History in a Palace

Okay, so a lot of states have historical societies. But where else but Minnesota can you find history housed in a modern, 427,000-square-foot palace of local granite and limestone, not to mention gleaming Minnesota maple and oak wood? How about one with a sky mural, glass etchings, and 36,000 cubic feet of manuscripts?

The Minnesota History Center, built in 1992, is an easy walk from the Minnesota Library Association convention — about half a mile — and it would be worth the trip from any distance. In addition to interactive, family-friendly museum exhibits and a gracious cafeteria, you’ll find a spacious research area with (yes) amazing librarians, plus a collection that will support just about any historical project you can dream up. For starters, you could exercise your microfilm skills to read back issues of your favorite outstate Minnesota newspaper (they have 4,000 periodical titles). So if you’re dying to know what was playing in your local movie theater during the week of, say, October 3, 1912, now’s your chance to find out.

History Center exhibits during MLA’s Oct. 3 to 5 conference include “Weather Permitting,” “Minnesota’s Greatest Generation,” and “The U.S.-Dakota War of 1862.” Admission is $11 adults, $9 seniors and college students, $6 children ages 6 to 17, and free to younger children and MHS members. Hours for Wednesdays through Saturdays are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. (They’re open till 8 p.m. on Tuesdays, and noon to 5 p.m. on Sundays.) See http://www.minnesotahistorycenter.org/ for more.

(Photo is from events.mnhs.org .)