Editing Science Museum of Minnesota

{{Use mdy dates|date=March 2025}}
{{Infobox museum
 |name          = Science Museum of Minnesota
 |image         = Science Museum of Minnesota front.jpg
 |map_type      = Minnesota
 |map_caption   =
 |coordinates   = {{Coord|44|56|33|N|93|5|55|W|display=inline,title}}
 |established   = 1907
 |dissolved     =
 |location      = 120 W. Kellogg Boulevard, [[Saint Paul, Minnesota|Saint Paul]], [[Minnesota]], United States
 |type          = [[Science museum]]
 |visitors    =
 |president      = [[Alison Rempel Brown]]
 |curator       =
 |publictransit =
 |website       = [https://www.smm.org https://www.smm.org]
}}
The '''Science Museum of Minnesota''' is a museum in [[Saint Paul, Minnesota|Saint Paul]], Minnesota, focused on topics in [[technology]], [[natural history]], [[physical science]], and [[mathematics]] education. Founded in 1907, the [[501(c)(3)]] [[nonprofit]] institution has 385 employees<ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-03-25 |title=Science Museum of Minnesota Number of Employees, Statistics, Diversity, Demographics, and Facts - Zippia |url=https://www.zippia.com/science-museum-of-minnesota-careers-1239517/demographics/ |access-date=2023-01-17 |website=www.zippia.com |language=en-US}}</ref> and is supported by volunteers.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.smm.org/about|title=About the Museum|publisher=Science Museum of Minnesota|access-date=2 January 2018}}</ref>

==History==
A group of businessmen led by Charles W. Ames established the museum in 1906 with the aim to promote intellectual and scientific growth in St. Paul. Initially known as the St. Paul Institute of Science and Letters, it was initially housed at the St. Paul Auditorium on Fourth Street. A brief merger with the St. Paul School of Fine Arts (now the [[Minnesota Museum of American Art]]) occurred in 1909.<ref name=history>{{cite web|url=https://www.smm.org/about/history|title=About the Museum|publisher=Science Museum of Minnesota|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140323081155/https://www.smm.org/about/history|archive-date=2014-03-23|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.startribune.com/timeline-the-long-twisty-journey-of-the-minnesota-museum-of-american-art/501582132/|title=Timeline: The long, twisty journey of the Minnesota Museum of American Art|website=Star Tribune|date=29 November 2018 |access-date=2020-03-10}}</ref>

In 1927, the museum relocated to Merriam Mansion on [[Minnesota State Capitol|Capitol Hill]], which had previously been Colonel [[John L. Merriam|John Merriam]]'s residence. This location offered increased exhibit storage space. Due to the museum's continued growth, it moved to the St. Paul-Ramsey Arts and Sciences Center at 30 East Tenth Street in 1964. In 1978, the museum expanded into a new area on Wabasha Street between 10th and Exchange Streets via a skyway connection, allowing for additional exhibit space and the addition of an [[IMAX Dome]] (OMNIMAX) cinema.<ref name="history" />

In the early 1990s, plans for a new facility, adjacent to the [[Mississippi River]], were formed with architecture firm [[Ellerbe Becket]].<ref>{{Cite web| title=Art needs Nature | url=https://www.concreteconstruction.net/_view-object?id=00000154-22d4-db06-a1fe-73dc1aa70000 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231115235838/https://www.concreteconstruction.net/_view-object?id=00000154-22d4-db06-a1fe-73dc1aa70000 | archive-date=2023-11-15}}</ref> With aid from public funding initiatives, the new museum broke ground on May 1, 1997, and opened on December 11, 1999. During the move, 1.75 million artifacts were transported.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://minnesota.cbslocal.com/2011/08/22/behind-the-scenes-at-the-science-museum-of-minnesota/|title=Behind The Scenes At The Science Museum Of Minnesota|date=22 August 2011|publisher=[[CBS Minnesota]]|access-date=2 January 2018}}</ref>

In the early 2000s, the museum hosted several exhibits, including ''[[Body Worlds|BODY WORLDS]]''; ''Tutankhamun: The Golden King and the Great Pharaohs''; ''[[Star Wars: Where Science Meets Imagination]]''; ''Real Pirates: The Untold Story of the'' Whydah ''from Slave Ship to Pirate Ship''; and ''The Science Behind Pixar''. It also added several films to its production roster, including ''Jane Goodall’s Wild Chimpanzees''; ''Tornado Alley''; ''National Parks Adventure''; and ''Ancient Caves'', and it built its exhibit production portfolio with exhibits like ''Robots + Us''; ''A Day in Pompeii''; ''RACE: Are We So Different?''; ''Maya: Hidden Worlds Revealed''; ''SPACE: An Out of Gravity Experience''; and ''Sportsology''. The museum continues to provide exhibit development, design, and production services for other museums.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Exhibit Services|url=https://www.smm.org/exhibitservices|access-date=2022-02-01|website=Science Museum of Minnesota|language=en}}</ref>

==Resident exhibits==
[[Image:Electro-metabograph machine.jpg|thumb|The "electro-meta graph machine" on display in the Quackery Hall of Fame]]
[[Image:SMM Triceratops.jpg|thumb|The ''[[Triceratops]]'', a composite mount of two animals nicknamed "[[Fafnir]]"]]
Offerings change frequently, but several exhibits are always on display:
*'''The Dinosaurs & Fossils Gallery''' showcases several original and replicated [[dinosaur]] [[skeleton]]s, as well as many complete and preserved animals. Some highlights from the [[Mesozoic|Mesozoic Era]] include a ''[[Triceratops]]'', ''[[Diplodocus]]'', ''[[Allosaurus]]'', ''[[Stegosaurus]]'', and ''[[Camptosaurus]]'', while those from the [[Cenozoic]] include a giant [[Phorusrhacidae|terror bird]], an armored [[glyptodont]], the giant seabird ''[[Pelagornis sandersi]]'', a [[Hyaenodonta|hyaenodont]], and fossil crocodilians of the era, especially [[Choristodera|champsosaurs]] from the 60-million-year-old [[Wannagan Creek site]] in [[North Dakota]] the museum works at.<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Erickson|first=Bruce|title=History of the Wannagan Creek Expeditions 1970 – 1996|url=https://www.smm.org/sites/default/files/public/attachments/history-wannagan-creek.pdf|journal=Science Museum Minnesota|volume=6}}</ref> The gallery also features two sculpted, 17-foot-tall Quetzalcoatluses, giant flying reptiles from the late [[Cretaceous]] that were known for their long beaks and broad, bat-like wings.
*'''The Human Body Gallery''' shows visitors the various [[Biological tissue|tissue]]s, [[Organ (anatomy)|organ]]s, and systems (such as blood or digestion) that make up the human body. A [[mummy]] is on display. ''Weighing the Evidence'' is an experience that helps visitors separate fact from fiction in healthcare decisions, featuring artifacts from the former Museum of Questionable Medical Devices. The museum acquired these pieces in 2002 when its original owner Bob McCoy, son of [[Wilson McCoy]], retired and donated the collection.
*The '''Experiment Gallery''' allows visitors to explore concepts in physics, math, and physical and earth science with interactive displays.
*'''''Sportsology''''', a study of the body in motion, gives visitors a better idea of what it takes to make a basket, swing a racket, or score a goal.
*'''''RACE: Are We So Different?''''' is the first national exhibition to tell the stories of race from biological, cultural, and historical points of view.
*'''''We Move & We Stay''''' features artifacts and historical content about the [[Dakota people|Dakota]] and [[Ojibwe]] people. 
*'''The Mississippi River Gallery''' takes advantage of the museum's proximity to the river and a National Park to educate visitors about its natural resources. Visitors can learn about the river's environment and animals. It is also home to The Collectors' Corner. Traders (mainly children) bring in natural artifacts they find to trade them for points or other artifacts.

==Facilities==

===Omnitheater===
The Mississippi riverfront facility has a convertible dome [[IMAX]] theater. With both a wall screen for IMAX films and other flat-screen presentations and a rotating [[dome]] for viewing IMAX dome presentations, it was the first convertible theater in the northern hemisphere. The [[counterweight]]s for the system were so massive that they had to be put in place before the rest of the building. When it opened in 1999, the theater boasted "the largest permanently installed electronic cinema projector in the world", an advanced computer system to coordinate the theater's facilities, and a complex sound system to accommodate both viewing formats.

In summer 2019, the Omnitheater briefly closed to convert to digital laser technology. In October 2019, it reopened as the world's third-largest digital laser IMAX dome theater.

The museum is a leading producer of giant screen films, including:
*''Genesis'' (1978)
*''Living Planet'' (1979)
*''The Great Barrier Reef'' (1981)
*''Darwin on the Galapagos'' (1983)
*''Seasons'' (1987)
*''[[Ring of Fire (1991 documentary film)|Ring of Fire]]'' (1991)
*''Tropical Rainforest'' (1992)
*''Search for the Great Sharks'' (1995)
*''The Greatest Places'' (1998)
*''[[Jane Goodall]]'s Wild Chimpanzees'' (2002)
*''Tornado Alley'' (2012)
*''National Parks Adventure'' (2016)
*''Ancient Caves'' (2019)

The theater was briefly closed in early 2014 to repair a leaky roof.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.twincities.com/localnews/ci_25219382/science-museum-repairs-leaky-omnitheater-roof|title=Science Museum repairs leaky Omnitheater roof|date=23 February 2014|publisher=[[St. Paul Pioneer Press]]|access-date=2 January 2018}}</ref>

===Mississippi River Visitor Center===
Inside the museum's lobby is the [[National Park Service]] Visitor Center for the [[Mississippi National River and Recreation Area]], which is free of charge. Mississippi River exhibits and National Park Rangers are available to help people learn about and experience the river.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Timmons |first=Bob |date=2025-03-05 |title=Feds plan to terminate leases at Mississippi River recreation headquarters and visitor center in Minnesota |url=https://www.startribune.com/feds-plan-to-terminate-leases-at-mississippi-river-recreation-headquarters-and-visitor-center-in-minnesota/601231479 |access-date=2025-03-07 |website=The Minnesota Star Tribune |language=en}}</ref> The visitor center is also equipped with resources to plan trips to any of the more than 390 national parks.{{citation needed|date=July 2022}}

<big>'''Center for Research and Collections'''</big>

The Science Museum's Center for Research and Collections staff maintain a collection of over 1.7 million artifacts, objects, and specimens and conduct research in biology, paleontology, anthropology, water quality, and climate change. They also conduct outreach with museum visitors, school groups, fellow researchers, and the general public. The museum’s collections are held in a storage vault. Items include dinosaurs and other fossils, preserved animals and plants, and cultural artifacts from extinct and extant civilizations. Researchers visit the vault to take advantage of the collection, but it is not open to regular museum visitors except during special events.

<big>'''St. Croix Watershed Research Station'''</big>

The St. Croix Watershed Research Station, in [[Marine on St. Croix, Minnesota|Marine-on-St. Croix, Minnesota]], is part of the Science Museum’s Center for Research and Collections.<ref>{{Cite web |title=St. Croix Watershed Research Station |url=https://www.smm.org/scwrs |access-date=2022-02-01 |website=Science Museum of Minnesota |language=en}}</ref> It is the museum’s headquarters for a team of scientists who study water around the world.

===Kitty Andersen Youth Science Center===
The Kitty Andersen Youth Science Center (KAYSC) is an informal learning environment for young people.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Kitty Andersen Youth Science Center|url=https://www.smm.org/kaysc|access-date=2022-02-01|website=Science Museum of Minnesota|language=en}}</ref>

'''<big>IDEAL Center</big>'''

The museum is also home to the IDEAL (Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, Access and Leadership) Center,<ref>{{Cite web|title=IDEAL Center|url=https://www.smm.org/ideal-center|access-date=2022-02-01|website=Science Museum of Minnesota|language=en}}</ref> which has transformed from a primary professional development resource for educators in the state to a center that offers leadership development training to school districts, universities, and informal education organizations throughout the country.

==Special exhibitions==
The museum hosts several special exhibitions a year, with past exhibitions having included:
*When Crocodiles Ruled (2000)
*Mysteries of Catalhoyuk (2001)
*Playing with Time (2002)
*Vikings: The North Atlantic Saga (2002)
*Robots and Us (2004)
*Seasons of Life and Land (2004)
*Invention at Play (2005)
*Strange Matter (2006)
*Body Worlds (2006)
*Animal Grossology (2006)
*Race: Are We So Different? (2007)
*Wild Music (2007)
*A Day in Pompeii (2007)
*Deadly Medicine (2008)
*Animation (2008)
*Star Wars: Where Science Meets Imagination (2008)
*CSI: The Experience (2008)
*Goose Bumps! The Science of Fear (2009)
*Water (2009)
*Titanic: The Artifact Exhibition (2009)
*The Dead Sea Scrolls: Words that Changed the World (2010)
*Geometry Playground (2010)
*Tutankhamun: The Golden King and the Great Pharaohs (2011)
*Identity: An Exhibit of YOU (2011)
*Nature Unleashed (2011)
*Real Pirates: The Untold Story of the Whydah from Slave Ship to Pirate Ship (2012)
*Lost Egypt: Ancient Secrets Modern Science (2012)
*Body Worlds & The Cycle of Life (2013)
*Maya: Hidden Worlds Revealed (2013)
*Ultimate Dinosaurs (2014)
*Design Zone (2014)
*Space: An Out-of-Gravity Experience (2015)
*Mummies: New Secrets from the Tombs (2016)
*Mindbender Mansion (2016)
*Mythic Creatures (2017)
*The Science Behind [[Pixar]] (2017)
*Mazes (2017)
*The Machine Inside: Biomechanics (2018)
*Towers of Tomorrow with LEGO Bricks (2018)
*Game Changers (2019)
*Inventing Genius (2019)
*Apollo: When We Went to the Moon (2020)
*Skin: Living Armor, Evolving Identity (2021)
*The Bias Inside Us (2021){{citation needed|date=July 2022}}

== Memberships ==
The Science Museum of Minnesota is a member of the [[Association of Science-Technology Centers]], the [[American Alliance of Museums]], the [[Association of Children’s Museums]], and the Giant Screen Cinema Association. It is a founding member of NISE Net and participates in ''[http://www.nisenet.org/nanodays NanoDays]''.

==Education==
The museum has an extensive [[Science, technology, engineering, and mathematics|STEM]] learning division. In addition to its summer camp and field trip programs, museum educators also visit schools throughout the region. The museum has a consistent track record of serving students and teachers in all 87 Minnesota counties each year through field trips, classroom residencies, and large-group assemblies on topics from water to engineering.<ref name="Statewide School Initiative">{{cite web|author=<!--Not stated-->|date=2015|title=Statewide School Initiative|url=http://www.senate.mn/committees/2015-2016/3063_Environment_Economic_Development_and_Agriculture_Budget_Division/Science%20Museum%20School%20Network_Legacy%20FY1617.pdf|access-date=13 April 2017|website=www.senate.mn|publisher=State of Minnesota Environment, Economic Development, and Agriculture Budget Division}}</ref> Summer camps serve hundreds of students each year, addressing science, technology, nature, and art themes.

==In popular culture==
* In 2017, the character Dustin on the television show [[Stranger Things]], set in the 1980s, wore a [[brontosaurus]] [[hoodie]] the museum sold in that era. The museum was quickly flooded with requests to purchase the garment, so it began manufacturing it again and took orders totaling $400,000 in a single day.<ref name="startribune">{{cite web|last1=Harlow|first1=Tim|title=Sales of 'Stranger Things' hoodie overwhelm Science Museum of Minnesota website|website=[[Star Tribune]] |url=http://m.startribune.com/sales-of-stranger-things-hoodie-overload-science-museum-of-minnesota-website/455851273/|access-date=19 November 2017|date=8 November 2017}}</ref>

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
{{Commons category|Science Museum of Minnesota}}
*[https://www.smm.org/ The Science Museum of Minnesota's official website]
{{Museums in Minnesota}}
{{Mississippi National River and Recreation Area}}

{{authority control}}

[[Category:Education in Saint Paul, Minnesota]]
[[Category:Mississippi National River and Recreation Area]]
[[Category:Museums in Saint Paul, Minnesota]]
[[Category:Natural history museums in Minnesota]]
[[Category:Science museums in Minnesota]]
[[Category:Dinosaur museums in the United States]]
[[Category:Paleontology in Minnesota]]