Top 50 Museums in Minnesota - Complete List, Map & Guide

Written and Fact-checked by | Updated On: July 10, 2026

The Twin Cities split their museum identity cleanly down the Mississippi: Minneapolis leans art and music, with the Walker Art Center's sculpture garden and Prince's actual home studio at Paisley Park, while St. Paul carries the state's history and science institutions, including a Science Museum built on the site of the old St. Paul Institute founded in 1907.

Minnesota Museums Map

The Minnesota Museums Map highlights the locations of museums across the state, including art museums, history museums, science centers, and cultural heritage institutions. Use this interactive map to explore popular museums in Minneapolis, St. Paul, and other destinations throughout Minnesota.

Here's an expanded list of Minnesota's museums, split between Minneapolis and St. Paul with a few statewide historical sites included.

List of Museums in Minnesota

Museum Name City Category Admission Best For Official Website
Minneapolis Institute of ArtMinneapolisArtFreeWorld-class art collectionshttps://new.artsmia.org
Walker Art CenterMinneapolisContemporary ArtPaidModern art & Sculpture Gardenhttps://walkerart.org
Science Museum of MinnesotaSaint PaulSciencePaidInteractive science exhibitshttps://new.smm.org
Minnesota History CenterSaint PaulHistoryPaidMinnesota historyhttps://www.mnhs.org/historycenter
Mill City MuseumMinneapolisHistoryPaidFlour milling historyhttps://www.mnhs.org/millcity
American Swedish InstituteMinneapolisHistoryPaidSwedish heritagehttps://asimn.org
The Bakken MuseumMinneapolisSciencePaidElectricity & innovationhttps://thebakken.org
Bell MuseumSaint PaulNatural HistoryPaidWildlife & planetariumhttps://www.bellmuseum.umn.edu
Weisman Art MuseumMinneapolisArtFreeModern arthttps://wam.umn.edu
Minnesota Museum of American ArtSaint PaulArtFreeAmerican art collectionshttps://mmaa.org
Minnesota Children's MuseumSaint PaulChildrenPaidInteractive learninghttps://mcm.org
Minnesota Marine Art MuseumWinonaArtPaidMarine-inspired arthttps://mmam.org
SPAM MuseumAustinSpecialtyFreeSPAM historyhttps://www.spam.com/museum
Lake Superior Railroad MuseumDuluthRailroadPaidHistoric trainshttps://lsrm.org
Glensheen Historic EstateDuluthHistoric HousePaidHistoric mansion tourshttps://glensheen.org
Split Rock LighthouseTwo HarborsMaritimePaidLighthouse historyhttps://www.mnhs.org/splitrock
North West Company Fur PostPine CityLiving HistoryPaidFur trade historyhttps://www.mnhs.org/furpost
Historic Fort SnellingSaint PaulMilitary HistoryPaidMilitary & frontier historyhttps://www.mnhs.org/fortsnelling
James J. Hill HouseSaint PaulHistoric HousePaidGilded Age mansionhttps://www.mnhs.org/hillhouse
Pavek MuseumSaint Louis ParkTechnologyPaidBroadcasting historyhttps://www.pavekmuseum.org
The Works MuseumBloomingtonSciencePaidEngineering for kidshttps://theworks.org
Oliver Kelley FarmElk RiverLiving HistoryPaidHistoric farminghttps://www.mnhs.org/kelleyfarm
Charles A. Lindbergh House and MuseumLittle FallsHistoric HousePaidAviation historyhttps://www.mnhs.org/lindbergh
Mille Lacs Indian Museum and Trading PostOnamiaNative AmericanPaidOjibwe culturehttps://www.mnhs.org/millelacs
Jeffers PetroglyphsComfreyArchaeologyPaidAncient rock carvingshttps://www.mnhs.org/jefferspetroglyphs
Forest History CenterGrand RapidsHistoryPaidLogging heritagehttps://www.mnhs.org/foresthistory
Comstock HouseMoorheadHistoric HousePaidVictorian mansionhttps://www.mnhs.org/comstock
Folsom HouseTaylors FallsHistoric HousePaidRiver town historyhttps://www.mnhs.org/folsom
Snake River Fur PostPine CityHistoryPaidEarly fur tradehttps://www.mnhs.org/snake
Lower Sioux Agency History CenterMortonHistoryPaidU.S.–Dakota War historyhttps://www.mnhs.org/lowersioux
Hjemkomst CenterMoorheadHistoryPaidViking ship replicahttps://www.hcscconline.org
American Association of Woodturners Gallery of Wood ArtSaint PaulArtFreeWood arthttps://galleryofwoodart.org
Rochester Art CenterRochesterContemporary ArtPaidModern exhibitionshttps://rochesterartcenter.org
Mayo Clinic Heritage HallRochesterMedical HistoryFreeMayo Clinic historyhttps://history.mayoclinic.org
Stearns History MuseumSaint CloudHistoryPaidRegional historyhttps://www.stearns-museum.org
Minnesota Transportation MuseumSaint PaulTransportationPaidRail & transit historyhttps://transportationmuseum.org
Museum of Russian ArtMinneapolisArtPaidRussian art collectionshttps://tmora.org
Hennepin History MuseumMinneapolisHistoryPaidMinneapolis historyhttps://hennepinhistory.org
Foshay MuseumMinneapolisHistoryPaidArt Deco landmarkhttps://www.wafoshay.org
Goldstein Museum of DesignSaint PaulDesignFreeFashion & decorative artshttps://design.umn.edu/goldstein-museum-design
Tweed Museum of ArtDuluthArtFreeRegional & Native American arthttps://tweed.d.umn.edu
Minnesota Discovery CenterChisholmHistoryPaidIron Range heritagehttps://www.mndiscoverycenter.com
Pine Tree Apple Orchard Heritage CenterWhite Bear LakeAgricultureFreeApple farming historyhttps://www.pinetreeappleorchard.com
Goodhue County History CenterRed WingHistoryPaidRegional collectionshttps://goodhuecountyhistory.org
Runestone MuseumAlexandriaHistoryPaidKensington Runestonehttps://runestonemuseum.org
Minnesota Streetcar MuseumMinneapolisTransportationPaidHistoric streetcarshttps://trolleyride.org
Charles Lindbergh House Visitor CenterLittle FallsHistoryPaidLindbergh family historyhttps://www.mnhs.org/lindbergh
The Museum of Questionable Medical DevicesMinneapolisSpecialtyPaidHistoric medical deviceshttps://www.sciencemuseum.org/bakken
Polk County MuseumCrookstonHistoryFreeLocal heritagehttps://www.polkcountyhistory.org
Rourke Art MuseumMoorheadArtPaidRegional art collectionshttps://rourkeartmuseum.org

Minnesota Museums Facts

Fact Details
StateMinnesota
Approximate Number of MuseumsMore than 500 museums, historic sites, and cultural institutions
Largest Art MuseumMinneapolis Institute of Art, Minneapolis
Most Visited MuseumScience Museum of Minnesota, Saint Paul
Largest Science MuseumScience Museum of Minnesota, Saint Paul
Most Popular History MuseumMinnesota History Center, Saint Paul
Largest Natural History MuseumBell Museum, Saint Paul
Official State History MuseumMinnesota History Center, Saint Paul
Most Popular Art MuseumMinneapolis Institute of Art, Minneapolis
Popular Free MuseumsMinneapolis Institute of Art, Weisman Art Museum, Minnesota Museum of American Art, Goldstein Museum of Design
Largest Museum DistrictTwin Cities Museum District (Minneapolis–Saint Paul)
Major Museum CitiesMinneapolis, Saint Paul, Duluth, Rochester, Winona
Popular Museum CategoriesArt, History, Science, Children's Museums, Transportation, Maritime, Native American, Living History
Historic Landmark MuseumMill City Museum, Minneapolis
Best Time to VisitLate spring through fall (May–October) offers pleasant weather for museum visits and sightseeing.
Top Family MuseumsScience Museum of Minnesota, Minnesota Children's Museum, Bell Museum, Mill City Museum
Presidential MuseumsMinnesota does not have a U.S. Presidential Library or Presidential Museum.
Specialty MuseumsSPAM Museum, Lake Superior Railroad Museum, The Bakken Museum, Minnesota Marine Art Museum, American Swedish Institute
Annual Museum VisitorsMinnesota museums attract millions of visitors every year.
Top Museum RegionsTwin Cities Metro, North Shore, Southern Minnesota, Central Minnesota, Iron Range
US Museums by State

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