Minnesota Historical Society

We’re flipping excited for the 2024 Olympics which is just a few days away!

Image: Gymnast performing on high bar. Approximately 1920. Minnesota Historical Society. Saint Paul, MN.

We're flipping excited for the 2024 Olympics which is just a few days away!

Image: Gymnast performing on high bar. Approximately 1920. Minnesota Historical Society. Saint Paul, MN.

Online ticket sales are temporarily unavailable at MNHS sites. Please plan to purchase tickets upon arriving. We apologize for the inconvenience.

We will update this post when the issue has been resolved.

UPDATED 7/20 @ 9:37 AM CST: Online ticketing is now back online!

Here's some end of the week . Visit our Collections Online to view more art, including this painting from George W. Waters.

Image: Waters, George W. Minehaha Falls. 1885. Minnesota Historical Society. Saint Paul, MN."

, July 18, 1913, former Minnesota Governor Karl F. Rolvaag was born in Northfield.

Notably, in 1962, he became the first Minnesota governor elected to a four-year term when he beat incumbent Governor Elmer L. Andersen in the closest statewide election in Minnesota history, by 91 votes.

Learn more about Karl F. Rolvaag in our MNopedia article: https://mnhs.info/3LnU299

Image: Karl Rolvaag at his desk. Approximately 1965. Minnesota Historical Society. Saint Paul, MN.

The countdown to the 2024 Summer Olympics is on! In 10 days, the Opening Ceremony will take place, kicking off another year of games that will make its way into sports history.

What is your favorite summer Olympic sport to watch?

Image: Alice "Spike" Roose practicing hurdles for the Olympics at the University of Minnesota stadium. 1931. Minnesota Historical Society. Saint Paul, MN.

Mark your calendars for the evening of July 19 for the opening celebration of “The Art of Disability Justice Now", a disability community-centered and curated exhibition created by AmplifyMN: A Disability Justice Collective and University of Minnesota students.

The exhibition will be on view at Mill City Museum July 19 - November 3. Free and open to the public during regular museum hours. Follow Mill City Museum for updates about the exhibit and the opening event. To request an accommodation or for inquiries about accessibility, please contact [email protected]

Image: “Disability Justice” by Ocean C Poet, one of the exhibiting artists, a part of the exhibition. Learn more about Ocean’s work through the link in our bio.

Opening event details: https://mnhs.info/3zOwWpE
More about the image artist, Ocean C. Poet: https://mnhs.info/462PpuJ

In July of 1951, Jesse Ventura was born. His given name was James Janos, but he would adopt the Ventura moniker at the start of his professional wrestling career.

Ventura entered politics in 1991, when he was elected mayor of Brooklyn Park. He made national news in 1998 after he was elected the 38th Governor of Minnesota, defeating Attorney General Hubert H. (Skip) Humphrey III and St. Paul Mayor Norm Coleman and becoming the only Reform Party candidate to ever win the office of Minnesota Governor.

Image: Jesse Ventura campaign button. 1998. Minnesota Historical Society. Saint Paul, MN.

, July 13, 1890, the steamer Sea Wing, carrying a large party and towing a barge, capsizes in a sudden storm on Lake Pepin.

The tragedy resulted in the deaths of 98 passengers, and horrified both Minnesota and the entire nation. Most affected was the city of Red Wing, home to 67 victims, with another eight from nearby townships.

Read more in our MNopedia article: https://mnhs.info/3xKPA1b

Image: Steamer Sea Wing. Approximately 1889. Minnesota Historical Society. Saint Paul, MN.

Add this history-themed scavenger hunt to your summer bucket list!

What better way to spend your summer than running around Minnesota to find all 175 tasks on the MNHS 175 History Hunt? Explore the state, learn more about history, and even win some cool prizes.

To get started, visit https://mnhs.info/45RtNRU

Have any questions? Email [email protected]!

Even in the 1900s, folks knew the best way to cool down from the summer heat was to take a dip in the lake.

Image: Baltuff, Guy M. Swimming. 1900. Minnesota Historical Society. Saint Paul, MN.

Seeing double? , July 9, 1951, this photo of a set of twins in downtown Minneapolis was taken.

Image: Minneapolis Star and Tribune company. A set of twins in downtown Minneapolis on a hot July 9, 1951. 1951. Minneapolis and St. Paul Newspaper Negative Collection. Minnesota Historical Society. Saint Paul, MN.

A new month means more ! Nothing screams summer more than a nice landscape painting.

Image: Brewer, Nicholas Richard. Untitled (Summer Landscape with Cattle). Approximately 1900. Minnesota Historical Society. Saint Paul, MN.

The Minneapolis Aquatennial will take place later this month. The Aqua Follies, pictured in this photo from approximately 1952, were a highly choreographed aquatic r***e show. Introduced to the Aquatennial in 1941, the show consisted of twenty-four women known as the Aqua Dears who practiced routines for months at the University of Minnesota pool.

Image: Killy, Monroe P. Minneapolis Aquatennial Aqua Follies. 1952. Minnesota Historical Society. Saint Paul, MN.

Happy Fourth of July!

Image: Bruns, R. H. Fourth of July Celebration, Anoka, 1899. Minnesota Historical Society, Saint Paul, MN.

Internship positions for Fall 2024 have been posted to our site! Undergraduate and graduate students are eligible to apply.

Application period is from July 1 - 21.

Apply here: https://mnhs.info/3L5MdF6

In 1931, the Stillwater Lift Bridge was constructed. The bridge connected Minnesota State Highway 36 and Wisconsin Highway 64, with almost 18,000 vehicles crossing the bridge daily.

In August of 2017, it closed to all traffic, until it was reopened in 2020 for pedestrians and cyclists.

Image: Runk, John Jr. View of Stillwater Bridge, Stillwater. The John Runk Photograph Collection. Minnesota Historical Society.

, June 29, 1861, William James Mayo was born in Le Sueur, Minnesota. He is best known as one of the founders (with his brother Charles) of the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota.

Image: Dr. William J. Mayo. 1933. Minnesota Historical Society. Saint Paul, MN.

On June 28, we celebrate Paul Bunyan Day in Minnesota. Many Minnesotans fondly recall their experience visiting the talking Paul Bunyan statue in Brainerd. Created in 1954, the statue wears size 80 boots and is 26 feet tall sitting down.

Image: Paul Bunyan Center, Brainerd. Approximately 1950. Minnesota Historical Society. Saint Paul, MN.

Beginning in San Francisco in 1987, the NAMES Project AIDS Memorial Quilt was a nationwide community art project memorializing those who had been killed by the HIV/AIDS epidemic. In 1988, the quilt embarked on a national twenty-city tour and arrived in Minneapolis on July 16.

Among the quilt were eighty-one unique panels memorializing hundreds of Minnesotans, which featured poetry, written remembrances, and biographical information. The project brought the community together in an effort to destigmatize the disease, which was associated with gay men and drug users, as well as in remembrance of those who had lost their lives.

The Minnesota panels and memorabilia traveled with the quilt as it continued on its tour, which culminated in a display on the Capitol Mall in Washington, D.C.

Learn more about the NAMES Project AIDS Memorial Quilt: https://mnhs.info/4esEBKf

Image: "Names Project/AIDS Memorial Quilt" button. 1995. Saint Paul, MN.

Check out our Job Board, where new opportunities across our site network just dropped! This summer, start your career at the Minnesota Historical Society, where you'll drive meaningful engagement with Minnesota History.

Learn more: https://mnhs.info/3zhqszs

Let the History Hunt begin!

In celebration of 175 years at the Minnesota Historical Society, we are excited to announce the MNHS 175 History Hunt. This summer, embark on a historic adventure with this statewide scavenger hunt that will allow you to explore the state, MNHS sites, and learn more about our shared history. And yes, there will be prizes 😉

The MNHS 175 History Hunt uses the Scavify app, which is free to download and available for IOS and Android. To learn more about how to get started, visit https://mnhs.info/3Vwt304

Happy ! During the final week of June, the Twin Cities Pride Festival will take place. This annual celebration dates back to 1972 in Minneapolis.

Check out this photo from photographer Randy Stern of the Twin Cities Pride festivities on June 28, 2009.

Image: Stern, Randy. Twin Cities Pride. 2009. Randy Stern photograph collection. Minnesota Historical Society. Saint Paul, MN.

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Today, on the longest day of the year, we are sharing some summer-inspired art. This fitting piece from prominent Minnesota artist Cameron Booth is titled 'Summer Solstice.'

Image: Booth. Cameron. Summer Solstice. 1954. Minnesota Historical Society. Saint Paul, MN.

We're hiring!

The Minnesota Historical Society is seeking an experienced Graphic Designer that will create, support, and adapt the visual identity of MNHS.

Check out the job posting for more details about the role and relevant experience, as well as other job opportunities: https://mnhs.info/3RlieN6