Photo: Visit Saint Paul
Photo: Robert Sedillo
Photo: Chinghao Tseng
Minnesota History Center
★4.8(2,962 reviews)$Museum
🕑 3-4 hours👶 Best for ages 4-14. Preschoolers enjoy the hands-on play areas and dress-up opportunities, while elementary and middle school kids appreciate the interactive exhibits like the tornado simulator and historical role-playing activities. Teens interested in history will find the more in-depth exhibits engaging.🧡 Saved by 27 families
About
The Minnesota History Center brings the North Star State's past to life through hands-on exhibits that let kids touch, play, and explore rather than just look. From trying on vintage clothing to climbing into a real grain elevator, children actively engage with history through interactive displays that make learning feel like play. With its impressive 4.8-star rating and reputation for outstanding family programming, this museum strikes the perfect balance between educational and entertaining.
Highlights
- ✓Hands-on activities like operating a vintage telephone switchboard and trying on period clothing
- ✓The Grain Elevator exhibit where kids can climb and explore
- ✓Interactive weather station with a tornado simulator
- ✓Living history presentations with costumed interpreters
- ✓The Waters of Minnesota exhibit featuring interactive water play elements
Pro Tips
- 1.Visit on Thursday evenings when the museum stays open until 8:00 PM for smaller crowds and a more relaxed experience.
- 2.Start your visit on the third floor and work your way down to save energy,the most interactive kid-friendly exhibits are on the lower levels.
- 3.Pack snacks or plan for the on-site café, as exploring the museum can take several hours and hungry kids get cranky.
- 4.Check the museum's calendar before visiting for special programs like living history demonstrations and family workshops that are included with admission.
- 5.Free parking is available in the museum's ramp with validation, saving you the hassle of finding street parking in downtown St. Paul.
Best Time to Visit
Visit Wednesday or Thursday mornings for the quietest experience, as weekends can get busy with local families. Thursday evenings offer extended hours with fewer crowds. Avoid Monday and Tuesday when the museum is closed.
What to Know
Admission fees apply (typically discounted for kids), but the museum offers free admission on select days throughout the year. The facility is fully accessible with elevators, and there's a café on-site for meals and snacks, plus a well-stocked gift shop.
Seasonal Notes
Open year-round with special holiday programming during December. Summer months often feature expanded family activities and outdoor history events. Check ahead for potential closures during major holidays.
Real Experiences
@mnhs.info
View on TikTok
Nearby Eats
The nearby Cossetta Alimentari (a 5-minute walk) offers Italian favorites including pizza and pasta that kids love, with a casual cafeteria-style setup. Mickey's Diner, a classic 1950s dining car just minutes away, serves breakfast all day and is a fun nostalgic experience for families.
More Activities Near Minneapolis
Museum
Science Museum of Minnesota
★4.6$$❤️79
The Science Museum of Minnesota is a hands-on wonderland where kids can dig for fossils, explore the Mississippi River ecosystem, and experience mind-blowing demonstrations in one of the nation's premier science centers. With its impressive OMNIMAX theater and constantly changing interactive exhibits spanning everything from dinosaurs to space exploration, this museum keeps curious minds engaged for hours without ever feeling like a traditional classroom.
Museum
The Works Museum
★4.4$❤️13
The Works Museum is an engineer's dream playground where kids become hands-on inventors and problem-solvers. This interactive museum lets children dive deep into the world of mechanical engineering by building with real pulleys, gears, levers, and other engineering components. Unlike traditional museums, everything here is designed to be touched, manipulated, and experimented with, making it perfect for curious minds who love to figure out how things work.
Aquarium
SEA LIFE Minnesota Aquarium
$$
SEA LIFE Minnesota Aquarium offers an immersive underwater adventure in the heart of Bloomington's Mall of America complex. Kids can walk through a spectacular 300-foot ocean tunnel with sharks swimming overhead, get hands-on at interactive touch pools with sea stars and anemones, and meet thousands of fascinating sea creatures from seahorses to stingrays. The indoor setting makes it a perfect year-round destination regardless of Minnesota's weather.
Theater
Children's Theatre Company
★4.8$$❤️24
The Children's Theatre Company is one of the nation's premier professional theaters dedicated entirely to young audiences, bringing beloved stories to life with Broadway-quality productions, innovative staging, and age-appropriate storytelling. With an impressive 4.8-star rating from over 1,400 families, this Minneapolis gem offers everything from classic fairy tales to contemporary stories, ensuring kids experience the magic of live theater at its finest.