Many Voices, Many Stories, One Place exhibit.

Now on view!

Many Voices, Many Stories, One Place

Experience the converging histories of Historic Fort Snelling located at Bdote in this new immersive exhibit told through real people’s perspectives at one of the most pivotal sites in Minnesota history.

The Life and Art of Charles Schulz Exhibit.

Now on view!

The Life & Art of Charles M. Schulz

Explore Charles Schulz’s personal history and his role as the inspiration and artistic talent behind Peanuts and its beloved cast of characters. Exhibit now on view at the Minnesota History Center.

Family in front of Split Rock Lighthouse.

Join us

Historic Adventures

Visit any or all of MNHS’s 26 historic locations and see our state, or your hometown, in a whole new light.

Minnesota state flag.

State Emblems Redesign Commission

As outlined in state statute, MNHS is providing administrative support for the State Emblems Redesign Commission, created to develop and adopt a new design for the official state seal and a new design for the official state flag.

Welcome to the Minnesota Historical Society

History shapes, inspires, and informs the present. We strive to bring forward, share, and preserve the diverse histories that make up Minnesota’s complex past. Experience Minnesota history through our network of historic sites, museums, and exhibitions, our extensive collections and research, and our thought-provoking educational programming. Join us! Cultivate your curiosity and experience powerful engagements with history today.
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    Get out and explore MNHS historic sites and museums around Minnesota.
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    Fife players in historic costume.
    View all MNHS programs and events.
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    Leather drawstring bag decorated with floral beadwork.
    Search a wealth of records and images from MNHS collections.
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    Delve into essential research tools, materials, and services.
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    Three teenagers sit at a table looking at papers and writing notes.
    Learn about field trips, the Northern Lights textbook, primary sources, and more.
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    MNHS preserves and protects the objects, documents, and places that make Minnesota home.
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    Following my spirit home book.
    MNHS Press is a leading publisher of books on the history and culture of Minnesota and the Upper Midwest.
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    Hotdish hot pads.
    Shop for books and gifts relating to the fascinating people, long history, and unique culture of Minnesota.

Explore

Collections, stories, and more

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Use our online resources and the Gale Family Library to research your past and understand the life we share today. Search our extensive database of birth and death certificates and the State Archives. 

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Southdale center.

MNopedia

Southdale Center

Southdale Center was built at a cost of $20 million and had eighty thousand square feet; it opened with seventy-two stores and two anchors, Dayton's and Donaldson's. Seventy-five thousand people attended the gala opening on October 8, 1956.

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Making Minnesota Activity Book.

Making Minnesota Activity Book

Free and full of information for kids of all ages, Making Minnesota offers activities to help readers engage with all things Minnesota—and the history that made it all possible.

Kids will create their own illustrations and drawings, maps, and lists of favorite places, all while discovering the many things that make Minnesota unique.

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The Essential Dear Dara book cover.

MNHS Press

For 25 years, Dara Moskowitz Grumdahl has been a fixture of Twin Cities life, telling the stories of our people, places, and (sometimes delicious) things. If journalism is the first draft of history, what Dara does—reported features and essays—are more like the first draft of culture.

Upcoming
MNHS events

See all events

tweed ride 2023

October 7, 2023, 9am - 5pm

James J. Hill House, St. Paul

Fall Horse Drawn Trolley Program Forest History Center

October 7, 2023, 11:30am - 12:30pm

Forest History Center, Grand Rapids

chin author talk

October 8, 2023, 2 - 3:30pm

Minnesota History Center, St. Paul


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Illustration of Minnesota with landmarks.

26 locations
Unlimited history

MNHS historic sites and museums offer unique insights into Minnesota’s past and present.

Come explore the lives of lumberjacks, learn how Indigenous knowledge has shaped our history, step into the world of famous Minnesotans, or take in spectacular views!


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Become a member

MNHS membership is the best way to create your very own historic adventure. Members get the best deal in history with free general admission and discounts on events, purchases, and more at our historic sites and museums for a full year.