The Bakken Museum, located along lake Bda Maka Ska (Lake Calhoun), was founded by a Minnesota native, Earl Bakken, co-founder of Medtronic. The building, which was once a private residence, was acquired by Bakken in 1976. Over the years the location has expanded to allow for Bakken's growing wishes to spread scientific knowledge to others. As described on their site, "...The Bakken Museum offers dynamic exhibit experiences and industry-leading STEM-focused education programs. Our experiences focus on the history and nature of electricity and magnetism, Minnesota’s medical technology industry and, of course, Frankenstein!"
Not only is the museum a beautiful site to see, it also hosts some very interesting scientific idea from past to present. The boys were very interested in seeing the old contraptions and devices used to cure common illnesses in the past. For instance, there is a giant metal sphere once thought to cure obesity and the common cold.
Beyond the displays, there are plenty of hands-on experiences for kids to explore. Dexter spent a lot of time wiring the lights to a model city while Teddy experimented with the power of electricity passed through metal objects. They also got to test their patience while competing again their great-grandfather in a game of concentration. While donning sensor-lined headbands they used their relaxed minds to control the movement of a ball rolling between them. A very cool experiment!
This is a small museum so you can get through it all in about an hour. We visited during the winter, but I'm sure the gardens and outside grounds are beautiful to walk through in the summer.
MUSEUM HOURS
Monday: Closed
Tuesday–Sunday: 10:00 am – 4:00 pm
Call (612) 926-3878 for information
SPECIAL HOURS
Monday, February 19th (Presidents Day): Open
Saturday, February 24th: Closed for Private Event
GETTING HERE
The Bakken Museum
3537 Zenith Avenue South
Minneapolis, MN 55416
ADMISSION PRICES
Adults$10.00
Seniors$8.00
Young People 13-24$8.00
Children 5-12$5.00
Children 4 and underFree
MembersFree
