Science Museum of Minnesota facts for kids
 |
|
| Lua error in Module:Location_map at line 420: attempt to index field 'wikibase' (a nil value). | |
| Established | 1907 |
|---|---|
| Location | 120 W. Kellogg Boulevard, Saint Paul, Minnesota, United States |
| Type | Science museum |
The Science Museum of Minnesota is an awesome place to explore science, technology, and natural history! It's located in Saint Paul, Minnesota, and first opened its doors in 1907. This museum is a non-profit organization, meaning it's run for the public good, not for making money. It has many employees and lots of helpful volunteers who make learning fun.
Contents
History of the Museum
The museum started in 1906 thanks to a group of business people. They wanted to help St. Paul grow in science and learning. It was first called the St. Paul Institute of Science and Letters. The museum was initially located at the St. Paul Auditorium.
Over the years, the museum moved to different places as it grew. In 1927, it moved to the Merriam Mansion, which gave it more space for exhibits. Then, in 1964, it moved to the St. Paul-Ramsey Arts and Sciences Center. In 1978, the museum got even bigger, adding more exhibit space and a cool IMAX Dome cinema.
In the 1990s, plans were made for a brand new building right next to the Mississippi River. This new museum opened on December 11, 1999. Moving to the new spot was a huge job! They had to carefully transport 1.75 million artifacts to their new home.
Since then, the museum has hosted many exciting exhibits. These have included shows about the human body, ancient Egyptian pharaohs, and even Star Wars! The museum also creates its own films for the giant screen theater. Plus, it designs and builds exhibits that travel to other museums around the world.
Cool Exhibits You Can See
While the museum always has new things to see, some exhibits are always there for you to explore:
- Dinosaurs & Fossils Gallery
This gallery is packed with amazing dinosaur skeletons and other ancient animals. You can see real and replica bones of huge dinosaurs like the Triceratops, Diplodocus, and Stegosaurus. You'll also find fossils from the Cenozoic Era, which came after the dinosaurs. These include a giant "terror bird" and an armored glyptodont. Look up to see two huge, sculpted Quetzalcoatlus flying reptiles!
- The Human Body Gallery
Ever wonder how your body works? This gallery shows you all about your tissues, organs, and systems like your blood or digestion. There's even a real mummy on display! You can also explore "Weighing the Evidence," an exhibit that helps you figure out what's true and what's not when it comes to health information.
- The Experiment Gallery
Get hands-on in this gallery! You can explore ideas in physics, math, and earth science with lots of interactive displays. It's a great place to try things out and see how science works.
- Sportsology
This exhibit is all about how your body moves when you play sports. You can learn what it takes to shoot a basketball, swing a tennis racket, or score a goal. It's a fun way to understand the science behind your favorite games.
- RACE: Are We So Different?
This special exhibit helps visitors understand what race means from different viewpoints. It looks at race through biology, culture, and history. It's the first national exhibit to explore these important ideas.
- We Move & We Stay
Learn about the history and culture of the Dakota and Ojibwe people in Minnesota. This exhibit features artifacts and stories that share their rich heritage.
- The Mississippi River Gallery
Since the museum is right by the Mississippi River, this gallery teaches you all about it! You can learn about the river's environment and the animals that live there. It's also home to The Collectors' Corner, where kids can bring in natural items they've found to trade them for points or other cool artifacts.
Museum Facilities
Omnitheater
The museum has an amazing IMAX theater called the Omnitheater. It's special because it can change! It has a flat screen for regular IMAX films and a huge, rotating dome for IMAX dome shows. It was the first theater in the northern hemisphere that could do both. When it opened, it had the largest electronic cinema projector in the world!
In 2019, the Omnitheater got an upgrade to digital laser technology. It's now one of only a few digital laser IMAX dome theaters in the world, making the movies look even more incredible.
The museum also helps make many giant screen films, including:
- Ring of Fire (1991)
- Search for the Great Sharks (1995)
- Jane Goodall's Wild Chimpanzees (2002)
- Tornado Alley (2012)
- National Parks Adventure (2016)
- Ancient Caves (2019)
Mississippi River Visitor Center
Right inside the museum's lobby, you'll find the National Park Service Visitor Center. It's free to visit! Here, you can learn even more about the Mississippi National River and Recreation Area. Park Rangers are there to help you discover the river's natural resources. You can also get information to plan trips to other national parks.
Center for Research and Collections
The museum's Center for Research and Collections is where scientists work. They take care of over 1.7 million items! These include dinosaur fossils, preserved animals and plants, and cultural artifacts from different civilizations. The scientists do research in biology, paleontology (the study of fossils), anthropology (the study of humans), water quality, and climate change. They also share their knowledge with museum visitors and school groups. The collections are kept in a special storage vault, which is usually not open to the public, except for special events.
St. Croix Watershed Research Station
This research station is part of the Center for Research and Collections. It's located in Marine-on-St. Croix, Minnesota. This is where a team of scientists studies water from all over the world. They work to understand and protect our water resources.
Kitty Andersen Youth Science Center
The Kitty Andersen Youth Science Center (KAYSC) is a special place for young people to learn about science in a fun, informal way. It's designed to help kids explore their interests in science.
IDEAL Center
The museum also has the IDEAL (Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, Access and Leadership) Center. This center helps school districts, universities, and other learning organizations across the United States. It provides training to help leaders create more inclusive and fair learning environments.
Special Exhibitions
The museum hosts several exciting special exhibitions each year. These temporary shows cover a wide range of topics. Past exhibitions have included:
- Body Worlds (2006)
- A Day in Pompeii (2007)
- Star Wars: Where Science Meets Imagination (2008)
- Titanic: The Artifact Exhibition (2009)
- Tutankhamun: The Golden King and the Great Pharaohs (2011)
- Real Pirates: The Untold Story of the Whydah from Slave Ship to Pirate Ship (2012)
- Maya: Hidden Worlds Revealed (2013)
- Space: An Out-of-Gravity Experience (2015)
- The Science Behind Pixar (2017)
- Towers of Tomorrow with LEGO Bricks (2018)
- Apollo: When We Went to the Moon (2020)
Museum Memberships
The Science Museum of Minnesota is part of several important groups. These include the Association of Science-Technology Centers and the American Alliance of Museums. Being a member of these groups helps the museum connect with other museums and share ideas. It also helps them participate in special events like NanoDays, which teaches about tiny science!
Science Education Programs
The museum has a big program focused on STEM learning. STEM stands for Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math. Besides summer camps and field trips, museum educators also visit schools across Minnesota. They teach students and teachers about topics like water and engineering. Hundreds of students attend summer camps each year, exploring science, technology, nature, and art.
