two to three times per year.
All MNHS historic sites and museums are temporarily closed to the public. More details.
Special Exhibits
Current Exhibit
Current Exhibit
“My Mighty Journey: A Waterfall’s Story”
Prints by Gaylord Schanilec
November 9, 2019–March 29, 2020
Explore artwork by internationally acclaimed artist Gaylord Schanilec that tells the story of the only major waterfall on the Mississippi River—known as Owamniyomni in Dakota and St. Anthony Falls in English—and the changes it has witnessed over 12,000 years.
Making prints with materials collected along the riverbank, Schanilec creates works of art that show the progression of the waterfall over thousands of years from present-day St. Paul to its current location, 15 miles upriver in downtown Minneapolis. The exhibit features images of Schanilec's artwork from the MNHS Press book "My Mighty Journey: A Waterfall's Story" by author John Coy.