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History-time!

Bring the stories of Minnesota's past into your public library or community center!

Costumed characters and playful puppets bring Minnesota's history to life in History-time, a collection of interactive programs designed especially for public libraries and community centers.

Inspire library patrons of all ages to read more about the people, places and events that have shaped Minnesota by booking one of these engaging performances.James Goodhue History Player

Scheduling

To schedule a History-time program, call 651-259-3412 or fill out the online request form.

History Players

Using props and artifacts, costumed characters from Minnesota's past step forward in time to share their memorable stories. Presentation length is 45 minutes, but can be adjusted to meet your needs. Characters distribute bookmarks to audience members at the end of each performance.

 

History Center History Players include:

Mill City Museum History Player characters include:

History Topics:

Dakota Children (Preschool through 3rd Grade) Discover how Dakota Indian children lived in the mid-1800s.

Minnesota in the Civil War (4th Grade through Adult) Learn about First Minnesota Regiment of Infantry’s role during the Civil War.

Logging in Minnesota (4th Grade through Adult) Experience life in a turn-of-the-century logging camp in Northern Minnesota.

When I Was a Kid in 1910 (Preschool through 3rd Grade) Take on the identity of a kid from 1910 and experience play, school, and chores of the era.

Packing an Immigrant’s Trunk (Preschool through 6th Grade) Examine contents of a trunk, seeing real things immigrants brought to Minnesota.

Rebuilding Shattered Lives: The Refugee Experience in Minnesota (Teen through Adult) Explore oral histories and learn about the real life experiences of Jewish, Hmong, and Somali refugees.

 

Program Cost

Fees apply to presentations on the same day at the same location. Additional fees for mileage and lodging may apply to travel outside the Twin Cities metro area.

  • $200 for one 45-minute presentation
  • $125 for second presentation
  • $75 for third presentation
  • $50 for fourth presentation

Scheduling

To arrange a visit by a History Player, contact:

For History Center Players: 651-259-3412 or HPIC@mnhs.org.
For Mill City Museum Players: contact 612-341-7556.


NOTE: History Players must be scheduled at least six weeks in advance. Availability of specific characters may be limited and is subject to change.

Need literature connections to our History Players and History Topics for your next Book Club event? Download a PDF brochure.

Z Puppets Rosenschnoz Puppetry

Developed for the Minnesota Historical Society by Z Puppets Rosenschnoz, these delightful performances will charm children and their adults. Presentation length is approximately 30 minutes.

Performances include:

Beyond Boreas

Minnesota Aha!

Celebrate Minnesota's 150th birthday with clown scholar Professor Historificus and his astute cat, Walter Mondale, as they unravel stories behind great Minnesota inventions. How did anyone think of SPAM, Scotch tape, rollerblades, kitty litter and water skis? Find out the fun facts about why Minnesota has inspired genius for centuries.

What Makes Minnesota Minnesota?

What people, places, events and things have most shaped Minnesota in its 150 years of being a state? You decide, in this playful tour of the legends, roadside attractions and beloved eccentricities that make Minnesota what it is today. With stops at Paul Bunyan, the World's Largest Twine Ball, and lakes upon lakes, meet key colorful characters that have helped define what makes Minnesota, Minnesota.

Beyond Boreas!

Summer too hot? Winter too cold? Take a comic frolic into weather myths across the world and throughout the ages with St. Paul Winter Carnival Legends, King Boreas and Vulcanus Rex. For over 100 years, Boreas and Vulcan have helped Minnesotans make it through extreme temperatures. As they get ready to put on a puppet show of the origins of the Winter Carnival, Boreas and Vulcan explore multicultural and Minnesota perspectives on how and why people tell stories about weather as a way to survive the seasons.

Z Puppets Rosenschnoz Puppetry Program Cost

Fees apply to presentations on the same day at the same location. Additional fees for mileage and lodging may apply to travel outside the Twin Cities metro area.

  • $660 for each puppet show; 10% discount on each additional show booked on same date in same location