The Minnesota Children's Museum is a
children's museum
Children's museums are institutions that provide exhibits and programs to stimulate informal learning experiences for children. In contrast with traditional museums that typically have a hands-off policy regarding exhibits, children's museums fea ...
in
Saint Paul, Minnesota
Saint Paul (often abbreviated St. Paul) is the List of capitals in the United States, capital city of the U.S. state of Minnesota and the county seat of Ramsey County, Minnesota, Ramsey County. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, ...
. Founded in 1981 in
Minneapolis
Minneapolis is a city in Hennepin County, Minnesota, United States, and its county seat. With a population of 429,954 as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, it is the state's List of cities in Minnesota, most populous city. Locat ...
, the museum moved to St. Paul in 1995.
The museum includes natural exhibits of
Minnesota
Minnesota ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Upper Midwestern region of the United States. It is bordered by the Canadian provinces of Manitoba and Ontario to the north and east and by the U.S. states of Wisconsin to the east, Iowa to the so ...
, developmental learning areas for small children, a creativity and problem- solving area, and national traveling exhibits .
History
On December 12, 1981, the Minnesota's AwareHouse, the first children's museum, opened downtown Minneapolis. Attendance grew to 80,000, and the museum quickly outgrew the original space in downtown Minneapolis. In 1985, the museum moved to an old
blacksmith's shop in
Bandana Square, transforming dirt walls into of galleries. By the early 1990s, the museum's visitors and exhibits again outgrew the space in Bandana Square.
In September 1995, the Minnesota Children's Museum in downtown Saint Paul opened with of gallery and program space. Three of the most popular exhibits moved from Bandana Square to the new museum: Habitot; the Crane (which moved to the World Works gallery), and the Maze (which moved to Earth World and became the giant
anthill).
Today, more than 6 million children and their families have visited the Museum.
In September 2012, The Museum planned a $26 million expansion and began renovations in late 2015.
On December 5, 2016, the Children's Museum closed until its $30 million
renovation
Renovation (also called remodeling) is the process of improving broken, damaged, or outdated structures. Renovations are typically done on either commercial or residential buildings. Additionally, renovation can refer to making something new, o ...
was completed. It would reveal a different layout and 10 new
exhibits, along with a
cafe
A coffeehouse, coffee shop, or café (), is an establishment that serves various types of coffee, espresso, latte, americano and cappuccino, among other hot beverages. Many coffeehouses in West Asia offer ''shisha'' (actually called ''nargil ...
and coffee bar, more bathrooms and elevators. On June 7, 2017, the Museum reopened to the public.
Galleries
*''The Scramble'': Four-Story Climber, Giant Spiral Slide & 40-Foot High Catwalk
*''Forces at Play'': Ping Pong Ball Launchers, Wacky Car Wash & Bubbles Galore
*''Shipwreck Adventures'': An “Underwater” Adventure Based on a Real Shipwreck
*''Imaginopolis'': Imaginative Play Space – Now Featuring: Cosmic Junkyard
*''Sprouts'': Sensory Play Space for Babies and Toddlers (for ages 3 and under)
*''Creativity Jam'': Now Featuring – The Play Lounge
*''Our World'': Vibrant Pretend Town with a Fire Station, Post Office & More
*''The Studio'': Everchanging Maker Space – Now Featuring: Invitation to Draw
*''The Backyard'': An Immersive Natural World with a Twist – Outdoor Exhibit Open Seasonally
*''Tip Top Terrace'': Big Frame House, Sensory Garden & Musical Playground – Outdoor Exhibit Open Seasonally
*Special gallery offers traveling exhibits from around the world
References
External links
Official site
{{DEFAULTSORT:Minnesota Childrens Museum
1981 establishments in Minnesota
Children's museums in Minnesota
Museums in Saint Paul, Minnesota