UPDATE: Minnesota History River Paddle has been cancelled.

The Sibley Historic Site offers a slate of programs this summer for lovers of history, music, art and nature. New this season is a tour tour designed to spark conversation about the many sides of Henry Sibley.

Event: The Many Faces of Henry Sibley
Dates: June 7 and 14, July 5 and 12, and Aug. 2 and 9
Time: Tours run on the hour noon to 4 p.m.
Fee: $7 adults, $6 seniors and college students, $5 children ages 6-17; free for MNHS members.
Reservations: recommended; call 612-726-1171 or register online.

In this new 60-minute guided tour, visitors will explore the controversial life and career of Minnesota's first governor, Henry Hastings Sibley. Known as Minnesota's "Founding Father," Sibley was a national politician, a founder of the Minnesota Territory and leading architect of its constitution. Join a walking tour of the Sibley Historic Site as guides lead a discussion about the many sides of Sibley, including his reputation as a cultural leader who bridged Dakota and European-American cultures but also his role in controversial treaty negotiations, as well as in battles and trials against the Dakota, the exile of Dakota people and the punitive expeditions against them after the U.S.-Dakota War of 1862.

Event: Jazz in June
Date: June 14
Time: 7 to 9 p.m. (doors open at 6:30).
Fee: $10 / 7 for MNHS members.
Reservations: recommended; call 651-452-1596.

Celebrate Mendota's rich jazz history with an evening of great music from the Jack Brass Band. The Minneapolis-based band plays energetic New Orleans-style jazz reminiscent of the music that used to fill the clubs around Mendota in the 1960s, '70s and '80s. Bring your friends and family, a blanket or chair and enjoy music on the Sibley Historic Site lawn. In case of bad weather, the show will move to the Mendota VFW. Due to limited indoor seating, advanced tickets are strongly recommended. A decision to move indoors will be made by 3 p.m. on the day of the program.

Event: Family Art Day
Date: July 12
Time: 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Fee: FREE

In the 1890s, Minnesota artist Burt Harwood taught a summer art school at the Sibley House. On Family Art Day, visit the site and get creative. Try different kinds of art inspired by history and nature at art stations around the site. Have a picnic, play old-fashioned games on the lawn and stay in Mendota for the Mendota Day festival.

Event: Minnesota History River Paddle - CANCELLED
Dates: Aug. 2 and 9
Time: 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Fee: $65 adults, $45 children 6-17; $5 discount for MNHS members.
Reservations: required; call 612-726-1171.

UPDATE **This program has been cancelled due to recent flooding.**

Join the Sibley Historic Site and Wilderness Inquiry for a unique program that explores the importance of the confluence of the Mississippi and Minnesota Rivers, and how those who lived in the area shaped Minnesota’s future. Take a tour of the historic buildings and learn about the fur trade, the establishment of Minnesota, and the U.S.-Dakota War of 1862. Then take to the river with Wilderness Inquiry canoe guides who will share the environmental, cultural and historical significance of the junction of two of Minnesota’s mightiest rivers. Children are welcome on this family friendly event, but must be age 6 years or older and at least 30 pounds to accommodate the provided life jackets.

About the Sibley Historic Site

The Minnesota Historical Society site is in Mendota at 1357 Sibley Memorial Hwy. (Hwy. 13). It features four original limestone buildings from the era when the American Fur Company operated a regional trade with the Dakota, between 1825 and 1853. The home of Henry Hastings Sibley is on the site, as is his office as first state governor. Call 651-452-1596 for more information.

The Society’s calendar of events is posted online at www.mnhs.org/calendar. The website also has information about all of the Society’s programs, museums and historic sites.

The Minnesota Historical Society is a non-profit educational and cultural institution established in 1849. The Society collects, preserves and tells the story of Minnesota’s past through museum exhibits, libraries and collections, historic sites, educational programs and book publishing. Using the power of history to transform lives, the Society preserves our past, shares our state’s stories and connects people with history.

The Minnesota Historical Society is supported in part by its Premier Partners: Xcel Energy and Explore Minnesota Tourism.