This list of museums in Twin Cities Metro region encompasses museums which are defined for this context as institutions (including nonprofit organizations, government entities, and private businesses) that collect and care for objects of cultural, artistic, scientific, or historical interest and make their collections or related exhibits available for public viewing. Non-profit and university art galleries are also included.
Private museums which are not regularly open to the public and virtual museums which exist only online are not included.
The Twin Cities Metro region includes the following counties: Anoka, Carver, Chisago, Dakota, Hennepin, Isanti, Ramsey, Scott, Sherburne, Washington, and Wright.
Current museums
Name Image Town/City County Region Type Summary 1852 Town House School Taylors Falls Chisago Twin Cities Metro Local history The 1852 schoolhouse, the oldest public school in Minnesota. Operated by the Taylors Falls Historical Society 1914 Historic Town Hall Museum Eagan Hennepin Twin Cities Metro Local history Features local history displays as well as history talks and events. Operated by the Eagan Historical Society. Afton Historical Museum Afton Washington Twin Cities Metro Local history Period displays, artifacts, and photographs of local history and agriculture, plus a research library. Operated by the Afton Historical Society in an 1868 church building. Alexander Ramsey House More images Saint Paul Ramsey Twin Cities Metro Historic house 1868 mansion of early Minnesota governor and founding figure Alexander Ramsey. Operated by the Minnesota Historical Society. Amador Heritage Center More images Almelund Chisago Twin Cities Metro Local history, open-air The Amador Heritage Center was established in 1978. Local memorabilia and replica structures housed in a 1910 school, with an adjacent collection of historic buildings. American Museum of Asmat Art Saint Paul Ramsey Twin Cities Metro Art Gallery on the art and culture of the Asmat people of southwestern Papua, Indonesia. Housed at the University of St. Thomas. American Swedish Institute More images Minneapolis Hennepin Twin Cities Metro Ethnic Art and cultural center dedicated to Swedish and Swedish American heritage, housed in a 1908 mansion. Ames-Florida-Stork House More images Rockford Hennepin Twin Cities Metro Historic house 1861 house with period furnishings charting its ownership by three families. Operated by the Rockford Area Historical Society. Andrew Peterson Farmstead More images Waconia Carver Twin Cities Metro Agriculture The Andrew Peterson Farmstead is a farm east of Waconia, Minnesota. Peterson worked substantially with the development of apple trees. His farm was one of the first research stations for what would become the University of Minnesota Landscape Arboretum. Owned and operated by the Carver County Historical Society. Anoka County History Center More images Anoka Anoka Twin Cities Metro Local history Exhibits on Anoka County's history and people. Operated by the Anoka County Historical Society in a 1965 library. Ard Godfrey House More images Minneapolis Hennepin Twin Cities Metro Historic house Oldest surviving frame house in Minneapolis, built in 1849. Preserved by the Woman's Club of Minneapolis. Augsburg Art Galleries Minneapolis Hennepin Twin Cities Metro Art Gage Family Art Gallery, Christensen Center Art Gallery, and Student Art Gallery at Augsburg University displaying work by contemporary artists as well as students, alumni, and faculty. More images Minneapolis Hennepin Twin Cities Metro Science World's only museum and research library devoted to the medical uses of electricity and magnetism, established by pioneering biomedical engineer Earl Bakken. Housed in a 1928 mansion. Bell Gallery Minneapolis Hennepin Twin Cities Metro History The Bell Gallery was moved from Wilson Library to the ground floor of the Elmer L. Andersen Library at the University of Minnesota, East Bank Campus. The gallery features exhibits on a variety of historical topics developed at Elmer L. Andersen Library. Bell Museum of Natural History Falcon Heights Ramsey Twin Cities Metro Natural history The state's official natural history museum, established in 1872 for research and display of the state's plants and animals. Operated by the University of Minnesota, the museum is home to world renowned wildlife dioramas, the first discovery room in North America, and state-of-the-art digital planetarium. The museum opened a new building on the U of M St. Paul Campus in 2018. Bloomington Center for the Arts More images Bloomington Hennepin Twin Cities Metro Art Arts center colocated in Bloomington City Hall. Features two art galleries. The Inez Greenberg Gallery is the larger of the two galleries and is typically used for group shows. The Atrium Gallery is located on the upper level of the center and is used for solo shows. Bruentrup Heritage Farm More images Maplewood Ramsey Twin Cities Metro Local history Includes 11 buildings dating back to 1891 on a 22-acre prairie. Exhibits include a display of farm equipment and exhibits on milking and of early Maplewood history, including Gladstone and the 3M corporation. Burschville School Corcoran Hennepin Twin Cities Metro Local history 1894 one-room schoolhouse operated by the North Hennepin Pioneer Society Cahill School and Minnehaha Grange Hall More images Edina Hennepin Twin Cities Metro Open-air 1864 schoolhouse and 1879 Grange hall used as activity space by the Edina Historical Society. Carver County Historical Society More images Waconia Carver Twin Cities Metro Local history Contains five galleries on Carver County history, a gallery on local veterans, and a research library. Chanhassen Historic Village Hall Chanhassen Carver Twin Cities Metro Local history The building, built in 1898, and owned by the City of Chanhassen recently is occupied by the Chanhassen Historical Society for use as a museum. Before that the building has housed the Chanhassen Chamber of Commerce, a library, antique store and book store in addition to being a township governmental building. Charles H. Burwell House More images Minnetonka Hennepin Twin Cities Metro Historic house 1883 Victorian house of a prominent mill manager; operated by the Minnetonka Historical Society. Chaska History Center Chaska Carver Twin Cities Metro Local history Exhibits and research collections on town history. Operated by the Chaska Historical Society in an 1890 livery stable. City of Baseball Museum Saint Paul Ramsey Twin Cities Metro Local history Located along the third-base side of CHS Field the museum showcases the evolution of the game through five eras in St. Paul. It also features a "Black Pioneers" exhibit highlighting the contributions of African-American ballplayers who were from St. Paul or played in the city. Cokato Museum & Gust Akerlund Studio More images Cokato Wright Twin Cities Metro Local history Local history museum and the Upper Midwest's only surviving early-20th-century photography studio, with much of its original equipment. Cokato Temperance Hall Museum More images Cokato Township Wright Twin Cities Metro Local history Now a museum, the Cokato Temperance Hall was a historic clubhouse built in 1896 to serve as an alcohol-free social center in a rural Finnish American community. Maintained by the Cokato Finnish American Historical Society. Commemorative Air Force Minnesota Wing More images South St. Paul Dakota Twin Cities Metro Military The Commemorative Air Force Minnesota Wing is home to six aircraft, a large motor pool fleet, and a unique collection of World War II artifacts that are on display at Fleming Field in South Saint Paul. Cycling Museum of Minnesota More images Minneapolis Hennepin Twin Cities Metro Transportation Museum on the history, impact, and future promise of cycling.Brandy, Steve (March 29, 2016)."Big wheels". Star Tribune, p. E1 and p. E8. Via Newspapers.com Dakota City Heritage Village More images Farmington Dakota Twin Cities Metro Open-air 22 historical and replica buildings depicting a typical Dakota County village of the year 1900, plus a museum of agriculture and pioneer life; operated by a non-profit organization on the Dakota County Fairgrounds. Denler Art Gallery Roseville Ramsey Twin Cities Metro Art Gallery at the University of Northwestern – St. Paul displaying work by national, local, and student artists. Eder School House More images Oakdale Washington Twin Cities Metro Education One-room schoolhouse active 1888–1920. Moved to Oakdale Nature Preserve in 2004 and operated by the Washington County Historical Society. Edina History Museum Edina Hennepin Twin Cities Metro Local history Permanent and rotating exhibits of town history, plus a research library. Operated by the Edina Historical Society. Eidem Homestead Brooklyn Park Hennepin Twin Cities Metro Living history Turn-of-the-20th-century living history farm with a Victorian farmhouse, barn, and live animals. Managed by the city of Brooklyn Park. Excelsior–Lake Minnetonka Historical Society Museum Excelsior Hennepin Twin Cities Metro Local history History of the south Lake Minnetonka area, including the 1893 racing scow Onawa and exhibits on the Excelsior Amusement Park in operation 1925–1974. Housed in a former train station. Fillebrown House White Bear Lake Ramsey Twin Cities Metro Historic house 1879 lakeside cottage, operated by the White Bear Lake Area Historical Society. Firefighters Hall & Museum More images Minneapolis Hennepin Twin Cities Metro Firefighting Historical vehicles, equipment, displays, and a research library on firefighting in Minnesota. Folsom House More images Taylors Falls Chisago Twin Cities Metro Historic house 1855 house of lumber magnate W.H.C. Folsom, with many of its original furnishings. Operated by the Taylors Falls Historical Society. Fridley History Center Fridley Anoka Twin Cities Metro Local history Artifacts and displays of town history. Operated by the Fridley Historical Society in a 1931 schoolhouse. Gallery of Wood Art Saint Paul Ramsey Twin Cities Metro Art Exhibits a variety of contemporary art made from wood, plus educational displays and vintage lathes. Operated by the American Association of Woodturners in Landmark Center. Gibbs Museum of Pioneer and Dakotah Life More images Falcon Heights Ramsey Twin Cities Metro Open-air 1849 farmstead with original, relocated, and replica buildings, plus replica Dakota dwellings and gardens; operated by the Ramsey County Historical Society. Gideon H. Pond House More images Bloomington Hennepin Twin Cities Metro Historic house 1856 house with replica 1852 wing, owned by Gideon Hollister Pond, early missionary to the Dakota. Operated by the city of Bloomington in Pond–Dakota Mission Park.Golden Valley History Museum More imagesGolden ValleyHennepinTwin Cities MetroLocal historyPermanent exhibits, research collection, and education programs. Operated by the Golden Valley Historical Society in an 1882 church. Goldstein Museum of Design Falcon Heights Ramsey Twin Cities Metro Art Research collection and rotating exhibit space dedicated to applied arts such as clothing, pottery, and graphic design. Operated by the University of Minnesota's College of Design. Gopher State Railway Museum More images New Prague Scott Twin Cities Metro Railroad Collects, preserves, restores, displays, and operates railroad equipment and artifacts. Collections include the Great Northern office car "Manitoba" which was used as a private car by James J Hill. Gordon Parks Gallery Saint Paul Ramsey Twin Cities Metro Art Teaching gallery at Metropolitan State University featuring works by Gordon Parks and diverse rotating exhibits. Grimm Farm Historic Site