Minnesota History Center050

The plain-Jane name of this Twin Cities treasure belies the wealth of great displays and activities it has in store for visitors of all ages. And best of all, the Minnesota History Center excels at cloaking education in fun, so even school-averse kids are likely to learn a thing or two.

The imaginative exhibits - many of which are hands-on as well as "walk-into" - explore the history of the state with displays that kids can easily relate to, and activities and presentations that bring the past to life. During scheduled appearances, top-notch costumed interpreters - the MHS boasts some of the best we've ever seen - tell kids about typical times in the lives of famous figures.

At any given time, the museum hosts several temporary exhibits, along with long-term installations that explore the gamut of Minnesota experiences...that's in addition to two gift shops and an upscale cafeteria with a varied menu and free wi-fi. The library - welcoming and well-staffed - is a terrific resource for school projects for students in middle and high school.

The popular Grainland & Boxcar lets kids - and nimble parents - explore inside a grain elevator-themed play structure and a 24-ton Soo Line boxcar (where a looped video about the milling industry plays). There's also a farmer's wagon, circa 1900 and loaded with grain, that kids can pretend to drive to market.

Open House: If These Walls Could Talk is an extraordinary installation worth the trip all on its own. As visitors walk through the rooms - parlor, dining room, yard, and more - of the almost-to-scale replica of an actual St. Paul house, they travel through time, too. Information is presented within the "house" in all kinds of innovative and imaginative ways, to tell the story of its construction in the late 19th-century as the comfortable home of a family of German immigrants, to its subdivision into flats, to the ever-changing roster of immigrants who have made it home in recent times. Hit keys on the piano, sit on the bed, peek in the oven, read the apron - hands-on activities and nooks to explore are everywhere!

Home Place Minnesota is an innovative multi-media presentation in the 50-seat theater, exploring real and fictional memories of Minnesota as "home."

Weather Permitting shows how Minnesotans throughout history have enjoyed the seasons, learned to cope with extreme temperatures, and watched the skies for signs of rain, hail and - most dangerous of all - tornadoes. Famililes can hunker down together in the basement of a "home" as a particularly devastating "tornado" passes overhead. Please note that small children might be frightened by the realistic touches and loud noises in this display - and don't say we didn't warn you if you get that Weatherball jingle stuck in your head after your visit either!