This is a must stop if you have the time. This museum has some incredible history of not only the…read moreTracy area, but surrounding communities as well. If you enjoy railroad history their display offers a great viewing with a depot, locomotive, box car, caboose etc. The grounds are very well kept and the staff is very knowledgeable and friendly. There is an admittance fee of $6 for those 12 and up and $2 for those under 12, but well worth it for what you get to see. It is a self guided tour but staff is available for questions and will give you a lot of background history on the buildings and displays. They offer a very unique small scale train that runs each day offering rides to all kids and all adults who are still a "Child at heart." We were also very impressed with their memorial to the military that is located on the grounds as well. We were so glad we took the time to stop and take the tour. Kudos to a small town being willing to invest the time, money and effort to keep this location operating and open to the public. Our family was very impressed. They are open daily from 1 to 5 pm May 24th - Labor Day.

From the owner: Explore the rich history of Tracy MN at Wheels Across the Prairie Museum. Our exhibits showcase the…read moreheritage of the region from agriculture to transportation. Visit us today to immerse yourself in the past and discover the stories of our community.

SO CUTE! It's $5 to…read moreget in & you drive down to the sight, you see Plum Creek & where their house used to be. There's a wooden sign explaining it & a picture of what it looked like. I'm a huge Little House fan so this was so fun & affordable to see. There was the big rock Laura talks about & there's a little spot we are pretty sure that's where she fished.

If you're a fan of Little House on the Prairie, the dugout site is a must see. If you're someone…read morelike me who is just not as familiar with Laura Ingalls Wilder, make sure you have a friend who will drag you here. It's a great view into the lives of not just the Ingalls family but the American experiment as well. I found a new respect for those pioneering families who struggled through harsh times. We walked over the creek and found several markers explaining the surroundings. My friend wanted to actually get into the water at Plum Creek but there's a pretty strong current and even a warning that Laura almost drowned there. I talked her out of it because I wasn't about to go in after her when she got swept away. There are a few Laura Ingalls/Little House on the Prairie inspired spots like this around Walnut Grove. Definitely worth spending a day taking in some history.

Minnesota Music Hall of Fame is adorable. From Bob Dylan to Prince to St. Olaf Choir to the…read moreMinneapolis Police Marching Band if they hail from Minnesota they can be found here with a tribute. For a $5 entry fee you get a hand held automated speaker system. Each artist has a number you punch in and it plays information on them. While it might be small, it's interesting and worth a visit.

This was a cool museum on campus at SDSU. I learned about soil from the displays. It is super…read moresmall. I went upstairs and put foam balls in toy auger thing that puts in a silo. But some kid must have put plastic eggs in it and jammed it. The worker fixed it. I bought a cool Bison soup bowl stoneware made by someone in SD. The lady working gave us good advice where to park for free before the game.

Very amazing museum about the agriculture of the state. I was not expecting anything awesome, but…read morethis museum surprised me. A lot of antique farming machinery, history of beer manufacturing in South Dakota and the history of Sheep production kept me riveted for hours. Even the bookstore was pretty amazing. Highly suggest visiting and I know I plan on returning someday.

Pleasantly surprised! This self-guided tour made our pit stop well worth the trip! The amount of…read moreartifacts and historical items blew my mind. They literally created a village which was able to take us back in time. The $6 for adults was well worth the price. The volunteers were friendly and informative. If you are ever in the area, I highly recommend you stop by.

What a delightful Village, showing life on the prairie. So many events there on 4th of July…read more Wonderful! I will go back.

South Dakota Art Museum (SDAM) is a great little place to visit if you're in Brookings. The museum…read moreis part of South Dakota State University. The art pieces inside are from various artists across the USA. They mix things up with various themes, currently the theme is focusing on women. Awesome! SDAM does have limited hours, but is free to visit. Donations accepted. There's also a cute little gift shop inside with lots of interesting trinkets and art pieces. Overall, I had a great time!

Summary: Excellent interactive day at this gem of a center. The staff were were very helpful &…read moresuper excited to drive awareness of the important & interesting Native American history in the area. Go on the interactive short hike to walk amongst the petroglyphs. Best time of day is just when sun is setting to get the right angle when the petroglyphs pop into sight. Fun for kids to try and find as many petroglyph treasures as they can. Fair amount of families visiting at the time! Be prepared to remove shoes so you don't impact the ancient carvings. The staff will spray water to help highlight them for you. Ask lots of questions about the historians removed the lichens from the rock to reveal the petroglyphs!

Three of the sweetest people work there. Very enthusiastic. It's a small gift shop/museum, but very…read morecool with things the kids can touch. You will not be impressed without a guide. And for a group of 7, without us asking used golf carts to ferry us out to the site on an 85° day. You are not allowed to walk out in the rocks except for the areas they designated, so your guide will walk barefoot with the spray bottle and spray the carvings and explain what they are. There are also signs showing you where the carvings are, but you won't be able to see them depending on the time of day or how wet the rock is. My 12-year-old son said "it was kind of cool and kind of boring." I think that sums it up. You won't be able to stay long, but if you use your Minnesota history pass, it will be free! Plenty of parking, bathrooms, drinking water, wide open spaces.

The Iowa Great Lakes Maritime Museum is located next to the Amusement Park and also contains an…read moreIowa Welcome Center and a Gift Shop. The Iowa Rock n' Roll museum and the Queen II Excursion Boat are also a short walk away for those who want to experience a historical Lakes "trifecta". And when I stopped by a few weeks ago, there was also a Victory motorcycle rally and exhibition in progress, which made this area the central place for a lot of interesting things see and do. The Museum itself contains historic memorabilia of the Iowa Great Lakes, which includes Spirit Lake, Big Spirit Lake, and both Okoboji Lakes. It has on display restored wooden boats, historical photographs, and other artifacts. Multimedia presentations have been developed to illustrate the nautical and ecological history of this area of Iowa. Premier exhibits include the Old Okoboji store, a resurrected wooden boat and hundreds of riveting photos of past lakes area vacationers. I'm now old enough to have seen some of these historical exhibits outside of the museum! And when I look at old Fun House pictures of the Sugar Bowl, I wonder how I escaped injury! The other interesting learning experience are the stories of all the water craft that sank on West Okoboji (e.g. #30 Boat), and those of which that are still down there. And every summer that I return, I learn something new.

First time came here on Sunday!! we looked around to find some info and the area events, then we…read morelook around the museum!! I recommend this place and friendly staff!!

Just a fun little museum and historical exhibit a short bike or car ride from Lake Shetek. We…read morestopped by during a camping trip and the kids had a blast climbing around and then picnicking at the tables. I wouldn't go out of my way unless you're a huge railroad buff, but it's a great little stop to break any journey past Currie. And very inexpensive, totally worth it at $5 per.

End-O-Line Railroad Park & Museum is a hidden gem! If you are in the area this is worth the stop…read more It is off the beaten travel path a bit, but worth the effort to drive a short distance to see this location. A lot of history here with many out buildings, but the focal point here is railroad history. The town of Currie marked the end of the line for the Chicago Northwestern Railroad. This line was originally supposed to go through to South Dakota but with lines going through Tracy on the north and Slayton on the south, they didn't see a need to continue the tracks past Currie. The turntable was built in 1901 and was used to turn the steam engines around to head back to Bingham Lake. The turntable is on the National Register of Historic Sites and is the only one left in the state of Minnesota, on the original site, still operable, and always turned by man power - it was never hooked up to steam or horses. This is a seasonal museum (Memorial Day - Labor Day) and is open 10 am to 5 pm Wednesday - Saturday and 1 - 5 pm on Sunday's. They do offer off season tours for groups but you need to make prior arrangements. Allow plenty of time when stopping here. There is a lot of history to see and absorb. They also offer picnic grounds, very nice and clean restrooms, a gift shop and playground area for the kids. Our family was so very glad we took the time to tour this museum. It is fun for all ages and very informative. There is an admittance fee of $5 for those 18 and over, students 6 - 17 receive a $3 reduced fee and kids 5 and under are free. Well worth the stop if you are in the Currie area. Beautiful grounds and well kept exhibits. So heart warming to see a small town be able to maintain such a wonderful historic attraction. A must see!