Hennepin History Museum

08/27/2026

In 1860, Eliza Winston bravely fought for her own liberation and became the first and only enslaved person to gain their freedom in a Minnesota courtroom.

We're grateful to Hennepin County and the Hennepin County Library for recently hosting a panel discussion exploring Eliza Winston’s fight for freedom in Minnesota and the lasting impact of her 1860 court case. Moderated by Hennepin History Museum's Executive Director John Crippen, panel speakers included:

Christopher Lehman, co-curator of the Eliza Winston exhibit and author of "It Took Courage: Eliza Winston’s Quest for Freedom"

Dr. Yohuru Williams, founding director of the Racial Justice Initiative at the University of St. Thomas

Bryan Tyner, president and CEO of the Phyllis Wheatley Community Center.

Enjoy some of the highlights from this discussion below!

You can learn more about Eliza's story in our ongoing exhibit, 'Winston: A Woman’s Fight for Freedom in Minnesota,' currently on display at Hennepin History Museum.

Highlights from Hennepin County’s “Unfinished Revolutions” event, e...

08/20/2026

There are still tickets available for our LAST walking tour of the season, happening THIS SATURDAY, August 22nd!

Join us for a tour of Hennepin History Museum's home turf, the historic Washburn Fair Oaks district. Named after the now-demolished palatial home of flour mogul William Drew Washburn (pictured below), this lovely area within Minneapolis's Whittier neighborhood has evolved from one of the city's premier mansion districts into a diverse crossroads of arts, culture, and social services.

Tickets are $20, or $15 for Hennepin History Museum members, and include a free souvenir booklet on this history of this vibrant neighborhood. To learn more and purchase tickets, head to the link below:

https://hennepinhistory.org/event/washburn-fair-oaks-walking-tour-18/

08/06/2026

The forecast calls for lovely weather this coming Saturday and Sunday, which is great news because Hennepin History Museum will be offering TWO different walking tours this weekend!

On Saturday, August 8th, at 1:00 pm, join author Karen Cooper for, "A Raucous Ramble Around Minnehaha Falls." Through colorful anecdotes and thorough documentation, Karen brings to life a history of the Minnehaha Falls area full of dance halls, secret saloons, wild behavior, lawsuits, and whiskey.

On Sunday, August 9th, at 1:00 pm, join Hennepin History Museum's own Alex Weston for, "Grave Matters: The Story of a City as Told Through its Cemetery." This tour through Pioneer and Solider's Memorial Cemetery, Minneapolis's oldest cemetery, will highlight forgotten individuals in order to reconstruct a history of Minneapolis from the ground up via the lives of its everyday residents.

To learn more about these tours and to buy tickets, head to:

https://hennepinhistory.org/events/

07/25/2026

Thanks again to Almanac and TPT - Twin Cities PBS for highlighting the remarkable story of Eliza Winston, the first and only enslaved person to gain their freedom in a Minnesota courtroom.

Our exhibit, 'Winston: A Woman’s Fight for Freedom in Minnesota,' is currently on display. Learn more at: hennepinhistory.org

Alauna Yust and David Lein explore an exhibit at the Hennepin History Museum.

07/16/2026

Due to unhealthy levels of heat and poor outdoor air quality, the museum will be closed on Friday, July 17th. Thank you for your understanding.

Based on current predictions, we plan to be open our usual hours on Saturday, July 18th. If the situation changes, we will make another announcement.

07/16/2026

Due to unhealthy levels of heat and outdoor air quality, the museum will be closed on Thursday, July 16. Thank you for your understanding, and we'll update our plans for Friday based on evolving conditions.

07/11/2026

For our regional county tour, today we are highlighting the most populous county in the state: Hennepin County. In March 1852, the Minnesota Territorial Legislature established Hennepin County, with Minneapolis chosen as the county seat. At first, only a few hundred people lived in the county, but it has grown tremendously thanks to the industries that grew rapidly along the Mississippi River since then. The county was named in honor of Father Louis Hennepin, who explored the area in 1680.

Bird’s eye view maps were popular illustrations of cities like Minneapolis in the late 1800s. This 1891 map includes the city’s milling district, railroad lines, the river, bridges and dams, and a list of 54 prominent businesses and buildings. Zoom in on all the details using the link below. And explore more counties in MDL’s regional map collection at z.umn.edu/MDLRegionalMaps.

Image: Bird's Eye View of Minneapolis, 1891. Hennepin County Library collection, https://collection.mndigital.org/catalog/mpls:157

07/09/2026

This Saturday, July 11th, we invite you to join our friends at theNew Prague Area Historical Society in experiencing a day at the historic New Prague Mill!

Enjoy a self-guided tour, museum-like gallery including photographs, artifacts, and history of the mill, listen to audio from former mill workers, see what The Mill is being shaped into, and cool down with ice cream from Udder Buddies.

Learn more and get tickets below:

Join us in experiencing a day at the historic New Prague Mill! Enjoy a self-guided tour, museum-like gallery including photographs, artifacts, and history of the mill, listen to audio from former mill workers, see what The Mill is being shaped into, and cool down with ice cream from Udder Buddies.

07/09/2026

As part of our America 250 commemoration, we're showcasing our vibrant history, diverse communities and democratic traditions.

Visit Winston: A Woman’s Fight for Freedom in Minnesota at Hennepin History Museum, and join us for a panel discussion at Minneapolis Central Library on July 15.

Learn more: https://hclib.bibliocommons.com/events/6a30660643b41b3d006e9d4e

07/03/2026

Join Twin Cities PBS and local history organizations for individual screenings of select episodes of Ken Burns’ The American Revolution. The series concludes with a final panel and discussion featuring clips from all six episodes.

Partnerships include Dakota Count Historical Society, Ramsey County Historical Society, Hennepin History Museum, Hennepin County Public Library, and the Minnesota Historical Society.

The screenings are as follows:

-Episode 1: Wednesday, June 17: 11 am – 1 pm, Landmark Center, St. Paul, MN. Hosted by the Ramsey County Historical Society.

-Episode 3: Saturday, July 25: 11 am – 1 pm, Lawshe Memorial Museum, South St. Paul, MN. Hosted by the Dakota County Historical Society.

-Episode 5: Saturday, August 15: 11 am – 1 pm, Minneapolis Central Library, Minneapolis, MN. Hosted by Hennepin History Museum in partnership with Hennepin County Public Library.

-Panel and Discussion: Thursday, September 24: 6 pm – 8 pm, Minnesota History Center, St. Paul, MN. Hosted by the Minnesota Historical Society.

These events are free, though registration is requested. To learn more and register, head to:

https://events.tpt.org/community-screening-the-american-revolution