We loved our little visit of Dorothy's museum. We thought it would be just a kitschy, niche little local experience, maybe like visiting Paul and Babe, but it was so much more than that. We didn't do any formal tours but opted to explore the cabins on our own. You could really get to know the kind of person Dorothy was through her purposeful misspellings and quirky home decor. As we finished looking through the first cabin, it really sunk in with us that Dorothy had become a pillar of her community and the communities in and around the BWCA. She served such a unique role as the last non-Indigenous person to live in the Boundary Waters, offering emergency medical care when needed due to her nursing background or offering lodging or root beer to those passing through. I can tell you we did not expect to be crying at the Root Beer Lady's museum, but the eulogies for her hit us right in the heart. I aspire to be such a firecracker and build that beloved of a community. If you're humble, work hard, and share your gifts and fortunes, the world will be a better place. As we imagine our own futures and purpose, we will definitely ask ourselves, what would Dorothy do? read more

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Considering my maiden name is Molter, I am a little partial. :) My family and I enjoy taking trips to visit & pick up root beer every few years. Every single time, we look over everything & read it all again as if it were the first time. We truly enjoy it & even submitted some magazines and photos the last time we were there. We had to leave the items with the museum to make copies and entrust them to return them to us, and they absolutely did. Jess is wonderful and our family is super thankful for her. read more

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Dorothy was a wonderful Indian lady, and I was recommended the Dorothy's root beer by local people. It's really good! FYI, you can find the same one in local supermarket at much lower price (30% less). read more

Dorothy Molter Museum - Museums Near Me - Ely, Minnesota

I have visited a number of times with family and always enjoy this place. I've read the biography by Bob Cary, and enjoyed learning about Dorthy's life. She is an inspiration to me and my daughter, and I have shared this book with others as well! I enjoy the Dorothy Molter Rootbeer, and grab a case every time I come up to Ely for a visit. Most recently when we were up in Feb. we attended the fundraiser at the GEL during Winterfest, and that was a lot of fun. Highly recommend this place. read more

We didn't have time for the tour but found great gifts and a case of Dorothy's famous root beer!

One of the oddest little museums I have ever been to, it's made up entirely of reconstructed cabins that once belonged to Dorothy Molter, the so-called "Root Beer Lady" of the Boundary Waters. Said Molter lived on Knife Lake in the BWCA for five decades and, apparently, had a tremendous impact on the lives of many of the residents, campers, and canoers who passed through over the years. The museum is essentially a memorial site to Molter and displays many of her personal possessions. You have to take a guided tour, so there's no free wandering or quietly sneaking away once you get bored. The guides appear to have been personally acquainted with Molter and take their job seriously. Despite the quaint quirkiness of this site, I really didn't get it at all. Clearly Molter meant a lot to the people who knew her, and they are anxious to keep her memory alive, but at no point during the tour did I feel like I understood why she should mean something to me as well. I spent thirty minutes looking at Molter's old china dishes, her 1958 Polaris snowmobile, and various photographs from her life, but none of it left me any the wiser as to why I, as someone who has never known her and will never know her, should care. More power to the Memorial Foundation for raising the money that is no doubt necessary to reconstruct Molter's cabins in Ely and run daily tours of her home, but they might want to make more of an effort to make her story relevant to those who have never even heard of her if they want the museum to stay open. Because I just didn't get it. read more

Dorothy Molter Museum - The paddle fence with the museum in the background. - Museums Near Me - Ely, Minnesota

I've been coming to Ely for many years now and if you haven't heard about "The Root beer Lady" you must go to the museum and learn about this strong, tough, and independent lady! read more

You must visit if you're anywhere near Ely! I came here at the recommendation of some fellow travelers I met on the road, and I am so happy they steered me here! The exhibits were wonderful and so informative. The folks that work there were friendly and more than willing to chat about this amazing woman. They have a cute little gift shop, places to picnic outside, and an awesome little bird watching garden. I spent a few hours here and I could have easily spent the whole day. Highly recommend! PS You must get a root beer before you leave, and I recommend enjoying it in the little bird garden area outside! read more

I mean I haven't been to the actual museum, but they have the toy beer all around town and it's really really good beer

DMM is a must see destination. The Museum is well done and reflects an important piece of the Spirit of the MN North and the BWCAW. Great exhibit about DM as an individual, the BWCAW, and Ely and the surrounding area. The Museum is well managed and run by delightful staff. Great job! Other businesses should take note on their presentation and business approach. read more

Made a reservation with the museum for a private tour and root beer making. This was a two hour event that started with The history of Dorothy and how she became known as the root beer lady. The last 30 minutes or so we made our own homemade root beer. It was a great time. Thanks to Jess for being so knowledgeable about Dorothy and telling a great story. If you have an opportunity to stop in do and you won't be disappointed. If you want to make root beer I'm sure Jess would be happy to set up a time to share with you. read more

The previous reviewer didn't "get it". I think what they didn't get was that this was a tribute to the human spirit. I thought Dorothy was an anti-social enviro-nut. What I learned was that Dorothy did what was right for her and not what society EXPECTED of her. She wasn't afraid to do "man" work. She also just wanted stay living in her home on Knife Lake. The government said the land should be used this way and that, but Dorothy stuck it out and figured out ways to stay in her home. I would do the same for mine. What I got out of my visit and what I hope my daughters got out of it was that you don't have to do what's expected. Do what's right for you. Treat people kindly. And live your life so that when you're gone your friends will want to keep your memory alive to share with others how wonderful you were. read more

If you don't know the story of Dorothy Molter, then you should. She was a woman who chose a way of life that some dream of, and others couldn't imagine. She found a community of friends and people who she helped and who later on, helped her. Especially after the US Government tried to end it with it's wisdom. She was a character and her story is one that should be appreciated. The guides at the museum knew her and loved her. Do yourself a favor, take 30 minutes and drop a few dollars for something different. You are in Ely, and if you want to appreciate Ely even more, you need to know about Dorothy. read more

I stopped here a couple weeks ago and truly enjoyed my visit. The museum is Dorothy Molter's log cabins moved log by log over portages and lakes to get them to town to build this cool memorial. If you ever Dorothy you really should stop to visit. It is a beautiful testament to Dorothy's life. I had the honor of meeting Dorothy twice in the 80's and remember those trips fondly. The museum offers a glimpse into what simple living off the grid was like. A time not too long ago when people had to perform hard physical work to ensure that they would be able to eat! But also the story of what it was like to live in a pristine area where lake water could be drunk without filtering or boiling... Please stop and talk to the knowledgeable staff in the shop. It's only an hour out of your day and is a cool walk into a different way of life. Plus they have root beer for sale that tastes very similar to Dorothy's recipe, but nothing tasted as good as a cold bottle of homemade root beer after a whole day of portages and paddling! read more

Great time visiting and talking with staff. Highly recommend taking tour when you visit. Amazing woman