Events at the Minnesota History Center

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			Folk Art: Junior Girl Scout Workshop Minnesota History Center, St. Paul MN Dates: Nov. 21, 2009, Jan. 16, 2010, Feb. 20, 2010 Time: 1 to 3:30 p.m Fee: $12 girls, $5 adults Reservations: required, call 651-259-3015 What do images and artifacts tell us about the past? In this workshop, explore the "Minnesota’s Greatest Generation" exhibit and examine historic photographs, objects and toys to discover what it was like to grow up during the Great Depression. Learn the art of storytelling and perform a short skit from the golden age of radio. Create and decorate a vintage style hat made from recycled materials. This workshop fulfills the requirements for the Folk Arts badge. Price includes admission to all History Center museum galleries. Workshops must be booked at least two weeks in advance. Additions or group cancellations must be made at least two weeks prior to scheduled visit. Prepayment required. Exhibit Preview/Breakfast for Benjamin Franklin: In Search of a Better World Minnesota History Center, St. Paul MN Dates: Nov. 27, 2009 Time: 8:30 a.m. to Noon Fee: $18, $5 children ages 6-17, free for children ages 5 and under. Minnesota Historical Society members are invited to see the new History Center exhibit "Benjamin Franklin: In Search of Better World" before the exhibit opens to the general public. The preview also includes a light breakfast and a presentation of "On Being Healthy, Wealthy and Wise: by Benjamin Franklin" at 10 a.m. in the 3M Auditorium. THIS EVENT IS SOLD OUT. Franklin Family Days Minnesota History Center, St. Paul MN Dates: Nov. 27, 2009, Nov. 28, 2009, Nov. 29, 2009 Time: Noon to 4 p.m. Fee: $10 adults, $8 seniors and college students, $5 children ages 6-17; free for children age 5 and under and MHS members. Tour the new exhibit "Benjamin Franklin: In Search of a Better World" with hands-on activities, music and performances about Franklin's electrifying past. Craft Activities, daily, noon to 4 p.m.: Make a 2010 Almanack using a replica Franklin common press, a set of pipe-cleaner spectacles and a printer’s cap from folded newspaper. Exhibit Activities, daily noon to 4 p.m.: Join a museum interpreter in the "Electricity Party" area for "circle shocks," a static shock transferred around a ring of joined hands, and demonstrations of how lightning works with "Franklin's Bells" and the "Thunder House." Dance Party, daily 12:30 and 1:30 p.m.: Join costumed instructors Jane Peck and Judith Eisner of "Dance Revels Moving History" for a dance party and lesson in colonial-era dance moves. Meet Ben Franklin, Friday, noon and 1:30 p.m.; Saturday, 1 p.m.; Sunday, noon to 4 p.m.: Franklin, as portrayed by actors Christopher Lowell and Shawn Hoffman, will talk about his life and what made him tick. Ben Franklin: "Still, Healthy Wealthy and Wise," Friday and Saturday, 3 p.m.: Head to the 3M Auditorium for Christopher Lowell's special theatrical presentation complete with audience Q & A. Musical Experiments, Friday and Saturday, 2 p.m.: Douglas R. Ewart and the Inventions use a variety of objects including skis, tennis rackets, vinyl records and CDs to create music for this unique performance. Plus, learn about Franklin's own invention called a glass armonica, a musical instrument made of glass bowls. Colonial Music Jam, Sunday, 2 p.m.: Join musician Judith Eisner and the "Moving History Ensemble" for a classical music performance using instruments from Franklin's day. See related events. Benjamin Franklin: In Search of a Better World Minnesota History Center, St. Paul MN Opening: November 27, 2009 Hours: Museum and Stores: Tuesday 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. (free admission 5 to 8 p.m.); Wednesday through Saturday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Sunday noon to 5 p.m. Closed Mondays except Monday holidays year round (open Martin Luther King Day, Presidents Day, Memorial Day and Labor Day). Library: Tuesday noon to 8 p.m.; Wednesday through Friday noon to 5 p.m.; Saturday 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.; Sunday noon to 4 p.m. Closed Monday, Memorial Day and Labor Day Weekends, and major holidays including the day after Thanksgiving. Fee: $10 adults, $8 seniors and college students, $5 children ages 6-17; free for children age 5 and under and MHS members. You know about Benjamin Franklin’s famous experiment with a kite, a key and some lightning, but did you also know about his rebellious youth? That he pioneered wind surfing and invented swim fins? That he helped found the nation’s first hospital, was an environmentalist and charted the Gulf Stream to assist in ocean travel? In many ways Benjamin Franklin is the founding father nobody knows – misunderstood because of the sheer breadth and diversity of his accomplishments. Discover the many ways Franklin has affected our world today in the new exhibit, “Benjamin Franklin: In Search of a Better World,” on display at the Minnesota History Center, Nov 27, 2009-July 4, 2010. Presented by Xcel Energy with additional support by Medtronic Foundation. Media support provided by Star Tribune, KARE 11 and WCCO Radio. See related events. Inventive Women: Portraits of Scientists and Engineers from the University of Minnesota Minnesota History Center, St. Paul MN Opening: November 27, 2009 Hours: Museum and Stores: Tuesday 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. (free admission 5 to 8 p.m.); Wednesday through Saturday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Sunday noon to 5 p.m. Closed Mondays except Monday holidays year round (open Martin Luther King Day, Presidents Day, Memorial Day and Labor Day). Library: Tuesday noon to 8 p.m.; Wednesday through Friday noon to 5 p.m.; Saturday 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.; Sunday noon to 4 p.m. Closed Monday, Memorial Day and Labor Day Weekends, and major holidays including the day after Thanksgiving. Fee: $10 adults, $8 seniors and college students, $5 children ages 6-17; free for children age 5 and under and MHS members. View photographs of women faculty at the University of Minnesota's Institute of Technology, taken by Nancy G. Johnson, a fine-art photographer who works at the Institute. Johnson, who has exhibited at galleries around Minnesota, notes "In a college that houses 395 faculty, only 39 are women. There are so many problems to solve, so many things that need to be invented. Benjamin Franklin said, 'Energy and persistence conquer all things.' It will take all of us – men and women – to come up with the ideas and solutions to help our world flourish." This exhibit is offered in conjunction with "Ben Franklin: In Search of a Better World" on view concurrently at the Minnesota History Center. See related events. Exhibit Reception, 'Inventive Women' Minnesota History Center, St. Paul MN Dates: Dec. 1, 2009 Time: 5 to 8 p.m. Fee: Free Meet Nancy G. Johnson, photographer for the exhibit "Inventive Women: Portraits of Scientists and Engineers from the University of Minnesota" and learn about the women scientists featured. Johnson will respond to audience questions. This exhibit is offered in conjunction with "Ben Franklin: In Search of a Better World" on view concurrently at the Minnesota History Center. For more information visit http://www.mnhs.org/benfranklin. See related events. Finessing Story Structure, A Documentary Workshop Minnesota History Center, St. Paul MN Dates: Dec. 1, 2009 Time: 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Fee: $15, 12 for MHS members Reservations: required, email info@thestoryboard.org or register online During this workshop, offered in partnership with The Storyboard, writer and producer Susan Marks will help aspiring documentarians build strong story lines. Participants will learn to organize footage around a story and create a "paper edit," a text outline of the documentary’s "script." Member Holiday Shopping Weekend Minnesota History Center, St. Paul MN Dates: Dec. 3, 2009, Dec. 4, 2009, Dec. 5, 2009, Dec. 6, 2009 Time: Times vary; call 651-259-3131 or participating sites Fee: Free Members receive a 20-percent discount on regularly priced merchandise at the History Center Museum Stores, Mill City Museum and gift shops at historic sites around the state. This pre-holiday sale features one-of-a-kind items such as books from MHS Press, jewelry and other Minnesota arts and crafts, and gifts with a regional flavor. Discounts also apply at Cafe Minnesota and the Mill City Museum Cafe. Participating museums and historic sites include the Alexander Ramsey House, Forest History Center, James J. Hill House, Charles A. Lindbergh Historic Site, Minnesota History Center, Minnesota State Capitol, Mill City Museum, Mille Lacs Indian Museum and Fur Trading Post and Split Rock Lighthouse. A current membership card must be presented. Memberships may be purchased during these days with discount effective immediately. Discount also available online at www.mnhs.org/shop. Booksigning: Peg Meier, 'Bring Warm Clothes' and 'Too Hot, Went to the Lake' Minnesota History Center, St. Paul MN Dates: Dec. 3, 2009 Time: 1 to 2 p.m. Fee: Free Peg Meier, former Star Tribune writer and author of "Bring Warm Clothes" and "Too Hot, Went to the Lake," will be on hand to meet visitors and sign copies of her books, recently reissued in new editions by MHS Press. The event is held in conjunction with Members Double Discount Shopping Days. Booksigning: Michael Norman, 'The Nearly Departed: Minnesota Ghost Stories and Legends' Minnesota History Center, St. Paul MN Dates: Dec. 4, 2009 Time: Noon to 1 p.m. Fee: Free Author Michael Norman will meet visitors and sign copies of "The Nearly Departed: Minnesota Ghost Stories and Legends," recently published by MHS Press. The event is held in conjunction with Members Double Discount Shopping Days. A Radio Holiday: Songs, Stories, Singalong with Prudence Johnson and Dan Chouinard Minnesota History Center, St. Paul MN Dates: Dec. 5, 2009 Time: 2 to 3:30 p.m. Fee: $15, $10 MHS members Reservations: required, call 651-259-3015 or register online Enjoy a concert of classic holiday standards with local tunesmiths, Prudence Johnson and Dan Chouinard. In support of the History Center's new exhibit, Minnesota’s Greatest Generation: The Depression, The War & The Boom, Johnson and Chouinard share holiday interpretations of timeless standards of the 30s and 40s in voice and piano. Join in the fun and sing along. Booksigning: Don Stolz, 'The Old Log Theater and Me' Minnesota History Center, St. Paul MN Dates: Dec. 5, 2009 Time: 1:30 to 2:30 p.m. Fee: Free Don Stolz will be on hand to meet visitors and sign copies of his newly published autobiography, "The Old Log Theater and Me." The theater has entertained more than six million patrons since opening its doors in 1940. Stolz, the heart and soul of the theater, has worked there seven days a week for the past 70 years. His autobiography is a thorough account of his joint life journey with the unique, cherished theater and its Midwestern take on the stage arts. Presented in conjuction with Members Double Discount Shopping Days. Booksigning: Bette Hammel & Karen Melvin, 'The Legendary Homes of Lake Minnetonka' Minnesota History Center, St. Paul MN Dates: Dec. 5, 2009 Time: 1 to 2 p.m. Fee: Free Author Bette Hammel and photographer Karen Melvin will be on hand to meet visitors and sign copies of their book, "The Legendary Homes of Lake Minnetonka," recently published by Minnesota Historical Society Press. The event is held in conjuction with Members Double Discount Shopping Days. Booksigning: Betty Vos Hemstad, 'Wildflowers of the Boundary Waters' Minnesota History Center, St. Paul MN Dates: Dec. 5, 2009 Time: 2 to 3 p.m. Fee: Free Author Betty Vos Hemstad will be on hand to meet visitors and sign copies of "Wildflowers of the Boundary Waters," recently published by MHS Press. The event is held in conjuction with Members Double Discount Shopping Days. History Lounge: The Inventive Mr. Jones Minnesota History Center, St. Paul MN Dates: Dec. 8, 2009 Time: 7 p.m. Fee: Free Explore the complex life and mind of Minnesota inventor Frederick McKinley Jones, a self-taught engineer who tirelessly pursued innovations that would improve the lives of others. Jones pioneered new technology in areas ranging from communication and medical imaging to mobile refrigeration, eventually receiving 61 patents in his name. Join Society historian and educator Dwight Scott as he discusses how Jones faced down racial prejudice and his own demons to become one of the most accomplished inventors of the 20th century. This program is held in conjunction with the History Center exhibit "Benjamin Franklin: In Search of a Better World." For more information visit http://www.mnhs.org/benfranklin. See more events in this series See related events. History Forum: Benjamin Franklin Minnesota History Center, St. Paul MN Dates: Dec. 12, 2009 Time: 2 to 3:15 p.m. Fee: Individual tickets: $14; $10 MHS members, on sale September 21. Reservations: required, call 651-259-3015 or register online Talented polymath Benjamin Franklin focused most of his long life and his prodigious energy on politics. Through his own experiences in America’s early political and civic life, Franklin acquired a deep insight into the ways human nature complicates government and developed a clear-eyed, still relevant concept of the imperative role citizens must play in maintaining liberty and democracy. Explore Benjamin Franklin’s search for the keys to sustainable democracy with Lorraine Pangle, scholar of American political thought and ethics, author of "The Political Philosophy of Benjamin Franklin and Associate Professor of Government at the University of Texas-Austin." Forum guests are encouraged to tour the new History Center exhibit "Benjamin Franklin: In Search of a Better World" before of after the lecture. See more events in this series See related events. Kwanzaa Celebration Minnesota History Center, St. Paul MN Dates: Dec. 27, 2009 Time: Noon to 4 p.m. Fee: $10 adults, $8 seniors and college students, $5 children ages 6-17; free for children age 5 and under and MHS members. This year's annual family celebration takes place on the second day of Kwanzaa and focuses on the principle, Kujichagulia, a Swahili word meaning self-determination. The day is jam-packed with events. From noon to 4 p.m. families can participate in the History HiJinx art activity making West African inspired door panels out of cardboard, raffia and textured material. At 12:15 and 1:45 p.m. "Auntie Beverly" will introduce folk heroes, cultural tricksters and old tales in special storytelling sessions. At 1 p.m. Kenna Sarge and Voice of Culture will showcase West African rhythms and at 2 p.m. the African Global Roots group will present a fashion show of African inspired American designs. At 3 p.m. the Tiyumba Dance Company will perform an energetic dancing, singing and drumming set. Plus, throughout the day, families can shop in the Kwanzaa Market Place, for unique artisan crafted items, many representing West African countries. Going Places: The Mystique of Mobility Minnesota History Center, St. Paul MN Closing: January 4, 2010 Hours: Museum and Stores: Tuesday 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. (free admission 5 to 8 p.m.); Wednesday through Saturday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Sunday noon to 5 p.m. Closed Mondays except Monday holidays year round (open Martin Luther King Day, Presidents Day, Memorial Day and Labor Day). Library: Tuesday noon to 8 p.m.; Wednesday through Friday noon to 5 p.m.; Saturday 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.; Sunday noon to 4 p.m. Closed Monday, Memorial Day and Labor Day Weekends, and major holidays including the day after Thanksgiving. Fee: $10 adults, $8 seniors and college students, $5 children ages 6-17; free for children age 5 and under and MHS members. The American passion for mobility has shaped Minnesota. Travel back through time to celebrate the promise of the new, reflect on the consequences of the past, and debate and dream of ways of moving transportation into the 21st century. "Going Places," part of the Minnesota History Transportation Network, is funded in part by the Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century (TEA-21) through the U.S. Department of Transportation. Listening to the Past: Brownie Girl Scout Workshop Minnesota History Center, St. Paul MN Dates: Jan. 9, 2010, Feb. 13, 2010 Time: 10:30 to noon Fee: $10 girls, $5 adults Reservations: required, call 651-259-3015 Explore the exhibit "Open House: If These Walls Could Talk" with a museum guide and discover the stories of the families who lived in one house in St. Paul's East Side for more than 118 years. Play games that the children who lived in the house played. Learn about Minnesota women who have made a difference and act out their stories using puppets you make and take home. This workshop completes the requirements for the Brownie Girl Scout Listening to the Past badge. Price includes admission to all History Center museum galleries. Workshops must be booked at least two weeks in advance. Additions or group cancellations must be made at least two weeks prior to scheduled visit. Prepayment required. History HiJinx: "I Have A Dream" Luminaries Minnesota History Center, St. Paul MN Dates: Jan. 18, 2010 Time: Noon to 4 p.m. Fee: $10 adults, $8 seniors and college students, $5 children ages 6-17; free for children age 5 and under and MHS members. Use colorful tissue paper and markers to write messages that reflect messages of mutual respect, tolerance and understanding and then make a collage by putting the opaque papers onto the luminary panels to commemorate Dr. Martin Luther King. When assembled a candle will shed light on words to remember and live by. Global Hotdish Variety Show: T. Mychael Rambo Hosts Minnesota History Center, St. Paul MN Dates: Jan. 23, 2010 Time: 2 to 3:30 p.m. Fee: $12 adults, $5 children ages 6 to 17; $2 discount for MHS member adult ticket only. Tickets include museum gallery admission. Reservations: required, register online This whimsical 90-minute variety show features multi-cultural, multi-generational artists performing and leading the crowd in music, dancing and sing-a-long entertainment. Host T. Mychael Rambo is joined by yo yo master Dazzling Dave; Maryam Yusefzadeh and Tim O'Keefe singing Persian song poems; Bob Walser and family performing Appalachian flat foot clogging; the fur trade fashions and a capella harmonies of The Sons of the Voyaguer; pre-teen vocal sensation and Minnesota State Fair talent winner Julius Andrews IV; and Beth Gilleland's Geo Pop Quiz & Great State Trivia TidBits. Music provided by Los Jefes. Arrive early for pre-show entertainment in the History Center Rotunda at 1:30 p.m. See more events in this series Winter Carnival Weekend Puppet Show and History HiJinx Craft Activity Minnesota History Center, St. Paul MN Dates: Jan. 23, 2010, Jan. 24, 2010, Jan. 30, 2010, Jan. 31, 2010 Time: Noon to 4 p.m. Fee: $10 adults, $8 seniors and college students, $5 children ages 6-17; free for children age 5 and under and MHS members. Meet Minnesota legends King Boreas and Vulcanus Rex, performed by Z Puppets Rosenschnoz' Shari Aronson and Christopher Griffith, for a comic overview of their royal origins through puppets and storytelling in "Beyond Boreas! A Puppet Show of Frozen Follies and Mythical Meltdowns" at 1:30, 2:30 and 3:30 p.m. Families and children also can make a shimmering icicle crown and royal sceptor at a History HiJinx craft activity throughout the afternoon. History Lounge: The Tireless Dr. Ripley Minnesota History Center, St. Paul MN Dates: Jan. 26, 2010 Time: 7 p.m. Fee: Free Discover the work of Dr. Martha Ripley (1843-1912), a determined early advocate for women’s health and social equality who was once denounced on the floor of the Minnesota State Senate, but now has a plaque in her honor at the Capitol. One of the state’s first female physicians and a passionate suffragist, Dr. Ripley established Maternity Hospital of Minneapolis in 1886 and pioneered a new model for the medical profession’s treatment of single mothers. Join Ripley scholar and Regions Hospital medical librarian Mary Wittenbreer as she examines Ripley’s tireless campaign to change the way Minnesotans viewed women. This program is being held in connection with “Benjamin Franklin: In Search of a Better World.” See more events in this series History Forum: General George Marshall Minnesota History Center, St. Paul MN Dates: Jan. 30, 2010 Time: 2 to 3:15 p.m. Fee: Individual tickets: $14; $10 MHS members, on sale September 21. Reservations: required, call 651-259-3015 or register online A humble, but blunt and pragmatic planner, General George C. Marshall directed both the largest war-time army and the largest post-war recovery plan in U.S. history. After helping America win World War II, he sold us on the Marshall Plan to rebuild what had been destroyed, challenging the United States to lead in war and peace. Explore General Marshall’s quest to repair a world devastated by war with U.S. foreign relations and military history scholar and author of George C. Marshall: Soldier-Statesman of the American Century, Mark A. Stoler, Professor Emeritus of History at the University of Vermont. See more events in this series See related events. Black History Month History HiJinx and Scavenger Hunt Minnesota History Center, St. Paul MN Dates: Feb. 6, 2010, Feb. 7, 2010, Feb. 13, 2010, Feb. 14, 2010, Feb. 20, 2010, Feb. 21, 2010, Feb. 27, 2010, Feb. 28, 2010 Time: Noon to 4 p.m. Fee: $10 adults, $8 seniors and college students, $5 children ages 6-17; free for children age 5 and under and MHS members. Explore the museum galleries and hunt for special cards to learn about African American men and women who made significant contributions to the state of Minnesota. Then use these images, as well as other collage materials, to create a “tunnel book," a three-dimensional souvenir popular in the 19th century used to document and recreate important places and historical events. A History Player portraying African American inventor Frederick McKinley Jones will give performances Sundays in February at 1, 2, 3 and 4 p.m. in “MN150” exhibit. History Lounge: The Productive Dr. Borlaug Minnesota History Center, St. Paul MN Dates: Feb. 9, 2010 Time: 7 p.m. Fee: Free Look inside the mind of the late Norman Borlaug, the University of Minnesota agronomist who found new ways to sustain the growing global population. Borlaug forged new paths in the fight against plant diseases at the root of Third World famines, setting off a “Green Revolution” that changed farming practices and the lives of millions around the globe. Borlaug won the 1970 Nobel Peace Prize for his work. Join University of Minnesota plant pathologist Brian Steffenson for an exploration of Borlaugh's historic work. See more events in this series History HiJinx: Lincoln Stove Pipe Hats Minnesota History Center, St. Paul MN Dates: Feb. 15, 2010 Time: Noon to 4 p.m. Fee: $10 adults, $8 seniors and college students, $5 children ages 6-17; free for children age 5 and under and MHS members. Make a stove pipe top hat to commemorate Abraham Lincoln’s birthday by using black and copper paper with giant copper pennies for decoration. History Forum: Margaret Sanger Minnesota History Center, St. Paul MN Dates: Feb. 20, 2010 Time: 2 to 3:15 p.m. Fee: Individual tickets: $14; $10 MHS members, on sale September 21. Reservations: required, call 651-259-3015 or register online As a public health nurse in the New York slums, Margaret Sanger worked with hundreds of mothers who wanted to ease their families’ path out of poverty by preventing unintended pregnancies, but had no safe way to do so. The experience inspired Sanger to launch a 50-year crusade to legalize birth control and sex education, altering American ideas about personal liberty along the way. Explore Margaret Sanger’s battle for women’s reproductive freedom with Ellen Chesler, historian and author of the Sanger biography "Woman of Valor," and director of Hunter College’s Eleanor Roosevelt Initiative on Women and Public Policy at Roosevelt House. See more events in this series See related events. Trivia Smackdown Minnesota History Center, St. Paul MN Dates: Feb. 23, 2010, March 23, 2010, April 20, 2010 Time: 6:30 p.m. Fee: Free The History Center hosts Trivia Smackdown -- three nights of epic historical trivia contests, high-speed scavenger hunts in the museum, groups games that test your Minnesota history knowledge, prizes and more. Games begin at 6:30 p.m. The main event, presented by Trivia Mafia, starts at 7 p.m. Cash bar available. The Star Tribune has called Trivia Mafia’s events “the best Twin Cities’ trivia nights.” Global Hotdish Variety Show: Pop Wagner Hosts Minnesota History Center, St. Paul MN Dates: Feb. 27, 2010 Time: 2 to 3:30 p.m. Fee: $12 adults, $5 children ages 6 to 17; $2 discount for MHS member adult ticket only. Tickets include museum gallery admission. Reservations: required, register online This whimsical 90-minute variety show features multi-cultural, multi-generational artists performing and leading the crowd in music, dancing and sing-a-long entertainment. Pop Wagner will host Mongolian foot juggling with Chimgee Haltarhuu and Anwar Hassouni; Ojibwe flute music with Darren Moose; faux French cooking with Z Puppets Rosenschnoz; African American step dancing with DelaSouljah Steppers and a Geo Pop Quiz and Great State Trivia TidBits with Beth Gilleland. Music provided by Dan Newton and the Café Accordion Orchestra. See more events in this series History Forum: Frederick Douglass, In Search of A Better World Minnesota History Center, St. Paul MN Dates: March 6, 2010 Time: 2 to 3:15 p.m. Fee: Series subscription: $76; $54 MHS members, on sale September 1. Individual tickets: $14; $10 MHS members, on sale September 21, pending availability. Reservations: required, call 651-259-3015 or register online As a former slave who became one of America’s greatest social critics, Frederick Douglass spent a lifetime speaking truth to power. Motivated by a persistent faith in racial equality and a belief that ending slavery would save America’s soul, Douglass used the power of words to navigate the wilderness of pre-Civil War race relations, and helped guide the United States out of bondage. Explore Frederick Douglass’ quest for a path to equality with David Blight, leading Douglass scholar, two-time PBS historical advisor, award-winning author of "Race and Reunion: The Civil War in American Memory," and Class of 1954 Professor of History at Yale University. See more events in this series See related events. Global Hotdish Variety Show: Tou Ger Xiong Hosts Minnesota History Center, St. Paul MN Dates: March 27, 2010 Time: 2 to 3:30 p.m. Fee: $12 adults, $5 children ages 6 to 17; $2 discount for MHS member adult ticket only. Tickets include museum gallery admission. Reservations: required, register online This whimsical 90-minute variety show features multi-cultural, multi-generational artists performing and leading the crowd in music, dancing and sing-a-long entertainment. Hmong comedian Tou Ger Xiong hosts Wacky Chickens with Lloyd Brandt and Rosie Cole; exquisite choreography with the School of India for Languages and Culture; Austrian Alphorn music with Steve Ecklund, Vicki Wheeler and Becky Jyrkas; high kicks with the Satin Dolls and a Geo Pop Quiz and Great State Trivia Tidbits with Beth Gilleland. Music provided by Cyril Paul and the Calypso Monarchs. See more events in this series Home Place Minnesota Minnesota History Center, St. Paul MN Hours: Museum and Stores: Tuesday 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. (free admission 5 to 8 p.m.); Wednesday through Saturday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Sunday noon to 5 p.m. Closed Mondays except Monday holidays year round (open Martin Luther King Day, Presidents Day, Memorial Day and Labor Day). Library: Tuesday noon to 8 p.m.; Wednesday through Friday noon to 5 p.m.; Saturday 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.; Sunday noon to 4 p.m. Closed Monday, Memorial Day and Labor Day Weekends, and major holidays including the day after Thanksgiving. Fee: $10 adults, $8 seniors and college students, $5 children ages 6-17; free for children age 5 and under and MHS members. This 20-minute multi-media presentation uses voices, images and artifacts to bring to life a range of emotions about Minnesota as a home. Listen as Minnesota voices read from diaries, poetry and memoirs while photographic images and objects from the Society's collections help create a more complete story. For more information visit http://www.mnhs.org/homeplace. Grainland/Boxcar Minnesota History Center, St. Paul MN Hours: Museum and Stores: Tuesday 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. (free admission 5 to 8 p.m.); Wednesday through Saturday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Sunday noon to 5 p.m. Closed Mondays except Monday holidays year round (open Martin Luther King Day, Presidents Day, Memorial Day and Labor Day). Library: Tuesday noon to 8 p.m.; Wednesday through Friday noon to 5 p.m.; Saturday 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.; Sunday noon to 4 p.m. Closed Monday, Memorial Day and Labor Day Weekends, and major holidays including the day after Thanksgiving. Fee: $10 adults, $8 seniors and college students, $5 children ages 6-17; free for children age 5 and under and MHS members. Grainland traces the journey of wheat and corn from farm to town to grain elevator. Children will enjoy climbing through a replica grain elevator where bins and chutes are replaced with steps and slides and curving nooks and crannies to explore. They can also hop into the vintage 1900 farmer's wagon loaded with grain for market or step into an authentic Soo Line boxcar. For more information visit http://www.mnhs.org/grainland. Weather Permitting Minnesota History Center, St. Paul MN Hours: Museum and Stores: Tuesday 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. (free admission 5 to 8 p.m.); Wednesday through Saturday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Sunday noon to 5 p.m. Closed Mondays except Monday holidays year round (open Martin Luther King Day, Presidents Day, Memorial Day and Labor Day). Library: Tuesday noon to 8 p.m.; Wednesday through Friday noon to 5 p.m.; Saturday 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.; Sunday noon to 4 p.m. Closed Monday, Memorial Day and Labor Day Weekends, and major holidays including the day after Thanksgiving. Fee: $10 adults, $8 seniors and college students, $5 children ages 6-17; free for children age 5 and under and MHS members. Minnesotans do more than talk about the weather. They learn to cope with extreme temperatures, watch for signs of storms and generally enjoy the outdoors, whether boating on a summer's day, skiing down a hill or snowmobiling along trails through the forests. No matter the weather, it's always a nice day at the History Center when you visit the "Weather Permitting" exhibit. For more information visit http://www.mnhs.org/weather. MN150 Minnesota History Center, St. Paul MN Hours: Museum and Stores: Tuesday 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. (free admission 5 to 8 p.m.); Wednesday through Saturday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Sunday noon to 5 p.m. Closed Mondays except Monday holidays year round (open Martin Luther King Day, Presidents Day, Memorial Day and Labor Day). Library: Tuesday noon to 8 p.m.; Wednesday through Friday noon to 5 p.m.; Saturday 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.; Sunday noon to 4 p.m. Closed Monday, Memorial Day and Labor Day Weekends, and major holidays including the day after Thanksgiving. Fee: $10 adults, $8 seniors and college students, $5 children ages 6-17; free for children age 5 and under and MHS members. Visit the "MN150" exhibit at the Minnesota History Center and experience the people, places and things that helped shape our great state, including such obvious choices as our own Prince Rogers Nelson of Minneapolis and other, lesser know figures, such as Bradford Parkinson, inventor of the now ubiquitous GPS system. While you’re here, take the interactive quiz and see just how Minnesota-smart you are. Presented by Best Buy. For more information visit http://www.mnhs.org/mn150. Minnesota's Greatest Generation: The Depression, The War, The Boom Minnesota History Center, St. Paul MN Hours: Museum and Stores: Tuesday 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. (free admission 5 to 8 p.m.); Wednesday through Saturday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Sunday noon to 5 p.m. Closed Mondays except Monday holidays year round (open Martin Luther King Day, Presidents Day, Memorial Day and Labor Day). Library: Tuesday noon to 8 p.m.; Wednesday through Friday noon to 5 p.m.; Saturday 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.; Sunday noon to 4 p.m. Closed Monday, Memorial Day and Labor Day Weekends, and major holidays including the day after Thanksgiving. Fee: $10 adults, $8 seniors and college students, $5 children ages 6-17; free for children age 5 and under and MHS members. This exhibit is the capstone of the Minnesota Historical Society’s Minnesota’s Greatest Generation project. It features more than 6,000 square feet of artifacts, interactive displays, and innovative multimedia experiences to reveal the lives and stories of the men and women who came of age during the Depression and World War II and who went on to create the phenomenal postwar boom. The exhibition relies substantially on first-person narratives drawn from oral history interviews, published memoirs, and reminiscences and letters in which a generation of Minnesotans narrates its own story, creating a fascinating collective autobiography in recorded interviews, images, film and audio. For more information visit http://www.mngreatestgeneration.org. See related events.