My interest in Historic construction methods and materials often brings me to some interesting, and…read morealot of times off the path locations. The St Cloud area was, and still is one of the Country's largest suppliers of granite. When you love things such as old cobblestone streets, and old stone buildings as much as I do, sometimes you begin to wonder about what different types of stone were quarried and used the most in your area. While St Cloud is by no means a small city, the museum, as well as where the former and present day quarries are is off the path a bit. I was blown away by the exibits at this museum, I'd been expecting just a small museum with small displays. Instead the exibits were huge, and they have a 2 story tall interactive exibit on the quarry's. There was alot of other Central Minnesota history covered with big exibits as well. If you're out in this area and are intersted in Minnesota History, or are a fan of old tyme construction materials I'm sure you'll find this to be a great museum. I think this would be a fun museum for kids as well.

If you're from out of town, you should make the time to check out the Stearns History Museum. It…read morehas exhibits that are surprising for a mid-size town museum. Unfortunately, for those of us who live in the area, the exhibits seldom change. As a result, if you were to go here repeatedly, you'd end up seeing the same thing. Having said that, there are things to recommend. The park surrounding the museum has nice walking paths that are great for a summer afternoon walk. Inside, you'll find a fairly elaborate exhibit of granite quarrying (common to Granite City). You'll also find a nature exhibit that features the flora and fauna common to Central Minnesota. Our children enjoy this section of the museum. There are other exhibits as well, but I'd like to keep some of it a surprise for you to find when you visit. In addition, one of the gold mines at the museum for locals is the library which has extensive materials and resources for doing family research, especially if your family has ties to Central Minnesota. You could spend hours here researching and learning about family members from the area.

Not only do they have a museum here but they have a small banquet room. It's the perfect size to…read morehost a birthday party or a meeting. I actually had our wedding reception here back in 2014. We had 75 to 100 people and it wasn't packed. The price was very cheap to rent out.

Truly an exhibit that is to be found nowhere else in America. Professional and well designed.read more

Incredible collection of cars, gas pumps, motorcycles and random memorabilia. Had the opportunity…read moreto meet Vaughn and he made our experience even more special with his narratives on the story behind each car. As random as some of the spaces look, there's actually a great deal of thought and work behind each display. There's a bunch of expansion work coming up...so I can see this area being quite the tourist destination, by MN standards

This was amazing!!! My son and I went with our Cub Scout pack and had a tour. We couldn't be more…read morepleasantly surprised by all the automotive collectibles that were there. We saw restored gas pumps, cars, vintage oil cans and more and they are still adding on. Heidi and Jarrid our tour guides were friendly and very knowledgeable on every piece in the collection. If you are in the Buffalo or Monticello, Minnesota area or you want a really cool day trip, be sure to check out Veit Automotive Foundation.

This was a great little museum! They have a scavenger hunt for the kids and my 11 year old really…read moreenjoyed that. The hunt made the museum more fun for all of us. They have a discount for a family of 4 for only $25. Worth it! They have an interior with displays and an outdoor area with old buildings. Don't forget to watch the movie, it is short and explains the rune stone and why it's important.

Loved my visit to the Runestone Museum! The museum may not be the largest or have the most advanced…read moretechnology but I was really impressed by the density of quality information! It took about an hour to get through the museum. There's a couple of buildings and things to see outside of the main museum. They also have a great gift shop where I was able to get a couple of postcards! There's a free parking lot and in summer they have picnic tables in the courtyard. You can bring your own picnic lunch or they have a list of restaurants that'll deliver to the museum! When I visited the museum in summer 2020, they required your information for contact tracing. Not sure what covid-protocals they have in place now, but they definitely took it seriously! Definitely recommend stopping by if you're in Alexandria!

There is so much to see here for the Laura Ingalls Wilder/Little House On The Prairie fans. A lot…read moreof history on the Ingalls and Wilders. One entire room dedicated to the TV show which was a must see in our house growing up! Lots of fun books, movies and other items in the gift shop for everyone

I had fun here, but this is definitely more a place for kids and family fun than a historic or…read moreeducational site. I don't know how much I'd really consider this a "museum" but there's enough to enjoy and keep everyone occupied and entertained. There are several displays that feature info from Laura's life, what life was like on the prairie for the settlers and even some memorabilia from the TV show Little House on the Prairie. There is also a gift shop inside. Outside are several buildings to explore like an old church and a school house. I enjoyed myself because I acted like a kid here. For adults, though, I'd say this is more of a 3 star experience even if you're a Laura Ingalls fan. But if you're with children or you're a kid at heart, you can have a good 4 star time here. Just be ready to dress up, pose and take lots of pictures.

I'm a sucker for the historical society sites and this is no exception. They have some great…read moredisplays in the building and the tour of the fort was informative. The staff was friendly and quite tolerant of curious children. We had the tour to ourselves when we went so had no issues hearing and asking questions. Afterwards we took some trails down by the river and back to the building. Their t-shirts were cute and cheap so we bought one for each member of the family.

The North West Company Fur Post is located west of Pine City proper off of Exit 169. It is an…read moreofficial museum of the Minnesota Historical Society. Apparently, a local farmer found remnants of a fur trading post on his land and contacted the Canadian branch of the North West Trading Company, to get the official plans; and from there, a complete replica of the fur trading post was built. In the interpretive center, the story was told from the perspectives of the Native peoples who hunted and skinned the pelts; the British traders who brought together goods from all throughout the world to trade for the fur they wanted, and the French-Canadian Voyageurs who were the brawn behind the whole apparatus. The story also doesn't shy away from the fact that several intermarraiges took place and how they were resolved for the wives and children when the overseers left their posts and married within the church. (Apparently intermarraige was frowned upon by the Hudson Bay company but allowed and even encouraged by the North West Company and the XY Company whch they acquired). From the museum, we were led out by a person reenacting the Native perspective. She showed us the various animal pelts caught at the post, and how the Native people travelled a 100-mile radius throughout the seasons to fish in summer, hunt and trap in fall, survive the winter, and obtain sugar bush in the spring. She then led us down the path to the fur trading post, explaining room by room, how the post was run, from the youngest 14-year old voyageurs to the junior accountants to the post managers. It was amazing how many moving parts there were in the fur trade, and how the business was run down to every little detail. There is a chance to walk down to the river, or go on a 1/2 mile nature walk. Events also take place at the post all year long -- there are even snowshoes hanging for winter events. It was a very interesting museum and a year-round event center. It is certainly worth the detour if you want something to do in the area.

If you are looking for something to do, or entertaining an art lover from out of town, the MIA is…read moreone of those overlooked treasures. I will start with a story. My cousin, a New York City native, was flying from Italy to New York, but couldn't get to NYC because of huge snowstorm, so she was diverted to Minneapolis (ironic, huh?). She happens to be an art teacher with a masters in Art History. Since she was "stuck" here, she asked if she could visit one of the art museums. She told me later that she thought it was probably going to be a 15 minute trip because "Who would believe that Minneapolis could have any art worth seeing, or at least in any quantity." That 15-minute planned visit took FOUR HOURS. She was impressed with not only the artists that are represented, but the quality of the artist's work that is displayed at the MIA. According to her, many museums have the famous-name artists, but not necessarily their "A" rated works. She raved about the diversity of artists, styles, time periods, etc. and kept calling it a min-version of Metropolitan Museum of Art. I explained to her that the museum is filled with donations from wealthy Minnesotans such as the MacMillans, the Daytons, as well as many corporate companies that are headquartered here such as Target, Medtronic, Ameriprise, Wells Fargo, and US Bank. When she got home, she kept telling me how she couldn't believe that it was free and that we actually parked (for free) right in front of the museum. She also told me that it gave her ideas for lesson plans for the next several months. This story exemplifies what we often take for granted. Minneapolis has several world-class museums and this is definitely in the top five. In addition to the permanent collections, there are always special exhibits (which do cost extra) that travel from museum to museum. For example, the Terracotta Warriors, Silver Treasures from Bergen, Norway, Native Photography, 1890 to Now, Ancient Egyptian Art from the British Museum, and a massive showcase of Impressionist masters that attracted 155,198 visitors. Also impressive is the variety of exhibits, such as Star Wars: The Magic of Myth, Dale Chihuly: Glass Installations 1964-1997, and Royal Bronzes: Cambodian Art of the Divine, which included The Reclining Vishnu: The centerpiece was a monumental, thousand-year-old bronze sculpture of the Hindu god Vishnu, which is considered a Cambodian national treasure. This 7-foot-long figure was reconstructed from fragments for the first time in centuries which too a years-long restoration project.

I loved thier special exhibit ( Modern Art and Politics ) and the Tibetan Meditation Room. The…read moreLayout is bizarre and some of my favorite artists weren't represented. The Minneapolis Art Institute is free. The Special exhibit is a special ticket that costs $$ unless you're a member. I went two days and I found free street parking not too far away. When I visited the Prairie Movement featuring Grant Wood and Frank Lolyd Wright I looked for Thomas Hart Benton... He was Missing in Action. MIA has several museum caliber pieces ( by Benton ), in storage. When I asked if they have any American Pop Art, the answer is Yes, but they were all MIA. In MIA's Not on View exhibit. When I asked about surrealism, they said if they have it, it's probably on the second floor. The Layout of MIA is by region and time period. The staff is very helpful at guiding me, but exact answers were challenging. Art is supposed to be for all. MIA has a massive collection, ten percent is on view at any given time. When you visit, you can type in the artist you are looking for on the website. Hopefully you'll be able to see what you seek.

Great museum! I spent an hour and a half browsing their collection of antique and vintage outboard…read moremotors, lures, dark house equipment and more. The attendant was very nice and welcoming. Not much fly fishing equipment, but I didn't mind. Would visit again!

A very unique place to visit. They have an amazing collection of fishing gears. All items are well…read moreorganized and easy to understand. The docent is super nice.