Attractions

Gale Woods Farm

Even here in Minnesota, where a large part of our economy is derived from agriculture, many people live in the city and have never seen a farm.  Three Rivers Park District helps to fill this gap with Gale Woods Farm.

Gale Woods Farm is a working farm; it sits on the site of an old farm, but its barns, greenhouses, and visitor center are quite new.  Visitors are invited to see the animals, go on a tractor-pulled wagon ride, and visit the greenhouse and gardens.  Special themes and activities are held on many days; when we visited, our children carded wool, planted seeds to take home, flew a kite, and best of all, had French Toast made from eggs, milk, butter, and maple syrup produced right at the farm. Read More »

Even on the coldest of winter days, Minnesotans and visitors to Bloomington’s Mall of America have a warm place where they can have some fun and thrills: Nickelodeon Universe theme park inside the Mall of America.

That’s right, there’s an amusement park inside this huge mall, and it’s no slouch.  Featuring a flume ride and a couple of roller coasters, plus all sorts of other rides, it’s a fun place for families to spend the day together, or for Dad to take the kids while Mom shops ’till she drops.

Nickelodeon Universe

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Minneapolis is well-known for its “chain of lakes”–Calhoun, Harriet, Lake of the Isles–and theparks, trails, and parkways that surround these lakes, meandering along the Minnehaha Creek, looping around Lake Nokomis, and then finding their way to beautiful Minnehaha Falls.

Although we spend a lot of time in “the Cities,” the last time I had been to Minnehaha Park and Falls was just after we were married, when my husband and I rented a tandem bike in the Uptown neighborhood near Lake Calhoun and rode around the lakes and along the creek to the falls.  This summer, we finally took our children to see Minnehaha Falls, arriving by mini-van instead of bicycle, and viewing the falls through the eyes of a family rather than honeymooners.

It’s beautiful no matter how you look at it.

Minnehaha Falls can be viewed from the side or from the bridge crossing the top of the falls . . .

Minnehaha Falls

or from below.  It’s about 100 steps down to bottom of the falls, with a handrail and concrete stairs. Read More »

The Minnesota History Center, the state’s primary historical museum, is consistently home to quality exhibits showcasing the history of the state of Minnesota.  In addition, it periodically hosts special exhibits, including the Declaration of Independence and items from the Vatican in recent years.

From November 27, 2009, to July 4, 2010, the Minnesota History Center will be home to Benjamin Franklin: In Search of a Better World.  I was a guest of the Minnesota Historical Society for the media preview of this exhibit, which will open to the public this weekend with a variety of special activities.

Electricity Experiment at Ben Franklin Exhibit

Benjamin Franklin: In Search of a Better World is suitable for both adults and children, with a number of interactive pieces that my children enjoyed.  In addition to Benjamin Franklin artifacts, touch-screen learning games and animations and electrical experiments (developed in cooperation with the Bakken Museum) make the exhibit family-friendly.  My children and I spent over an hour in the Ben Franklin exhibit before exploring the rest of the History Center. Read More »

Family Day at Minneapolis Institute of Arts

The biggest draw at the Minneapolis Institute of Arts currently may be its special exhibit, The Louvre and the Masterpiece, which features several pieces from the Louvre, but for families wishing to visit the museum, I’ll offer another reason to go to MIA: the free Family Day programs at the museum.

Held on one Sunday each month, each Family Day is based on a theme that incorporates art from the museum, arts and crafts projects, performances, and more that build a entire day of family-friendly activities upon the arts theme.  A few years ago, we attended the “Horses” Family Day and completed a scavenger hunt of horses hiding in the museum’s art as well as learning to gallop and canter, with a whole range of activities in between.

The most recent family day was entitled “Art Smart” and was related to the special Louvre exhibit at the museum.  Throughout the afternoon, my children engaged in a variety of activities that brought the Louvre exhibit to life.  They made projects like a model of the pyramid entrance to the Louvre and decorative plates like those found in the exhibit.  They listened to French cafe music as well as opera pieces that were related to the artwork in the exhibition.  They learned how to draw like the masters and to speak a nice little bit of French while learning that the Mona Lisa has another name in France.  All the while, we were wandering the halls of the museum, seeing Impressionist paintings and Chinese pieces, textiles and Arts and Crafts furnishings, and all of the other artwork that was in the Institute.

The best thing is that the Family Day made the Minneapolis Institute of Arts a fun place to visit.  My children didn’t realize how much they were learning about art on their visit; they merely thought that they were having a great time.  Family Day activities are well-thought-out to make art accessible to everyone, including children.

Minneapolis Institute of Arts

2400 Third Avenue South, Minneapolis, MN
888-MIA-ARTS

Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday, Saturday 10-5; Thursday 10-9; Sunday 11-5.

Daily Admission and Family Days are free; there is a charge for the special Louvre exhibition.

Photo credits: minnemom on flickr

Linda (minnemom) explores Minnesota and beyond and writes about her family’s adventures at Travels with Children.

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Every year since 1997, a farm in Shakopee, Minnesota, has been inviting people to get lost in its corn field.  Sever’s Corn Maze, billed as “America’s Largest Corn Maze,” has been cutting patterns in its field for folks to find their way into and out of.

This year’s maze has a pirate theme, and if you want a little extra challenge, you can follow the maze map to various stations; once you’ve visited them all, scavenger-hunt style, you can enter a prize drawing. Read More »

Minnesota Air National Guard Museum. Photo by minnemom on flickr.

Have you ever sat in the pilot’s seat of a military helicopter? Or seen an F-16 up close?  If these experiences appeal to you, you’ll want to find your way to St. Paul, Minnesota, and the Minnesota Air National Guard Museum.

The Minnesota Air National Guard Museum is located on the Air National Guard base, and the museum is only open to the public on certain weekends, which are listed on the museum’s website.  Many of these are “open cockpit” days, when volunteers are on hand to answer questions about the various aircraft and visitors are allowed to sit in the planes.

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When my son turned 7, I promised him a special day out with me, where he could choose what to do.  I gave him several ideas, but he kept coming back to one thing:  The Science Museum of Minnesota.

The Science Museum of Minnesota overlooks the Mississippi River in downtown St. Paul.  It has several floors of exhibits that range in theme, from dinosaurs to light and sound to the river.  Some of our family’s favorites are the real tugboat and the chimes that play faster and louder when there is seismic activity somewhere on earth.

Science Museum of Minnesota Seismic Chimes. Photo by minnemom.

In the Big Backyard, open seasonally, visitors can pan for jewels or play a game of mini-golf for an extra charge.  Additional indoor fun can be found in the omnitheater where a variety of films is shown.

Science Museum of Minnesota Big Backyard. Photo by minnemom.

Traveling exhibits change from time to time; last summer’s hit was Star Wars, and this year there’s a Titanic artifacts exhibit.

In the museum lobby is the National Park Service’s visitor center for the Mississippi National River and Recreation Area.  There’s also a set of musical lights in the lobby near the gift shop, and a large map near the ticket counter, where my kids love jumping from country to country.

If you want to spend a family day in downtown St. Paul, the Science Museum of Minnesota is only about a block away from the skyway system that connects to the Minnesota Children’s Museum.  The Minneapolis-St. Paul area has several other family-friendly museums that you may want to consider.

Linda (minnemom) writes about Minnesota family travel and more at Travels with Children.

New York has the Empire State Building.  Chicago has the Sears Tower.  St. Louis has the Gateway Arch.  Seattle has the Space Needle.  Many cities have tall buildings from which visitors can get a birds-eye view of the city and its surrounding area.

Did you know that Minneapolis has a beautiful building that offers this feature?  It’s no longer the tallest building in the city, although it held that title for 43 years, and it still stands as the second-tallest skyscraper, behind the Empire State Building.

Foshay Tower. Photo by minnemom.

The Foshay Tower was built by Wilbur Foshay and opened in 1929.  Its grand opening was grand indeed, and included a march written especially for the occasion by John Philip Sousa.  Shortly after the building opened, the stock market crashed and Foshay lost his fortune and was convicted of fraud.

The building itself was inspired by the Washington Monument’s obelisk shape, and stands 32 stories tall.  In 2008, renovations were completed and the tower reopened as part of the W Hotel.

Today, visitors can once again ascend the elevators to the 31st floor, where there is a small museum and access to the observation deck for a beautiful view of Minneapolis, St. Paul, and the surrounding area.  The admission fee is paid at the hotel’s welcome desk in exchange for a key that allows elevator access to the observation area.

Foshay Tower Observation Deck. Photo by minnemom.M

If you’re a fan of tall buildings, don’t miss the Foshay Tower.  Although no longer the tallest in Minneapolis, it is still elegant and an icon in downtown Minneapolis.

Information credits:  Wikipedia, Foshay Tower, Foshay Tower.

by Linda (minnemom) of Travels with Children

Historic Fort Snelling. Photo by minnemom.

Stepping back in time in the Twin Cities is possible at a number of historical sites and other museums.  Historic Fort Snelling is one of our favorites.

Historic Fort Snelling is a restored 1820’s-era military post that overlooks the Mississippi and Minnesota Rivers.  A visit to the fort brings encountered with costumed characters from that time.  Visit with the sutler in his store or help the blacksmith in his shop.  If you’re lucky, you might get a chance to taste some fresh-baked bread or speak with the Commandant at his home.

Kids at Fort Snelling especially love going up in the round tower, which affords a good look at the fort as well as the nearby rivers.  There are other vantage points located around the fort as well.

Although Historic Fort Snelling is usually set in the 1820’s, they host special events that transform it to the Civil War and World War II eras.  Through these weekends, visitors learn about different parts of history and how Fort Snelling was utilized in those times.

A visitor center has an exhibit area and gift shop.  Parking is free, and Fort Snelling is also accessible by a bike trail.

To make a full day of early Minnesota history, visit the Sibley House just across the river as well.