Minneapolis Museums
(Minneapolis, Minnesota - MN, USA)
Minneapolis is a culture vulture's paradise, boasting two world-renowned art museums, the largest metropolitan sculpture park in America, and a number of historical and scientific centers.
Visit the Bakken Library for an off-beat view of electricity, and the Minneapolis Bell Museum for outstanding natural history displays. Also of note in Minneapolis is the applauded and highly amusing Museum of Questionable Medical Devices, which stands alongside the Heenpin Island Park and has become better known to many locals as the 'Quackery Hall of Fame'.
American Swedish Institute
Address: 2600 Park Avenue, Minneapolis, Minnesota MN, 55407-1090, USA
Tel: +1 612 871 4907
The American Swedish Institute was established in 1929 to celebrate Swedish history, art and culture, and explore the lifestyle of Swedish immigrants living in America. The museum can be found in the historical Turnblad Mansion and exhibits include the permanent show, 'Swedish Life in the Twin Cities', as well as a stunning array of artworks, textiles, Swedish glass and decorative items.
Open hours: Tuesday, Thursday to Saturday - 12:00 to 16:00, Wednesday - 12:00 to 20:00, Sunday - 13:00 to 17:00, seasonal variations apply
Admission: charge, discounts for seniors and children under 13, children under six and members free, every first Wednesday of the month free
Bakken Library and Museum
Address: 3537 Zenith Avenue South, Minneapolis, Minnesota MN, 55416, USA
Tel: +1 612 926 3878
Housed inside a historical Tudor mansion perched above Lake Calhoun, the Bakken Library and Museum was founded by Earl Bakken, inventor of the world's first transistorized pacemaker, and focuses on the role of electricity in our lives. This complex is full of interesting bits and bobs that can be pushed, pulled and manipulated for an entertaining and educational interactive experience. In the summer months, visitors have the added attraction of the fragrant medicinal garden to explore.
Open hours: Tuesday to Saturday - 10:00 to 17:00, Thursday - 10:00 to 20:00
Admission: charge, discounts for students and seniors, children under six free
Bell Museum of Natural History
Address: 17th and University Avenue SE East, BU of M Campus, Minneapolis, Minnesota MN, 55414, USA
Tel: +1 612 624 7083
Responsible for America's first interactive natural history exhibit, the Touch and See Room, the Minneapolis Bell Museum of Natural History has been open for over 120 years and offers a fascinating and enriching experience to all those who visit. Displays here include an impressive collection of artworks related to the natural sciences, dioramas showcasing Minnesota's diverse natural environments and the famed Touch and See Room, with its array of natural objects available for handling.
Open hours: Tuesday to Friday - 09:00 to 17:00, Saturday - 10:00 to 17:00, Sunday - 12:00 to 17:00
Admission: charge, discounts for seniors and under 17s, children under three free, Sundays free
Hennepin History Museum (HHM)
Address: 2303 Third Avenue South, Minneapolis, Minnesota MN, 55404-3505, USA
Tel: +1 612 870 1329
The Hennepin History Museum covers two floors of an imposing manor house and provides an in-depth exploration into the history of the city itself, together with the state of Minnesota, showcasing both permanent and rotating exhibits. Many of the oldest exhibits focus of the lives of the earliest Hennepin County settlers.
Open hours: Sunday - 13:00 to 17:00, Tuesday - 10:00 to 14:00, Wednesday - 13:00 to 17:00, Thursday - 13:00 to 20:00, Friday and Saturday - 13:00 to 17:00
Admission: charge, discounts for seniors and children, members free
Mill City Museum
Address: 704 South Second Street, Minneapolis, Minnesota MN, 55401, USA
Tel: +1 612 341 7555
Fittingly located in the antiquated ruins of a massive flour mill at the historical Riverfront District, the Mill City Museum documents the flour-milling industry that spurred the city's past growth and prosperity, and earned it the nickname 'Mill City'. Close by is the popular Mill City Farmers Market, the Guthrie Theater and the iconic Stone Arch Bridge, all of which add further interest to this part of the city.
Open hours: Tuesday to Saturday - 10:00 to 17:00, Sunday - 12:00 to 17:00, Monday - 10:00 to 17:00, seasonal variations apply
Admission: charge, discounts for under 18s, children under four free
Museum of Questionable Medical Devices
Address: 201 SE Main Street, Minneapolis, Minnesota MN, USA
Tel: +1 612 379 4046
This fantastic museum is as amusing as it is informative, showcasing a bizarre collection of advertisements and actual devices spanning 200 years of medical fraud. Items at the Museum of Questionable Medical Devices include a breast enlargement funnel, an advertisement for a tape worm diet aid and a working-order phrenology machine that will provide you with a personality analysis by 'reading' the topography of your skull.
Open hours: Tuesday to Thursday - 17:00 to 21:00, Friday and Saturday - 12:00 to 21:00, Sunday - 12:00 to 17:00
Admission: free