Museum Collections Up Close : MNHS.ORG

A look at the early days of the Great American Pastime in Minnesota, from its beginnings post-Civil War up to the arrival of the Minnesota Twins.

Immigrants are an important part of the Minnesota story. This episode looks at immigration through what people brought with them to their new home. What was useful, what held memories, what shows why they had to leave?

Prisoner of war camps during the Civil War were often more dangerous than the battlefield. Watch to learn more about the system of prisoner exchanges and how circumstances deteriorated as the war dragged on. Andersonville is particularly noted, as many Minnesota soldiers spent time there. Learn More: Civil War Daybook Civil War Collections Minnesota and the Civil War Exhibit [...]

This episode features Victorian valentines from the Minnesota Historical Society’s collections, dating from 1840 to 1900. While the designs are vintage, the feelings expressed are timeless. Produced by Lizzie Ehrenhalt For more valentines, see Collections Online.

As Minnesotans, we love to talk about the weather. Talk about it, obsess over it, live in it, love it. Or love hating it, at least. Since the Saint Paul Winter Carnival and Crashed Ice start soon, we thought this a good time to look at a variety of winter weather from images and film [...]

View a selection of holiday greeting cards from the Minnesota Historical Society’s extensive collection. These are dated between 1878 – 1967. Enjoy!

The Minnesota Historical Society holds the Walter F. Mondale Papers and has one of the nation’s premier collections of government, politics, and public affairs materials. Watch to learn more about the collections and how to use these fabulous materials. Learn More: Walter F. Mondale Collection Government, Politics, and Public Affairs Attend an Evening with Mondale and the Public Affairs [...]

View footwear highlights from the Minnesota Historical Society’s Collection featuring styles from the 18th century, through the 1920s, into the 1960s, and beyond. Created by Lizzie Ehrenhalt Learn More: More shoes! in Collections Online Materials about shoes in the Library Collection

On September 30, 2012 a memorial for Minnesota’s fallen firefighters will be dedicated on the State Capitol grounds.  This podcast highlights both the memorial and the Minnesota Historical Society’s collections related to firefighting in Minnesota. Sondra Reierson, Collections Assistant Learn More: See Collections Online to view photographs and artifacts related to firefighting in Minnesota See History Center Library website to search [...]

In 1919 the Eighteenth Amendment was passed, banning the sale, manufacture, and transportation of alcohol in the United States.  Just a year before the law went into effect, Minnesota could boast 37 breweries producing over a million barrels of fermented liquors and distributing them to over 3,000 retail liquor dealers.  In Minnesota, as in the [...]

For many Americans, the word “breakfast” conjures up images of hearty bowls of cereal and toasters popping out slices of golden-brown bread. But it hasn’t always been this way.  Explore how breakfast has changed over time and learn about Minnesotans’ impact on this most important and delicious meal of the day!

A recent acquisition of the State Archives came from the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR). Included in this was a complete set of State Park Entrance Stickers. This podcast provides a brief history of use of Minnesota State Parks entrance stickers. State Archives collections are available through the Minnesota Historical Society’s Library. Music Credit: Jason [...]

Minnesota is governed by two constitutions – why? Watch this short video to learn more. Hint: politicians not getting along is nothing new. Learn More: We the People: The First Official Printing of the U.S. Constitution is on view at the History Center through July 4, 2012 See full scans of the two Minnesota State Constitutions Music credit: “Indiana Polka” [...]

With summer just around the corner and prime picnicking season already upon us, we present a century’s worth of images of that perennial warm-weather sightseeing destination: Minnehaha Falls. Tourists and naturalists alike have long appreciated the falls and surrounding parkland for their dramatic views, shady woods and abundant wildlife. Luckily for future generations, [...]

This short video addresses the release of the 1940 Federal Census, including what kind of information it contains and how to access it. It also mentions the resources the Minnesota Historical Society has to help find people in it, as indexing will not be complete for another six months or so. [...]

The Minnesota Secretary of State, Mark Ritchie, recently requested the transfer of the state’s Session Laws to the State Archives of the Minnesota Historical Society. This podcast describes these important historical records, shows the moving process, and explains how they will be preserved for future generations.

Have you been wondering how to use our fabulous new search tool, Collections Online? Take a look at this video for helpful hints to get started finding photographs, objects, artwork, oral histories, moving images, maps, and more! You control the search; you have the power to make it as wide or narrow as need be, [...]

When genealogists set out to piece together the lives of their research subjects, they often concentrate on text-based sources like letters, city directories and vital records. But photographs also provide a wealth of information about the lives of the people they capture, and can be used to fill in gaps in written histories. [...]

In a nation of immigrants, becoming a citizen — being “naturalized” — has been an important part of our personal and national history. The naturalization process, and the records that document that process, have changed over time. Learn about these changes and about related resources available at the [...]

Ice skating has long been part of Minnesota’s identity and winter traditions. In this podcast we examine the beginnings of the sport in the state as well as some early innovators who had national and worldwide impact. Enjoy the history, and then get out there – the ice is perfect! Sondra Reierson Music credit:  Chabrier – España [...]

Not unlike the divided household of Downton Abbey, we have a dramatic example of upstairs/downstairs life right here in Minnesota. The “Empire Builder” James J. Hill and his family were the primary occupants of 240 Summit Avenue but another, less familiar group of people lived there as well: the 10 to 12 live-in domestic servants [...]

Explore the curious, cute, weird, and wonderful world of mascots who represent the Great State of Minnesota. From a lumberjack and Twins to a gopher and a duck, the mascots are a recognizable part of life in Minnesota and often our ambassadors to the world beyond.

Often students come in to the Library with assignments to do research in primary source materials, but find that they’re not quite sure what a primary source is. This video provides a brief discussion of primary and secondary sources with examples from the Society’s collections.

This informative piece on the history of bow ties focuses on those in the Minnesota Historical Society’s Collection. Consider updating your look using tried and true retro fashion! Part of the ‘Things Used to be Cooler’ series. Watch for more fashion and living tips from the past coming soon!

The events, politics, movements, music and television of the late Sixties return in The 1968 Exhibit. Objects Curator Matt Anderson takes a look at some of the exhibit’s artifacts drawn from the Minnesota Historical Society’s collection. Music credit: “Slow Burn,” performed by Kevin MacLeod (CC BY 3.0). Learn More: The 1968 Exhibit American Indian Movement (AIM) Hubert H. Humphrey Eugene McCarthy [...]

The Kensington Runestone has been a point of controversy, contention, pride, and interest since it was discovered in 1898 by Swedish immigrant farmer Olof Ohman. Reference Specialist Debbie Miller discusses the story behind this important piece of Minnesota history and some of the resources the Minnesota Historical Society has relating to it. [...]

The Minnesota State Fair is nothing if not full of spectacle. Collections Assistant Christopher Welter shares a few of the thousands of State Fair photos in the Society’s collection, with a special emphasis on the fair’s more spectacular offerings over the years. Learn More: See more State Fair images Minnesota State Fair Walking Tour Watch Minnesota State Fair in [...]

Minnesota has a vast railroad history, both as a gateway to the Pacific Northwest and as home to several major railroad companies. The Society’s collections document this legacy through artifacts used on the railroads and through the corporate papers of the Great Northern, the Northern Pacific, the Soo Line and others. Curator Matt Anderson and [...]

Jerome Liebling began his career as a photographer in New York in the 1940s. In 1949, his move to Minnesota shifted his work to a more rural landscape. His art, however, maintained its focus on people and the spaces that they occupy. During the late 1950s, a time when Minnesota was becoming nationally known for [...]

The Minnesota Historical Society is pleased to make available a silent film clip featuring Michael J. Dowling (1866-1921). Dowling, a Minnesota politician, newspaper publisher, businessmen, and spokesperson for those with physical disabilities lost both legs, most of one arm and part of another to frostbite when he was young. During and after World War I [...]

For nearly 100 years after its founding in 1886, the Munsingwear Company was known for its innovations in both style and manufacturing techniques and materials. The largest producer of branded underwear in the U.S., it was also the largest employer of women in Minnesota. Curator Linda McShannock explores the company’s numerous “firsts” over the course [...]

While the 1st Minnesota Volunteer Infantry is well known for its service at Gettysburg, the state sent 21 other military units to the Civil War. In this episode, Brian Pease shares the stories of three of Minnesota’s lesser known units, each of which made important contributions in the war’s Western Theater. The [...]

We celebrate the Pillsbury Doughboy, arguably Minnesota’s best-known advertising icon, with a look at some of the nearly 600 objects in the Minnesota Historical Society’s collection that feature Poppin’ Fresh. Many of these items are drawn from the Richard Ferrell Flour Milling Industry History Collection.

Did you know that as a teacher you can bring your class to visit the library? Once here, your students can use our books, audio-visual materials, newspapers, maps, manuscript collections, and public records to research local historical events and topics in Minnesota’s history. For more information, visit the library’s class visits page.

Bringing a new donation into the collection isn’t a simple matter. Curators evaluate each offer based on its physical condition, its unique story, and its potential exhibit and research uses. In this episode, we take a behind-the-scenes look at the Minnesota Historical Society’s thorough and thoughtful donation process.

It’s time once again for the St. Paul Winter Carnival, and Reference Librarian Hamp Smith celebrates with a look at Winter Carnival materials in the Society’s collections. Highlights include photographs, personal diaries, marching uniforms, and film footage of the 1916 and 1942 parades.

Carolen Bailey was a pioneer for women in law enforcement across the country and especially in Saint Paul, Minnesota, where she spent her career proving a woman’s ability to perform the same duties as her male counterparts. Working her way up from the Juvenile Division, Bailey became the first female homicide investigator in Saint Paul [...]

The Minnesota Historical Society holds many Christmas-related objects, including a number of elaborate, hand-made ornaments from the Victorian era. Volunteer Kelly Ryan explains the materials and techniques commonly used in making these ornaments and highlights several examples from the Collection.

St. Paul had a widespread – if inglorious – reputation as a criminal safe haven during the Gangster Era of the 1930s. In this episode, Government Records Specialist Charles Rodgers shares several items from the Society’s collection associated with that colorful age. Learn More: “Gangsters in St. Paul” History Topic Page John Dillinger Slept Here Guide to [...]

Reposted from November 19, 2008 Acquisitions Librarian Patrick Coleman explains the complicated events that led to the 1963 recount. A variety of film from the KSTP-TV Archive shows us the players in this newly relevant drama including Elmer Andersen, Karl Rolvaag, the voters, the judges and vote-counters, and even JFK. For Minnesota news outlets to rebroadcast any [...]

On November 11th of each year, Americans celebrate Veteran’s Day, acknowledging the services and sacrifices of the men and women of the American military. But in the minds of many Minnesotans the day evokes an additional memory: that of a powerful winter storm that exploded over Minnesota in 1940 and is remembered today as the [...]

This year, 2010, is the 90th anniversary of the ratification of the Nineteenth Amendment giving women the right to vote. Linda McShannock, Object Curator at the Minnesota Historical Society, shows objects from the Collection relating to the important Women’s Suffrage Movement. We also learn that pink was not the first color to be associated with [...]

Since 1948 the Minnesota Historical Society has used oral history to collect stories of our state’s past. Project Assistant Jillian Odland shares oral history interviews conducted with new immigrants and refugees, which have recently been digitized and are now available in two web resources: Becoming Minnesotan and Immigrant Oral Histories.

Military service has been an important event in the lives of many Minnesotans since the state’s earliest years.  The Minnesota State Archives, part of the Minnesota Historical Society Collections,  is a rich resource for documenting Minnesotans’ service in the state’s National Guard as well as overseas.  The collection is particularly strong for the period from [...]

Curator Matt Anderson shares the story behind a World War II-era folding reed organ used at the Fort Snelling post hospital. Organist Sally Reynolds performs the hymn “Rock of Ages” on the recently-conserved instrument.

When handling rare and often valuable historic objects and books, are gloves always necessary? Object Curator Matt Anderson and Acquisitions Librarian Patrick Coleman discuss when gloves are helpful versus when they do more harm than good; several specific examples are shown.

The Minnesota Historical Society is home to a large variety of documents, books, and photographs related to Glacier National Park in Northwestern Montana. In this podcast Collections Assistant Jillian Odland explains Minnesota’s connection to the foundation and history this spectacular park.

Seeing historic objects is a wonderful experience, but some things are meant to be heard. In this episode, Objects Curator Matt Anderson listens to a few items from the collection that are either pleasant-sounding, melodic, or just plain noisy.

Paratroopers jumped into danger during the D-Day invasion of Normandy and in campaigns across the globe during World War II. To mark Memorial Day and the anniversary of D-Day, curator Matt Anderson introduces a few of Minnesota’s own airborne soldiers while looking at their personal artifacts found within the collections of the Minnesota Historical Society. [...]

Art Curator Brian Szott shows three new additions to the Minnesota Historical Society’s Art Collection, including two modernist sculptures of Mother and Child.

Charles Rodgers, Government Records Specialist, takes a look at Stillwater Prison Industries. Since the 1890s, inmates have manufactured everything from twine to office furniture. The Society’s collections include records, reports, photographs, and sample products that illuminate this unique enterprise.