Visitors to Mill City Museum have a new choice for walking tours this summer. Discover the dramatic story of the Minneapolis riverfront on the new Disasters of the Riverfront Tour which is offered twice during the summer on July 26 and Aug. 23 daily at 1 p.m.

Tour guests will discover the dramatic story of disasters on the Minneapolis riverfront. The area around St. Anthony Falls has been transformed many times during the rise and fall of the greatest milling district the world has ever seen. These changes led to some of the biggest and most tragic disasters in Minnesota history. On this tour, a Mill City Museum guide will tell the stories of fires, floods, explosions, collapses and other calamities; explore the consequences for the people involved; and highlight what these tales reveal about Minneapolis history. Among the stories highlighted will be the Eastman Tunnel Collapse in 1869, the Great Conflagration of 1893, bridge collapses in 1859 and 2007, numerous fires and massive landscape changes.

The tour includes 1.5 miles of moderately paced walking on uneven surfaces. Please call ahead to make arrangements for guests with limited mobility. The tour will begin and end at Mill City Museum, where participants can visit the museum’s gallery, included in the price of the tour. Cost of this tour is $14 for adults, $12 seniors and college students, $10 children ages 6-17 and MNHS members. This price includes museum admission. Reservations are recommended, call 612-341-7555 or register online. Tours are held rain or shine.

About Mill City Museum

Built within the ruins of the Washburn A Mill, a National Historic Landmark, the award-winning Mill City Museum chronicles the flour milling industry that fueled the growth of Minneapolis. The story comes to life through the eight-story Flour Tower, Water Lab, Baking Lab and other hands-on exhibits.

The museum is located at 704 S. Second St. in Minneapolis. Hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesdays through Saturdays and noon to 5 p.m. Sundays. The site is also open Mondays 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. in July and August. For more information, call 612-341-7555 or visit www.millcitymuseum.org.

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.