Minnesota History Center
Upcoming Events
History Lounge: The Productive Dr. Borlaug
Date: Feb. 9, 2010
Time: 7 p.m.
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 Borlaug's historic work.
Listening to the Past: Brownie Girl Scout Workshop
Dates: Feb. 13, 2010, March 13, 2010, April 10, 2010
Time: 10:30 to noon
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: Black History Month Craft Activity and Scavenger Hunt
Dates: Feb. 13, 2010, Feb. 14, 2010, Feb. 20, 2010, Feb. 21, 2010
Time: Noon to 4 p.m.
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.
Additional Dates: Feb. 27, 2010, Feb. 28, 2010
History HiJinx: Lincoln Stove Pipe Hats
Date: Feb. 15, 2010
Time: Noon to 4 p.m.
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
Date: Feb. 20, 2010
Time: 2 to 3:15 p.m.
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. Presented by 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.
Folk Art: Junior Girl Scout Workshop
Dates: Feb. 20, 2010, March 20, 2010, April 17, 2010
Time: 1 to 3:30 p.m
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.
Trivia Smackdown
Dates: Feb. 23, 2010, March 23, 2010, April 20, 2010
Time: 6:30 to 8:30 p.m.
The History Center hosts Trivia Smackdown, three nights of epic historical trivia contests for adults, high-speed scavenger hunts in the museum, group 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
Date: Feb. 27, 2010
Time: 2 to 3:30 p.m.
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.
History Forum: Frederick Douglass, In Search of A Better World
Date: March 6, 2010
Time: 2 to 3:15 p.m.
Frederick Douglass was a former slave who became one of America’s greatest social critics. Motivated by a persistent faith in racial equality, Douglass used the power of words to navigate pre-Civil War race relations, and helped guide the United States out of slavery. Explore Frederick Douglass’ quest for a path to equality with David Blight, leading Douglass scholar, PBS historical advisor, author of "Race and Reunion: The Civil War in American Memory," and Professor of History at Yale University.
MN150 Puppet Show: Minnesota Aha!
Dates: March 7, 2010, March 14, 2010, March 21, 2010, March 28, 2010
Time: 1:30, 2:30 and 3:30 p.m.
Learn about the inventive genius of Ben Franklin in the new exhibit "Benjamin Franklin: In Search of a Better World," then visit the "MN150" exhibit for a puppet show that highlights Minnesota's own inventive geniuses. "Minnesota Aha!" features Shari Aronson and Christopher Griffith of Z Puppets Rosenschnoz as they unravel the stories behind such great Minnesota inventions as SPAM, Scotch tape, rollerblades, kitty litter and water skis.
Additional Dates: April 4, 2010, April 11, 2010, April 18, 2010, April 25, 2010
Being 15: Generational Stories of the Teenage Years
Date: March 9, 2010
Time: 7 to 9 p.m.
Story Board, an organization that provides education and mentoring to young filmmakers, ends its 2009-2010 workshop series with the screening of short documentaries made by teens. Students will screen their films in competition for cash and prizes totaling $500 to be awarded in two categories: Audience Choice and Juried Prize. Visit www.thestoryboard.org or e-mail info@thestoryboard.org to register for the workshop.
Seniors in Mind: Minnesota's State Parks
Date: March 9, 2010
Time: 10:30 a.m.
The History Center's popular "Seniors in Mind" series returns with an armchair tour of Minnesota’s treasured system of 66 state parks with author Doug Ohman and photographer Chris Niskanen. Their book, Prairie, Lake, Forest: Minnesota's State Parks (MHS Press, April 2010) chronicles the sights, sounds and experiences of Minnesota’s parks through the eyes of rangers, naturalists and long time users.
History Lounge: The Clever and Industrious Richards and Treat
Date: March 16, 2010
Time: 7 p.m.
For more than three decades beginning in 1924, Richards Treat Cafeteria and Food Shop was a popular downtown Minneapolis destination for business people and shoppers. When it opened, the cafeteria was one of only a handful of restaurants in the country run by women. Home economics professors Lenore Richards and Nola Treat were inventive, innovative risk takers, happiest when they were tinkering with the details of their business venture. Their extensive records, now part of the Society's collections, illuminate the partners' enthusiasms, interests and abilities. Senior exhibit developer Kate Roberts leads a conversation about two fascinating businesswomen and their foolproof recipe for success.
Girls in the Director's Chair: Screening of the Best Films of 2009
Date: March 20, 2010
Time: 3 to 4 p.m.
Ranging from an animated film depicting the crushing stress of high school life to a personal portrait shot on 16mm film, the Girls in the Director’s Chair Video Festival is a sample of the talent that resides in Minnesota. Founded in 1994, Girls in the Director’s Chair features films made by young women (ages 10–18). Since its inception the showcase has been curated, organized and marketed by teenage female directors. Presented in partnership with the Walker Art Center. For more information about Girls in the Director’s Chair, call 612-375-7683.
Global Hotdish Variety Show: Tou Ger Xiong Hosts
Date: March 27, 2010
Time: 2 to 3:30 p.m.
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.
Ben Franklin Homeschool Days
Dates: March 30, 2010, March 31, 2010
Time: 9:30 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Homeschool students will be introduced to the life of Benjamin Franklin and Minnesota's own inventive minds by meeting characters from Minnesota's past and participating in hands-on programs.
Students will take part in one of three 50-minute classes. Younger students will act out the "I’ve got an Idea!" moment of Minnesota inventors, and consider the changes brought about by these inventions. Students in grades 4-6 will tinker and play to discover Minnesota inventions and see how ordinary people created inventions that spurred the development of businesses such as 3M, Rollerblade and Medtronic. Students in grades 7-12 will meet History Player Fredrick McKinley Jones, an African American inventor, as they take on the roles of engineers at Thermo King Corporation.
Participants will visit the History Center's interactive exhibits, including "Benjamin Franklin: In Search of a Better World," where they will meet a costumed History Player portraying Benjamin Franklin and participate in a make-it take-it art activity. Registration deadline March 22.
The 2010 Noble Lecture: Archiving Black Transnational Modernity
Date: April 13, 2010
Time: 7 p.m.
The Noble Lecture is an annual event exploring cutting edge scholarship in the field of American Studies. This year's program, "Archiving Black Transnational Modernity: Stereopticons, Scrapbooks and Social Movements," will be delivered by Shelley Streeby, professor of literature at the University of California-San Diego. Her talk will focus on how transnational black identity and new black social movements, in the United States and the Caribbean, found expression after World War I in the popular culture of the 1920s. Streeby is the author of the award-winning "American Sensations: Class, Empire and the Production of Popular Culture."
The Noble Lecture is a program of the departments of American Studies and history at the University of Minnesota, and is held in honor of longtime University of Minnesota professor David Noble.
Ben Franklin Family Day
Date: April 17, 2010
Time: Noon to 4 p.m.
Visit “Benjamin Franklin: In Search of a Better World,” on view at the History Center, and discover why Ben Franklin is “The Fun Founding Father." Enjoy activities and amusements that are not only useful and innovative, but fun. Visitors can make spectacles, a 2010 "Almanack" and a kite; experiment with Camp Invention, a program from the Akron-based National Inventors Hall of Fame Foundation in partnership with the United States Patent and Trademark Office; meet Ben Franklin, portrayed by History Player Shawn Hoffman; and listen to music performed by the 12-member Como Avenue Jug Band, who will play on their ingenious homemade instruments and demonstrate Franklin's own glass "armonica."
'Minnesota Hail to Thee' Spring Concert with the Minnesota Freedom Band
Date: April 24, 2010
Time: 2 p.m.
Join the Minnesota Freedom Band and guests for a performance of musical classics inspired by the North Star State. This family-friendly symphonic band concert will include the “Foshay Tower March," written by the American “March King” John Philip Sousa for the opening of the famous Minneapolis skyscraper and played only twice before in public; “Buffalo Dances,” composed by Robert W. Smith to honor the natural beauty and human heritage of the Minnesota plains; and “Dreadnought," a complex, modern piece arranged exclusively for this event by Twin Cities composer Jeffrey Brooks.
Founded in 1982, The Minnesota Freedom Band is a community concert band comprised of gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender and allied volunteers that performs regularly at the annual Pride festivals in the Twin Cities, Duluth and Mankato, and in community music series across the Twin Cities.
History Lounge: Near v. Minnesota: How Far Have We Come?
Date: April 27, 2010
Time: 7 p.m.
Freedom of the press, although guaranteed by the first amendment of the U.S. Constitution, has been the focus of constant debate throughout American history. Minnesota moved to the center of that debate in 1931, when the landmark legal case of Near v. Minnesota came before the U.S. Supreme Court. The suit centered around the conflict between Jay Near, a small-time publisher of a Minneapolis scandal sheet, and officials at the highest level of state government, including then-Governor Floyd B. Olson, and their use of Minnesota’s powerful “gag” law to prevent Near from printing his anti-black, anti-Semitic, anti-Catholic and anti-labor exposes. Their case took the State of Minnesota all the way to the nation’s highest court, and its surprising outcome forever altered the relationship between the U.S. government and the American free press.
Delve into the story of this landmark case and examine its implications for today’s burgeoning online media with nationally-known First Amendment and media ethics scholar Jane Kirtley, the Silha Professor of Media Ethics and Law at the School of Journalism and Mass Communications at the University of Minnesota, where she is also the Director of the Silha Center for the Study of Media Ethics and Law.
Split Rock Lighthouse Centennial Summer Family Day Kickoff at History Center
Date: May 1, 2010
Time: Noon to 4 p.m.
Celebrate Split Rock Lighthouse's Centennial Summer with a special event at the History Center in St. Paul. Activities from noon to 4 p.m. include:
• Lighthouse Keeper Photo Op: Pose with a cut out of the lighthouse keepers.
• Split Rock Lighthouse slide show: Nature photographer and Duluth native Dennis O’Hara shares his passion for taking images of the North Shore and the beauty of the Lake Superior region in a presentation that includes music and stories. Register to win one of the artist’s prints in a drawing at 3 p.m.
• Souvenir Lighthouse Cookies: The first keeper of the lighthouse, Orren "Pete" Young, and his family enjoyed baking cookies. Decorate a souvenir lighthouse-shaped cookie to take home.
• Happy Birthday Mural: Write a greeting or color a picture on the 50-foot birthday mural to mark the occasion. The mural will be displayed in the Split Rock Lighthouse Visitor Center.
• Lighthouse Hat: Use a variety of paper products and cut-outs to make a wearable art project.
• Split Rock Stories: A costumed interpreter shares photographs, objects and entertaining stories about the children who lived at the lighthouse.
• Music: Charlie Maguire, the National Park Service "Singing Ranger," performs songs about the wilderness, Minnesota and the Mississippi River.
• Foghorn Contest: Try your luck at imitating the Split Rock Lighthouse foghorn. The best sound re-enactment wins a prize.
• Centennial Ceremony: History Player Orren "Pete" Young will tell the story of the first lighting of the lighthouse; the Governor’s Centennial Proclamation will be presented; the drawing for winners of Dennis O’Hara prints will take place; and Charlie Maguire will conclude the program with music.
Seniors in Mind: The University Avenue Project with Wing Young Huie
Date: May 4, 2010
Time: 10:30 a.m.
Enjoy striking and emotional images by acclaimed photographer Wing Young Huie, who will share behind-the-scenes stories and insights about the creation of his six-mile long University Avenue Project. Visible day and night, over 360 portraits are projected onto store windows and sides of buildings along University Avenue between Highway 280 and the State Capitol. The result is a transformation of the busy thoroughfare into a work of art that reveals the cultural richness of St. Paul and the power of photography to destroy stereotypes. The images will be projected from May 1 through Oct. 31. A companion book will be available in Spring.
Benjamin Franklin: In Search of a Better World
on-going through July 4, 2010,
view site hours
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.
Inventive Women: Portraits of Scientists and Engineers from the University of Minnesota
on-going through July 4, 2010,
view site hours
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.
Seniors in Mind: 'Strike Up the Band' with the Minnesota State Band
Date: July 13, 2010
Time: 10:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m.
A rousing concert is presented by the acclaimed 50-member Minnesota State Band. Established in 1898, it is the only remaining entity of its kind in the United States. The program, narrated by master of ceremonies Stan Turner, explores music associated with the years 1917 through 1945, when the Minnesota's Greatest Generation came of age. The program includes marches, service songs, concert music and popular tunes that buoyed the nation.
Seniors in Mind: Food Will Win the War, with Rae Katherine Eighmey
Date: Sept. 14, 2010
Time: 10:30 a.m.
Hear the voices of soldiers, homemakers, farmers and other Minnesotans who led the state and the nation though the successes of food conservation during World War I. This presentation features theatrical readings, evocative photographs and posters, tunes representative of the time and food conservation sample treats. The stories and images are pulled from the new book, Food Will Win the War: Crops, Cooks and Conservation in World War I, by Rae Katherine Eighmey.
Seniors in Mind: The Pleasures of Bread and Chocolate
Date: Nov. 9, 2010
Time: 10:30 a.m.
A gift for the gods, a symbol of wealth and luxury, an economic livelihood? For thousands of years humans have been fascinated with the delicious phenomenon that we call "chocolate." Enjoy history and hints, recipes and recommendations from the worlds of bread baking and chocolate cookery with foodies extraordinaire Ann Burckhardt and Dan McGleno, more popularly known as Klecko. Following the program, sample sweets and visit the History Center’s new exhibit "Chocolate: The Exhibition."
Home Place Minnesota
on-going,
view site hours
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.
Grainland/Boxcar
on-going,
view site hours
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.
Weather Permitting
on-going,
view site hours
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.
MN150
on-going,
view site hours
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.
Minnesota's Greatest Generation: The Depression, The War, The Boom
on-going,
view site hours
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.
