The Bakken facts for kids
A view of The Bakken Museum from the medicinal garden
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| Established | 1975–1976 |
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| Location | 3537 Zenith Avenue South, Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States |
| Type | Science museum |
The Bakken Museum is a cool science museum located in Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA. It was started in 1975 by Earl Bakken, who also helped create the medical company Medtronic. This museum is all about how science, technology, and even stories connect. You can find lots of interactive exhibits, especially one about the famous book Frankenstein by Mary Shelley.
Contents
What Can You See at The Bakken Museum?
The museum has a huge collection of about 11,000 old books and 2,000 scientific tools. Many of these tools were used to study electricity and how it affects the body. Imagine seeing the actual tools used by famous scientists like Benjamin Franklin!
One of the most exciting parts is the special exhibit about Frankenstein. Earl Bakken, the museum's founder, was inspired by the idea of electricity and medicine in Mary Shelley's novel. This inspiration actually led him to invent the pacemaker, a device that helps hearts beat normally.
The museum has many fun and permanent exhibits:
- Spark: This is the newest exhibit. It shows how new ideas and inventions come to life, and how one idea can inspire another.
- Frankenstein’s Laboratory: Step into a spooky lab where you can meet Frankenstein's monster and learn about the story.
- Deep Roots: Plants as Medicine: Discover how plants have been used for medicine for thousands of years and how we still use them today.
- Ben Franklin’s Electricity Party: Try out amazing electric tricks, just like Ben Franklin and other scientists did at their fun "electricity parties" in the 1700s.
- Mary and Her Monster: Explore Mary Shelley’s magical bookcase, filled with items and books from the museum's collection. You can solve puzzles about the Frankenstein story and even hear from a "living portrait" of Mary Shelley herself!
Outside the museum, there's a beautiful Florence Bakken Medicinal Garden. It's a peaceful place with plants that have been used for healing. You'll also see a statue of Hermes or Mercury, the ancient messenger god.
Who Started The Bakken Museum?
The Bakken Museum was created by Earl Bakken. He was an inventor who started the medical technology company Medtronic in 1949. Earl loved electricity and inventing things his whole life. When he was a kid, he even made a simple electric device to protect himself from bullies!
Earl suggested starting a collection of books and devices in 1969. By 1975, the collection was so big that it needed its own space. In 1976, it moved to its current home, which became The Bakken Museum.
The Museum Building: A Historic Home
The museum building itself is very old and interesting! It was built between 1928 and 1930 as a home for William Goodfellow. He was a businessman who sold his store to George Dayton, who later founded today's Target Corporation.
The house was called "West Winds" and looks like a mix of old English styles, with dark wood, open ceilings, and stained glass windows. It had fifteen rooms and eleven bathrooms! After Goodfellow passed away, the house was given to the Girl Scouts. Later, in 1976, it became The Bakken Museum.
In 1999, the museum got bigger, doubling its size. There's also a special underground room built in 1981 that keeps the museum's valuable collection safe. It stays at a constant cool temperature and humidity to protect the old books and instruments.
Images for kids
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A Frankenstein display
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Flower in a Bakken garden
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Bakken Museum sign
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Inside the museum
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Theremin display, which visitors can play
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