No foolin', I took my family to the Spam Museum on April 1 for a fun day trip to Austin. I feel it has to be a write a passage as a homegrown Minnesotan to experience the Spam Museum once in your life. This free museum is right in the heart of downtown Austin and offers a fun little escape from cruddy weather outside or just to step into something historically and culturally unique in our world. I mean, a whole museum dedicated to canned meat? Weird! You can tell that a lot of creativity and thoughtful care went into the design and creation of this museum. So many bright and fun exhibits, there is not a corner left untouched. Lots of unique, hands-on opportunities for kids as well as some very cool historical offerings make this a great place for all ages. All of the exhibits are of high quality and very thought out. After your visit, you might just be inspired to stop at the grocery store afterwards and try your hand at "spiced canned ham" or in other words SPAM! read more

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This is a cool, kitschy road trip-type of stop that is amusing and fun. Plus, it's totally free to enter, though there is a gift shop packed with branded goods to tempt your pocketbook! The museum is located right in downtown Austin. The lot immediately behind the museum is small but there is abundant other parking around. I didn't notice any meters or paid parking. A stop at the friendly front desk clerk helped us to get the layout. Everything is on the first floor, which is level. Many exhibits are located along wide aisles, though there are some cubbies such as in the international area. The museum guides visitors through the history of Spam, where it is found around the world and what the flavors are (the commercials are delightfully cheesy), and how it is made. World War II is quite a focus in the history section. There are interactive screens placed at an accessible low level for kids and wheelchair users that share quizzes and trivia. As we wandered through, an employee came through with samples speared on pretzel sticks. We got to try smoked Spam and maple Spam. The gift shop was a good final stop. This would be a great place to get a gag or white elephant gift. I collect smashed pennies, and I was happy to find a machine in the gift shop. read more

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I absolutely love this place. I went on a friend's recommendation, and I have to admit the SPAM Museum is way more fun than you'd expect for a canned meat museum. It's colorful, easy to navigate, and filled with a mix of playful exhibits and surprisingly interesting facts. The museum does a great job telling the story of Hormel Foods and how SPAM became such a cultural icon. One of my favorite exhibits was the World Market section. It was fascinating to learn about SPAM's role in different parts of the world from Japan and the UK to the Philippines, South Korea, Latin America, China, and Hawaii. It really puts into perspective how globally recognized it is. There are also interactive exhibits where you can try timing the canning process, capping and labeling, and even see how many cans could be produced back when everything was done more manually. It makes the whole experience feel hands-on and engaging. I was honestly shocked to see Spam lip balm and even Spam air freshener in the gift shop but thankfully, they assured me neither actually smells like Spam. The air freshener was surprisingly pleasant! Overall, it was such a unique and unexpectedly entertaining experience. I'd definitely go back again. read more

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The SPAM Museum in Austin, MN is honestly way more fun than you'd ever expect a museum about canned meat to be. It's super colorful, easy to wander through, and has just the right mix of goofy displays and random facts that make you go, "Huh, didn't know that." It doesn't take itself too seriously, which is kind of the whole charm. The people working there are really friendly and seem to genuinely enjoy the quirky vibe. It's not a long visit, but it's one of those places you walk out of laughing a little and thinking it was totally worth the stop. It's perfect if you're on a road trip and want something weird and unexpectedly fun to break things up. read more

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This is the coolest museum and such a fun stop on our road trip! Very fun interective exhibits for kids and historical information. They have an exhibit where you can time yourself canning the meat, putting a lid on it, attaching a label - and then see how many cans the machine made in the time it took you to do it by hand. There is a play area for little kids and a cultural exhibit of the different countries where SPAM is especially important. The gift shop has so many gems - we left with SPAM hats, t-shirts, and of course many unique flavors of their cans of meat. read more

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Super fantastic museum! Hands down one of my favorite experiences. It's free admission!! They have a sample tray girl walking around the museum floor giving people tries of different flavors of spam! Unbelievable stuff and history opportunities! Excellent gift shop full of unique things read more

SPAM Museum - Museums Near Me - Austin, Minnesota

Unique Exhibits at the Spam Museum [Austin MN] The museum is located in downtown Austin and not at the Hormel HQ so it was quite a drive from Minneapolis (about 100 miles). Street parking is available across B&J Bar & Grill. Free Admission at the museum. SPAM (the most famous brand produced by Austin MN-based Hormel Foods) is a household name around the world. Some people love it, some people can't stand even the smell of it. As for me, I like SPAM... it was a staple while living in Hawaii. Spam in Saimin taste ono! IYKYK This unique museum had a lot to offer with exhibits, activities, and learning about the history of the Hormel Foods Corp. Some exhibits I enjoyed seeing were: World Market - From Japan to UK to the Philippines to South Korea, Latin America, China and Hawaii it was interesting to read about SPAM's place in world culture. So I discovered that my height in SPAM cans is 19. I am 19 Spam cans tall ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ I also enjoyed the World War II-themed exhibit highlighting the importance of Spam as a staple for American troops. The gallery showcases Hormel's efforts in supporting the troops during WWII. Hormel is dedicated to serving those who serve our country. Although the museum was a nice visit somehow I was expecting more... like a small cafe inside that served SPAM LoL! Maybe I'm asking too much. As we made our way inside the gift shop we were given a list of restaurants and food places nearby. The list contained 64 eateries in Austin and 14 restaurants from that list proudly serve SPAM in various forms, from quesadillas to sliders to grilled SPAM and cheese sandwiches. Hmm... no SPAMsilog? Review #3842 read more

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We had a super nice time going through the SPAM museum on this cold and somewhat snowy day. The museum is nicely organized and the staff were super friendly. I very much appreciated that there were samples offered at various moment during the visit, so that I was able to try out about 5 different flavors of SPAM. Don't miss the gift shop as they had a lot of unique and clever items for purchase. read more

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yes, there is quite a lot of python going on from the vikings to the king arthur and other stuff besides... it's spam like you like it if you like spam. spiced pork shoulder and ham in acronym and my best fried rice or on a pile of rice plus plum sauce and nori... the history of spam and every war it's been to and every life it's saved (honest!!) and who eats how much and what flavor is that?? and there's activities for the kids and photo opportunities and all manner of swag and merch from all over the world... and random trays of spam-on-a-stick carried hither and yon. the gift shop will pretty much separate you from all your money... but they's about the friendliest bunch of people so you really won't mind so very much. read more

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It was a walk down memory lane. I grew up in Austin. I bought lots of SPAM clothes etc. love my home town

Definitely worth stopping in to kill an hour or so! The Spam exhibits for other countries and the history section were both pretty interesting. I also enjoyed the quizzes to test my Spam knowledge and find out my Spam personality (I'm Maple apparently). Be careful in the gift shop though - you'll find things emblazoned with the Spam logo you never knew you needed! I was horrified by the Spam Lip Balm and Air Freshener, but thankfully advised that neither actually smelled like Spam, and the Air Freshener is cute. read more

SPAM Museum - Personality Test - Museums Near Me - Austin, Minnesota

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Came here during my 6 week rotation at Mayo Clinic Austin. I came during my lunch break and was able to quickly look through everything and bought some interesting spam flavors as well. Free and cool little spot about spam. Lots of gifts and souvenirs for you to purchase. Parking all around and was not busy. Barely anyone here during lunch time. Would recommend if you drive through the area, especially if you like SPAM or know people that like SPAM. read more

I never expected to say this, but the spam museum was definitely a highlight of my road trip through the Midwest . I learned a ton about the history of spam and got to email myself some new recipes to try! I'm not a big spam eater but they look delicious. The museum has interactive experiences, a little children's entertainment area, a lot of signs to learn about the history, trivia, and information about spam in different countries. I even learned why we use the term "spam" in reference to junk mail. My only feedback while I was there was that I really wished they had samples because there were so many types of spam advertised. Then I turned a corner and one of the employees gave me a sample of spam on a stick and that's shut me up quickly. If you are anywhere near Austin Minnesota I definitely recommend stopping at the spam museum. The town is really cute also! read more

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I had heard from many friends how interesting and fun the SPAM Museum was, but I had to see it with my own eyes to believe it - and they were not lying! On a recent road trip for a few concerts in Minneapolis, we took a side trip to the SPAM Museum. We got there just as they opened, and decided to do our own walk through style tour vs. the guided tour. The first thing you see is the vintage style ambiance, a wall/vestibule area made of SPAM cans with a giant SPAM can hanging over it, and little mini televisions with trivia facts about the famed canned meat.  There are also little screens in this SPAM area that let you take a quiz to see which SPAM flavor you'd be, which is fun (I was the plain old basic SPAM). Once you check in and go through this opening area, you're free to roam around on your own, in whatever order you wish. It made the most sense to us to go through it in chronological order, as the exhibits go through the history of SPAM. After the SPAM history, we also checked out the exhibits of SPAM throughout the world. They had little bays for each place that loves SPAM, including Japan, Hawaii, the Philippines, and areas of Latin America (though I'm sure there are SPAM lovers in every corner of the world LOL). If you're a fan of fun selfies, there are for sure many to take here, with the Spam-a-Lot set, giant SPAM can, and many more. I took over 100 photos , if that tells you anything. There is also an activity where you see how many filled SPAM cans (props) you can assemble in a certain amount of time. I think it definitely was for children, but three adults had fun doing it too. As you walk around, exploring - there are also a few staffers walking around with samples of SPAM, so definitely try those out. I never knew there were so many flavors of it! (My favorite was Teriyaki) And one of my favorite parts came at the end of the experience - the gift shop! They had everything you could ever imagine, SPAM branded. Flip Flops, t-shirts, SPAM lunchboxes, and more. I went with a shirt for my husband, some stickers for me, and of course the Teriyaki SPAM I loved when I sampled it on the tour (they have every flavor imaginable in the gift shop, so stock up). If you'll be in Minneapolis, I definitely recommend a side trip a bit out of town to visit the SPAM Museum. It was a surprisingly fun activity that I think all ages can enjoy! read more

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SPAM museum is a fun place to check out. It's not somewhere you'll likely spend a long time at, but if you're in the area it's well worth a visit. They have some great displays about the history of SPAM, SPAM in modern culture, SPAM around the world, the many flavors of SPAM. The gift shop is large, if you want some souvenirs, and you may even be able to sample a flavor or two of SPAM from folks going around with some samples. read more

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It was so much fun to learn about the history of Spam at the Spam Museum. After visiting Hawaii in the past and seeing how many dishes are made with spam, learning at the museum that they are the number one consumer made sense. I also learned the importance of Spam during wars. Since I follow a non-pork diet, I was happy to purchase turkey spam to enjoy at home. I can't believe how many flavors there are! This self-guided museum offers free and educational family fun for all. read more

You probably won't spend more than 45 minutes at the SPAM Museum, but it is definitely worth stopping in. The museum is engaging and full of facts you probably didn't know about SPAM and Hormel. We enjoyed it so much a few years ago that we brought the rest of the fam when in Austin last weekend. Highly recommended. read more

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This is a fun place to stop in. Admission is free, but watch yourself in the gift shop. It has a LOT of cool offerings, and you can easily spend a lot of $ (I did). A lot of info and great displays keep it interesting for about an hour or so. The display about SPAM in World War II is both impressive and informative. Nice, free parking lot for the visitors as well. read more

SPAM Museum - Museums Near Me - Austin, Minnesota

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Worth the stop. I was traveling further south and routed through Austin to hit the Spam Museum that I have heard so much about. It was great! It is not huge, accomplishable in under an hour, but it is very well done. I was very entertained, I learned about Spam, and even tried some for the first time - and liked it! The staff were wonderful, the gift shop was fun, and overall it was a great experience. If you are traveling by, stop and stretch your legs at the Spam Museum - you will be glad you did! read more

This was actually a surprisingly enjoyable activity. My family was visiting my grandma out in MN and there wasn't much around to do in this small town- when she had recommended us check out the museum I wasn't expecting much. But all the activities were quite fun and interesting! There was a spam canning station you could compete with friends at, quizzes on types of spam you are based on your personality, photo ops, spam around the world history facts, and even a free spam sandwich cart outside (bread roll with a slice of spam in the middle). No food is allowed inside the museum. I think we spent a good hour and a half actually exploring the museum, and an additional 30-40 minutes in the gift shop. read more

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It has been years since we stopped at the SPAM museum. So long in fact that they built a whole new museum a few block from their old place. We stopped on the busy July 4th weekend and the place was hopping. The layout is a bit jumbled but I guess that is OK since we are talking about SPAM after all. There are many interesting displays including some on the history of Hormel, SPAM and WWII, the international appeal of SPAM and of course Monty Python's legendary SPAM skit. And if you want to buy SPAM branded wares the gift store is stuffed with items. Overall it is worth a detour for this FREE tourist attraction. read more

SPAM Museum - Inside - Museums Near Me - Austin, Minnesota

I took a trip to Iowa to start summer off! On my way, I drove into Minnesota to check out this really cool SPAM MUSEUM!! I really don't like Spam, but this was really cool to experience! Definitely a great historical site for those historians, it's also a just super fun in general. Very suitable for young children as there are two playing areas. My only complaint is that some items in the gift shop are overly priced, otherwise I had a great time! Definitely 10/10. read more

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Exactly what you want in a SPAM museum. There on a Saturday, busy but manageable and plenty of parking. Plus SPAM samples. read more

Had a wonderful time visiting the Spam Museum! Loved being able to sample different spam flavors, the tocino is a new favorite! They are dog friendly as long as you can hold your dog or if you have a stroller for them. We brought our 2 pups! There are fun activities for children but also enjoyable for adults. They have displays of different spam products and had an area showing the love for spam across other parts of the world. This was fun to see and explore new recipes. The gift shop was also fun to check out. There are lots of souvenirs and clothing items. You can also purchase different spam flavors there and they also sell a variety pack to try all the flavors! Great place to visit for all ages. read more

Pros: Cool place, friendly staff, super interesting, free Cons: Probably not great if you're vegas? Details: We drove down from the cities, and even with construction, it didn't take too long. The museum is in downtown Austin. We found free parking right to the east of it. I wasn't 100% sure what to expect, and the museum exceeded my expectations. It has some really great SPAM history along with other products. I don't want to give too much away, but a lot of really cool displays. Also, they kept giving us samples for free while we were there. We went mid week so I can't say how busy a weekend would be but it wasn't busy at all when we were there. We also got to do a lot of shopping for gifts after and the gift shop has some really neat stuff. read more

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I truly enjoyed this. I was lucky to get a private tour. I believe her name was Jessica. She was so very knowledgeable. Everything was so interesting. I can't say I'm a huge fan of Spam but my son is, even so it was still super interesting. I never really knew the impact Spam had on the war different countries,women,everything it's so interesting, and holy guacamole I didn't know they were all these flavors read more

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7/10/23 Traveling on my long road trip with my friend and her 2 kids, we came across this neat museum thanks to roadtrippers. The cost is free but donate something! The museum is very well kept and organized. It is an interactive exhibition. Next door is a very intricate selection of spam branded items. There were samples given of various flavored spam. It was a very informative museum experience and I learned a lot about the history of spam. Spam was a staple in supplying the military during WW2. I'd highly recommend this museum to anyone and everyone. Learn about your country's history through the food industry. Spam is so unique and versatile from so many various countries influence. read more

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A nice hands on display with a lot of really nice exhibits. There wasn't a specific start so I felt like was walked around seeing great exhibits but it didn't really follow a timeline or clear pattern. I would really like to see more of a "story" about SPAM. The staff were great and very friendly. We never saw the samples but we must have just missed them. Great products in the gift shop. We purchased shirts and cans of SPAM. An adorable little town as well. read more

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Vert fun. Very kitch! Lots of information about the history and the diversity of SPAM consumption around the world.

Pretty cool place. Been there a few times. Great place to take family. The gift shop has so many different flavors of Spam...it's amazing.

Interactive, compact, and free museum. I grew up eating spam and it brings fond memories. This location is only an hour and a half from dt Minneapolis and well worth a trip out to the country for something fun and family friendly. There's exhibits on the different markets that Hormel sells Spam in and showcases the close ties the company has to feeding America during WW2. I went on a Monday, it wasn't particularly busy and the nice lady, Joan, at the front desk even asked if I had a preference on flavors they were gonna fry up for samples. She sold me on the Tocino and I even bought a few cans to take home. Parking is free in the back and there's plenty of other things to do in dt Austin. read more

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This is a must stop museum! I visited from Los Angeles and grew up eating Spam. It is such a unique place and really exceeded my expectations. It was so nice to see how they emphasized Spam around the world. The museum also has such interactive parts to it. Everyone is so sweet and even hand out SPAMples! read more

I was in Minneapolis for a quick weekend trip from the West Coast and tried to find time to kill early in the morning when I arrived. Austin, MN is about 1.5 hour by car from Minneapolis but it was a super easy drive. I got to the museum right when it opened and was greeted by a lovely woman working at the entrance. The museum is free and it's not huge but it's not tiny either. The section that shows how each country enjoys and markets SPAM is really interesting. There is an gift shop right next door where you can buy some interesting SPAM merch, like a cycling jersey. Overall a great museum to visit if you're in Austin, MN. read more

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Had an enjoyable Saturday first time visit to the Museum of Spam. Spacious, interesting and informative free museum. All the workers were nice and helpful. Great gift shop with all things Spam. Lots of hands on displays for kids. Glad we made the drive over. Well done! read more

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A must see and do for SPAM lovers located in Austin, Minnesota filled with informative interactive displays featuring the history, production and worldwide connections to SPAM. Free entrance with easy parking right behind the museum and walking distances to Austin cafes and restaurants who feature SPAM along with their menu offerings. There are samples of various flavors attached to a pretzel stick ( great idea!) served by an employee periodically and yes, you can take two! ...actually I had four: turkey, maple, hickory and smoked! The SPAM gift shop has something for everyone of all ages and offer a Veterans discount! read more

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I'm not sure I would have added a visit to the SPAM museum on our recent trip out west, but my traveling companion wanted to stop so we did. I was pleasantly surprised -- especially since my memories of Spam dinners when I was a child were not particularly pleasant. The museum is well designed and the displays are informative and interesting even though they are primarily marketing devices. I learned a lot about the history of the corporation and the history of the product. I was struck by the worldwide love of SPAM, especially in Asian markets. The free sample I was offered was the first time I've tasted spam in over 25 years. The museum achieved its goal -- I think I'm going to give spam another chance in my cuisine. I'll let you know if it's better than I remember from growing up in the 50s and 60s! read more

SPAM Museum - Homage to the original butcher shop. - Museums Near Me - Austin, Minnesota

This is a stop worth making. I came to the old SPAM museum a decade ago and this one is even better. It's free, great for kids, interactive, and informative. There is no gift shop on this earth that goes as hard. Need a niche gift? You'll find it there. read more

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Screw Disney land this is the happiest place on earth. This is home. Everyone was wonderful. Everything was spam. The coffee house down the street was somehow good? In Minnesota?? Life is electric. read more

GO GO GO It's so fun and there is so much to see for free! We really loved watching all of the SPAM commercials from around the world - the ones from the Philippines and Japan were hilarious, and the Korean commercial just made me hungry! Some things to know: PARKING & ACCESS - There is street parking all around the museum. I did not see a garage or larger lot, but I may have just missed it! There are also bike racks by the main entrance. You can enter through the gift shop on Main Street or through the main doors on the corner of Main and 3rd. You won't miss the pig statues and the big yellow SPAM MUSEUM sign! CHECKING IN - When you first walk in, stop at the main desk . Entry is free, but they'll ask you to provide some basic information. The folks who work the desk were super friendly and fun to chat with! WHAT TO SEE - All of it! It's not a large building, but there is a lot to do and see without feeling crowded! There was a children's play area toward the back of the museum and an interactive spam-packing game somewhere toward the right. I think we spent about an hour in the museum, which included watching every single Spam commercial (worth it) GIFT SHOP - The gift shop is well marked and is pretty much straight back behind the check-in desk. It is very small for how many things there are and could be difficult to navigate for larger visitors or visitors who use wheelchairs. Spam merch includes everything from fly swatters to magnets to hats to clothes to golf gear. If they could put a SPAM logo on it, they did! They also sell every flavor of SPAM. Tip: Most of the same merch is available at spam.com for the same price+shipping! SENSORY NOTE - The front desk has a note that noise cancelling headphones, sunglasses, and fidget toys are available for anyone who needs them! As someone with light and sound sensitivities, I didn't have any trouble here on a Saturday morning in early November - it wasn't super busy or super loud, and there aren't a lot of things that are moving or lighting up! The place is large and spacious enough that avoiding large, loud groups is likely possible. read more

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My family was completing our little trip around the Midwest and decided to stop here on the way towards Des Moines because my son and I love to eat Spam. I had low expectations because this sounded like another roadside attraction based out of someone's store front or home, but this ended up being so much more than I thought. First the little downtown part of Austin was real cute and finding the place was real easy. Lots of signage to get you there, and sign sticks out along the road to let you know you are there. Plenty of free parking on the streets behind or near the museum. Believe it or not, this place actually had a lot of people visiting and make sure you get your free Spam stickers at the check in desk. Also, lots log things to take photos of inside and outside the building. The museum covers everything from the history of how Spam caught on to how this mystery meat is utilized in different countries. This museum is very interactive, and it has lots for kids to do and play with. My son loved the Spam packing activity and I had to drag him away to allow others to play with the activity. Lots to look at here. The gift shop was amazing and their shirt selection was great. I could not narrow down which shirt I liked the most because there were so many choices. There were other awesome things to buy here. The staff is also very nice here, and there is even someone walking around handing out Spam samples every so often. This place is very clean, including the bathrooms. I also like that this place is cognizant of kids with special needs. They are sensory friendly, have a safe space, and other things to make sure everyone enjoys visiting. That right there is worth a lot to me. So next time you go down highway 90, take the time to visit this museum whether you like Spam or not. You might actually enjoy yourself. read more

SPAM Museum - Neat Spam instruments - Museums Near Me - Austin, Minnesota

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