Banner for the exhibit 'See & Be Seen: The Evolving Power of Portraits.' It pairs the title graphic with a painting of a Black woman and young girl sitting on a waiting room bench with their luggage, while other figures sit behind them against a bright green wall.
A painting of a Black woman and young girl sitting on a waiting room bench with their luggage, while other figures sit behind them against a bright green wall.

See & Be Seen

Coming soon at Minnesota History Center

November 7, 2026 - June 13, 2027

Ticket price includes admission to all Minnesota History Center exhibits. MNHS Members get in free.

See & Be Seen demonstrates the evolving power of portraits

Whether it’s displayed in a frame, tucked in an album, or stored on a phone, every portrait tells a story. Together, these stories demonstrate the power in being seen, and being seen on your own terms.

Now on view at the Minnesota History Center—portraits from the Minnesota Historical Society’s collections that span nearly 170 years, painting a picture of our state and how it has changed. We invite you to look, learn, and reflect the Minnesota experience through the lens of our portraits.

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Whether it’s displayed in a frame, tucked in an album, or stored on a phone, every portrait tells a story. Together, these stories demonstrate the power in being seen, and being seen on your own terms.

Coming soon to the Minnesota History Center—portraits from the Minnesota Historical Society’s collections that span nearly 170 years, painting a picture of our state and how it has changed. We invite you to look, learn, and reflect the Minnesota experience through the lens of our portraits.

Leslie Barlow (b. 1989), Venessa and Felix, 2019
Rose Smith (b. 1943), Journey to Minnesota, 2008
Dewey Albinson (1898-1971), Frances Cranmer Greenman, 1925
Tom Arndt (b. 1944), Two guys Bde Maka Ska, 1999
Lamar Peterson (b. 1974), Rose Trellis, 2023
Frances Cranmer Greenman (1890-1981), John Greenman Reclining, 1917

See & Be Seen related resources

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Funding provided by the State of Minnesota's Legacy Amendment, through the vote of Minnesotans on Nov. 4, 2008, and our generous donors and members.

Media Partners

Minnesota Star Tribune.
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MPR News.

Minnesota History Center

345 W. Kellogg Blvd. St. Paul, MN 55102

651-259-3000 | infodesk@mnhs.org