Science Museum of Minnesota
Written by Sarah Doege
Our final stop of the day was at the Science Museum of Minnesota located in Minneapolis. Here, we were able to go throughout all of the museum’s exhibits and have a more hands on experience.
The main exhibits include the Mississippi River Gallery, the Human Body Gallery, the Experiment Gallery, the Dinosaurs and Fossils Gallery, and multiple other collections along the way. We could also, for a bit extra money, view the Omnitheater Film, Flight of the Butterflies which details the migration of the monarch butterfly.
The Mississippi River Gallery displayed the history and environment of the Mississippi River. We could participate in virtual simulations showcasing how difficult it was to navigate a barge down the river. Just around the corner, we also got to climb into the pilothouse of the Charles E. Towboat which gave a beautiful view of the Mississippi itself. This section also included various weather exhibits where we could control different variables to create warm and cold fronts. This exhibit was unique since it showcases the environment that we live in.
The Human Body Gallery displayed very interesting views of the human body. There were body slices of actual human bodies which gave us a view of what a body’s insides actually look like. Amongst other displays, one of the most intriguing was an area where bodily components were displayed using everyday items. For example, it displayed how much dead skin our bodies get rid of by putting that amount in a milk jug. This entire area enlarged the human body to a scale visible with the human eye and put scientific concepts into everyday terms.
The Experiment Gallery was the most interactive area and one of the most memorable. There were tons of experiments that we could participate in from creating a tornado, to manipulating waves in a wave tank, to operating a steam power plant. Most of our time was spent here, participating in all of the experiments and manipulating the variables of the experiments to get different outcomes. This was definitely a favorite stop along the way!
The Dinosaurs and Fossils Gallery was a step back in time. There were numerous fossils to look at and learn about, along with taking a walk through a Primeval Swamp to see what North Dakota looked like 60 million years ago. This was a quieter area where you could really read about the fossils and learn what we now know about them. This was the last area we visited as it is located on the same floor as the Experiment Gallery.
This was a great stop to have because it allowed us to take some of the information we had heard about during the day and get a hands on experience with it. It was also neat because it wasn’t just based around topics we had learned about previously, but actually allowed us to learn some new information about other topics, like fossils. It was really just a fun culmination of everything we had completed, and just a fun way to end a long day.
The Minnesota Science Museum can be found at 120 W Kellogg Blvd, St Paul, MN 55102
You've reached the end of the field trip that the class at large took, but our own Will Ullrich went the extra mile and has a report on the Bell Museum of Natural History. Click the image when you're ready to go!