Mill City Museum in Minneapolis, MN
by Linda (minnemom) of Travels with Children
Mill City Museum. Photo by minnemom.
Minneapolis once had so many flour mills that it was dubbed “Mill City.” Today most of these are gone, but what remains is a museum dedicated to the milling industry and its impact on the city: Mill City Museum.
One of the newest sites of the Minnesota Historical Society, Mill City Museum sits in the ruins of the Washburn A Mill. Upon entering, you see a boxcar on rails before heading down to the museum area.
Mill City Museum Boxcar. Photo by minnemom.
Displays about the milling industry and food preparation from days gone by dot the museum floor, and there are several hands-on activities for children, including a water-table room where they can move “logs” down the “river.”
Mill City Museum. Photo by minnemom.
In the baking lab, kids can practice rolling their own dough while adults taste the fresh-baked goodie of the day.
A ride in the Flour Tower tells the history of the mill. (Just be aware that there’s a “boom!” involved.) At the top, you can look out over St. Anthony Falls and the Stone Arch Bridge.
Don’t miss Kevin Kling’s humorous film, “Minneapolis in 19 Minutes Flat,” which will entertain kids and adults alike.
Seasonally, the ruins courtyard is open for lingering, and special events are held frequently at the museum. A gift shop and cafe round out the museum. A bike and walking path runs just behind the museum along the Mississippi River.
Mill City Museum is fun for all ages. My kids beg to go back time after time, and I plan to take my parents there as well.
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