Minnesota History Center

As a VENUE: Host your event…

This premier Twin Cities venue offers stunning architecture and contemporary styling, an exquisite backdrop for your event large or small. The Minnesota History Center‘s distinctive architecture adds a unique ambiance to your event. The Minnesota-sourced granite and limestone with marble accents add classic flair, with a grand backdrop of the nearby State Capitol, Cathedral of Saint Paul, and the downtown St. Paul skyline. Whether your event is black tie or casual, special events staff will work with you from beginning to end to produce a successful event. Four distinctive rental spaces are offered:

• History Center Spaces:
  • Let us provide an elegant backdrop: Great Hall
  • Sit back and enjoy the show: 3M Auditorium
  • Meeting, program, and event spaces: Whitney and Elizabeth MacMillan Education Center
  • Cozy areas within a grand setting: Heffelfinger Room 
• Amenities:
  • Flexible unique spaces
  • Convenient adjacent parking
  • Easy freeway access
  • On-site event coordination
  • Outdoor terraces with spectacular views
  • Museum exhibit and gallery access
  • Security
• Popular Events:
  • Corporate dinners
  • VIP receptions
  • Awards ceremonies
  • Elegant weddings
  • Family reunions
  • Anniversary parties
  • Conferences
  • Concerts
  • Theatrical performances

Support the Minnesota History Center …by simply booking your next special occasion here:
http://www.mnhs.org/historycenter/visit/rental

As a SHOP: Discover unique gifts…

Take home something uniquely Minnesotan! The museum store features items related to the exhibits, programs, and collections of the Minnesota Historical Society and our statewide historic sites, as well as the full catalog of titles from MNHS Press. We are proud to present many handcrafted items from Minnesota artisans. Items include: * books * toys * gifts * jewelry, and * food products, most made in Minnesota or by Minnesota-based companies. Minnesota Historical Society members receive a 10% discount on purchases in MNHS stores and in our online store. Merchandise is catalogued within these collections: Books, and * Gifts.

Support the Minnesota History Center …by simply purchasing your specialty gifts here:
http://www.mnhs.org/historycenter/visit/shop

As an EATERY: Food for thought…

Come for the history, stay for lunch! Stay energized during your visit to the History Center with a delicious meal or snack at Market House. The café pays tribute to the first St. Paul public market, built in 1852. The menu connects you to Minnesota’s past and present agricultural movement, featuring: * delicious seasonal salads * sandwiches, and * burgers.

Support the Minnesota History Center …by simply dining here:
http://www.mnhs.org/historycenter/visit/dining

Be a DONOR: Show that you care…

Get Involved! The Minnesota History Center is part of the Minnesota Historical Society’s network of historic sites and museums. Be a part of the story. Get involved with the Minnesota History Center and MNHS.

Membership: MNHS membership is the best way to create your very own historic adventure. Members get the best deal in history with free general admission and discounts on events, purchases, and more at our historic sites and museums for a full year. Memberships at specified levels are offered: * Individual * Individual Plus * Household * Household Plus * Associate * Contributing, and * Sustaining.

Donations:

Tax-deductible donations of all sizes help MNHS provide extraordinary services to nearly one million visitors each year.

• Give to the Annual Fund: History informs, inspires, and defines us. It opens us to new ideas, offers us new perspectives, and brings us closer to the future we long to create. Fully tax-deductible donations of all sizes to the Minnesota Historical Society’s Annual Fund help MNHS provide ongoing support for programs that help students make connections between the past and the present. MNHS programs inspire young people to examine, engage and understand, better preparing them to be discerning, well-informed leaders. All of our programs depend on consistent, Annual Fund support from donors like you.
• North Star Circle: History matters. Our stories matter. Join Us. North Star Circle members are a distinguished group of supporters who serve as Minnesota history’s strongest advocates. Their generous contribution of at least $1,200 annually helps support our network of 26 historic sites and museums, collections, publications, and wide-ranging education programming. In recognition of their leadership, North Star Circle members receive special benefits including invitations to exclusive North Star Circle events, behind-the-scenes opportunities, and free admission to all MNHS historic sites and museums.
• Planned Giving: The tapestry of our past strengthens and enlightens us when we find personal meaning within it, and grows when we share our discoveries with others. Truly, our history lives on when we become part of the story. Making a gift to the Minnesota Historical Society through your estate ensures MNHS remains strong for future generations.
  • Will Bequest: A bequest is one of the easiest gifts to make. With the help of an advisor, you can include language in your will or trust specifying a gift be made to family, friends or Minnesota Historical Society as part of your estate plan.
  • Donor Advised Funds: A donor advised fund is an account administered by a foundation or financial advisor to which a donor makes charitable contributions. The donor or designated representative can then recommend grants from the fund to MNHS.
  • IRA Charitable Rollover: The IRA Charitable Rollover law allows individuals 70.5 years or older to give up to $100,000 directly from their IRA to one or more qualified organizations without paying federal income tax on the withdrawal.
  • Stocks and Bonds: Donating appreciated securities, including stocks or bonds, is an easy and tax-effective way for you to make a gift to MNHS.
  • Real Estate: The donation of appreciated real estate, such as a home, undeveloped land, farmland, or commercial property, is a great way to support MNHS projects and programs.
  • Retirement Assets: Donating part or all of your unused retirement assets such as a gift from your IRA, 401(k), 403(b), pension or other tax-deferred plan helps support the mission of MNHS.
  • Insurance: If you have a life insurance policy that has outlasted its original purpose, consider gifting it to MNHS. For example, you may have purchased a policy to provide for minor children and they are now financially independent adults.
• Endowment Giving: The Minnesota Historical Society‘s endowment program provides donors with a wonderful opportunity to create a permanent legacy in their names or in honor of others. Since 1849, MNHS has been collecting, caring for, and interpreting our state’s cultural resources. We celebrate the commitment of generations of donors who understand that a strong endowment is the key to a secure and creative future. Endowment funds can be created to support general operations, endowed positions, or specific MNHS program areas.
• Corporations and Foundations: By contributing to the Minnesota Historical Society your organization will support a variety of programs and services that benefit communities statewide.
  • Sponsorship Opportunities: Corporate sponsors of MNHS enjoy affiliation with award-winning special exhibits, educational and community programs, and a network of 26 historic sites and museums throughout Minnesota. MNHS sponsorships offer brand visibility through exclusive entertainment and promotional opportunities, select advertising, on-site presence, and communication to over 23,000 members. We welcome over 2.8 million unique visitors at mnhs.org and engage with 2.5 million friends annually across our social media platforms. MNHS will tailor sponsor recognition and benefit packages that best meet your company’s needs for community involvement, branding, lead generation, client entertainment, public relations, and employee benefits.
  • Grant Opportunities: The Minnesota Historical Society shares access to meaningful places, programs, services, and opens the door to history with diverse ways to learn. Each year MNHS serves over one million people with an additional 2.5 million unique visitors accessing our online resources. Support from foundations and corporations help make this possible.
• Donate to the MNHS Collections: The Minnesota Historical Society maintains many collections. New items are acquired in a number of ways, including selected donations from the public. Before an item is acquired for our collections, it undergoes a rigorous review process. Not all items are accepted, because not everything is appropriate for our collections, and because it is expensive to care for and provide access to collection items.
• Women’s Organization of MNHS: The Women’s Organization of the Minnesota Historical Society (WOMNHS) has been assisting the Society for over 65 years through monetary gifts and volunteerism. The organization was created in 1949 through the efforts of its first president, Mrs. Frederick K. Weyerhaeuser, along with other women who wished to contribute to and help further the mission of the Society. In 1951, WOMNHS was authorized by the MNHS Executive Council to operate as a separate entity to promote Minnesota history and the welfare of the Society. In 1999, the WOMNHS Endowment Fund was created to help fund special projects and sites throughout the state. Since then, this fund has provided vital support to the Society for the historic sites network. WOMNHS members have assisted the Society’s development staff, serve as docents for tours of the Governor’s Residence and help out in a variety of other projects. The organization meets eight times yearly, September through May, offering programs, tours, and events designed to stimulate interest in Minnesota history.

Volunteer: Volunteers are essential to the Minnesota History Center and the Minnesota Historical Society. We seek volunteers from diverse backgrounds to help tell the story of all Minnesotans. From greeting visitors and school groups to working behind the scenes on historical records or scanning photos, every volunteer brings meaning to the work that they do.

Support the Minnesota History Center …by simply joining, giving, and volunteering here:
https://www.mnhs.org/support