#Science Museum of Minnesota

[hclib]

That's One Giant Beaver!

Giant beavers as big as bears (6 to 9 feet long, weighing 200-500 pounds) ranged the Mississippi River flats over 15,000 years ago. Picture here, in 1947, is Louis H. Powell, director of the Science Museum of St. Paul, comparing a giant beaver skull dug up on the Mississippi flats, near Hidden Falls park, with the skull of a large modern beaver.

In 2021, the Science Museum of Minnesota nominated a Giant Beaver specimen to be the official state fossil. You can read the campaign online. A bill was introduced in 2022.

Photos from the Minneapolis Newspaper Photograph Collection in the Hennepin County Library Digital Collections. The 1947 newspaper article which featured these photographs incorrectly stated that the fossil was dug up below the Lake Street Bridge, but Hidden Falls Park is in St. Paul.

#Minnesota #St. Paul #Mississippi River #Beavers #Fossils #Giant Beavers #State fossils #Science Museum of Minnesota #science #prehistoric animals #extinct animals

[paleotanks]

Quetzalcoatluses at the Science Museum of Minnesota

#science museum of minnesota #quetzalcoatlus #azdarchids #cretaceous #mounted beasts

[gayraccoonthing]

Okay, I just got back from my two day trip and LET ME TELL YOU, I'm not lying when I say that shit was fucking AMAZING!

(Small note, this is mostly about the LGBTQ rep there. There was a lot of awesome POC rep, too, but I don't feel qualified to talk about that.)

So, first, we went to the Minnesota zoo (pretty awesome ngl) and saw lots of cool animals and scenery (shit was expensive tho lmao).

Then I got to go to Barnes and nobles (fucking score) got some Adam silvera books and left for the science museum.

And when I tell you this museum was one of the best places I've ever been in, I MEAN IT.

Because HOLY SHIT, it was so welcoming and inclusive, and that's not even going into detail right now. (Images and positive rant under cut)

OKAY! I'll do my best to describe the pictures a bit. Let me go on this positive rant about the museum and it's LGBTQ inclusivity because OH MY GOD.

So, we explored the first floor exhibitions a bit before going off to the omni theater (think movie theater but with a big ass screen that's curved to give the illusion you're in the place it shows on screen, hella headache inducing but fun. Don't recommend it for those with light, sound, or just general sensitivity issues. If I wasn't sensory seeking, it'd be hell.) And the ads go on the screen (ads for the museum, not other companies) and this comes up!

It's hard to read, but I figured a visual may help.

The header at the top says, "Pride in STEM" the paragraph below states as following, "We celebrate the scientists creating a world that's inclusive instead of exclusive, diverse instead of uniform, and powered by the communities they hold. Together, we can make a better place for science itself. Learn more at 500queerscientists.com" and FUCK, if I didn't already love the museum enough.

We go through all the exhibits and floors, all extremely awesome and educational, very hands-on (lots of hand sanitizer too) the dinosaur section was awesome, I loved sportsology (I don't even like sports), the human body section was fascinating, seeing the natural life in Minnesota was so cool, the musical stairs were so fucking fun, the tugboat was amazing, and there's so much more I loved.

And then the giftshop. God damn I loved that gift shop. (What's that one meme? The tumblr post. The one with the three dragons, idk.) And I start to look through, and there's an LGBTQ section!!! It's small, but it's so much more than any other gift shop I've seen.

(Picture from far away, couldn't get too close because my mom) (also, no more images in this post from here on, just so you know)

I ended up getting some awesome enamel pins and a small magnet and cheap button pin. And in the pin display, there was a whole lgbtq section for pins!! I got this trans dopamine test tube pin (pray to God my mom didn't see, I had to get brave and ask the person myself, lmao) unfortunately I didn't get a picture of the pin display, but it was so fucking awesome to see.

The staff were all so nice, SO FUCKING NICE YOU HAVE NO IDEA.

but this one lady at the register for the gift shop, I swear, she's amazing. I walked up with my pins to pay, and she looks at me, and I see her protect trans kids pin and her she/her pronoun pin, and I don't think I've ever felt more safe and secure in my life. And she looks at my pins (either my aroace pin on my bag or my new trans pin, no idea) and says to me, "you're just like me, I don't see a lot of people like us here." In such a sweet voice, I swear to God I MELTED right then and there (not actually, but in my head I'm screaming with pure happiness) and she smiles at me the whole time, and I'm just so fucking happy!

And on my way out, this person almost walks into me, and they say, "Sorry there, son." And, OH. MY. GOD. SON!!!! They looked at me, this 5'4, not passing at all, long hair, fem faced, me, and called me son!!! It could have so easily been some mistake (probably was), but, God, it feels so damn nice to be called son by a stranger! The gender euphoria is real rn.

I genuinely love that museum so much. It fills me with life.

So, if you're ever in St. Paul MN and looking for a good museum I highly encourage you to go there. It's amazing and I love it.

#queer #science museum of Minnesota #long post #trans positivity #images #elliots real life #elliot writes sappy shit #elliots adventures #elliot rambles #old draft but needs 2 be posted

[garadinervi]

Chief Martin White Horse Winter Count, [documenting significant events in Lakota history each year from 1789 to 1910] [Minnesota Public Radio, St. Paul. Denver Museum of Nature & Science. Photo: Scott Dressel-Martin]

Plus: How we memorialize significant events says a lot about our cultural view of time. Consider the Chief White Horse Winter Count, by Stephen E. Nash, «SAPIENS», November 23, 2016

#art #drawing #visual writing #pictogram #anthropology #magazine #winter count #denver museum of nature & science #minnesota public radio #stephen e. nash #scott dressel martin #sapiens #1910s #2010s

[karadin]

too much cloud cover in Minnesota but Bell Museum still has the best eclipse

#total solar eclipse #north america solar eclipse #bell museum #university of minnesota #science #nasa #eclipse2024

[astriiformes]

The Twin Cities are actually genuinely the geekiest place I have ever lived. Like you wouldn't think that would be something that would be as geographic culturally, but no, between us having the oldest sci-fi bookstore in the US (as well as one of the oldest science fiction and fantasy conventions in the country, which is still going), a thriving filk scene and another decades-old, fan-run convention that's one of the most successful of its kind, one of the better and more interesting Renfaires I've visited, a thriving SCA and Star Wars cosplay club presence, and a long history of supporting independent bookstores and public broadcasting, there is a definite geeky Energy here unlike other cities I've been to before.

Maybe it has something to do with it being below freezing outside 4-5 months out of the year, so people have found other ways to amuse themselves, or maybe it's just one of those things where one larger generation of fans begets another, but it's another thing I truly like about living here.

Also I now understand how the state of Minnesota birthed MST3K.

#me once again doing a fun little '[jazz hands] minnesota!' pitch #mostly it just makes me laugh. what's with all the nerds up north #we've also got three major science museums and a ridiculous number of theaters #so honestly the 'what are fun things you can very much do inside' theory holds a certain amount of water #especially when you consider next-door neighbor wisconsin is the birthplace of dungeons & dragons (and gen con!) #which has spillover here too. we once went to a yard sale and got talking with a guy who'd played d&d with the gygaxes when he was younger #land of eldritch lakes

[the-pizza-wizard-returns]

Went and checked out the Minnesota Science Museum!

#me #selfie #minnesota #Minnesota science museum #pterodactyl #trans rights #anti-terf #terfs fuck off

[sleooo]

Such a little dork 🙈🥰

#science museum #minnesota #cute stuff #fun things #musical #stairs #my post #boyfriend #cute post

[onenicebugperday]

Hi! Sorry, I’m one of those having trouble with the submissions box! This is a critter I picked up from the Minnesota Museum of Science to help with my arachnophobia. I would love to know more about what kind of spider it is.

I'm afraid it's almost impossible to tell. Being cast in resin really degrades the quality of the specimen so it's hard to see any identifying markings, and at the very least I'd need to narrow down what country it came from. Sorry I couldn't be more helpful!

#saffalilac #bug art #spider art #bug jewelry #dead bugs

[atopfourthwall]

A bit of a weird question, but I might be moving out of my home state to minnesota, specifically minneapolis, because being trans down here is rather rough. Do you have any advice for living in the state? Cool hidden spots? What to do for a person who's never experienced a snowy winter?

Alrighty, a few things I can mention - some of it is secondhand so don't take my word for it, but it'll be helpful. -Trans healthcare (and quality of healthcare) is pretty good in the state in my experience. You SHOULD be able to find the resources you need, though bear in mind while quality is good, price is no different - shit's still expensive everywhere because health care is itself expensive, but any other Minnesotans here feel free to reblog or chime in the replies with anything particularly useful or helpful. -Alrighty, your winter experiences will be slightly different depending on if you're living in the suburbs or the city itself. In an apartment in the city? You're probably fine - I'm assuming relying on public transportation, of which there are several options like the buses or light rail, though I know people from other cities who come to Minnesota say our public transport is lacking compared to other major cities. What I can say is that with the winter, unless it's a REALLY bad storm or the temperature drops to dangerous levels (we're talking degrees below zero), everything should still be open and running. -If you have your own car, during the winter keep weighted things in it - a cement block, bags of sand/salt, etc. Increased weight helps keep you from slipping. It's not perfect but it helps. Consequently, if you lose control on the ice, turn INTO the skid and pump the brakes - don't just press it flat, repeatedly pump the brakes to regain control. -If you have a house and a front walk/driveway, SHOVEL AND SALT. Overhangs on houses drip water when the temperature is right for melting, but the temperature will usually drop and freeze. Salt that area to either prevent it from freezing or make it easier to chop through with an ice chipper. Shoveling is just necessary depending on the severity of the snow (usually anything more than an inch or two should be shoveled) both for safety and because mail carriers will not deliver if you don't. -This year we had a reeeaally bad winter. Multiple heavy snowstorms that required going out to shovel multiple times during the day. Get warm clothes, wear layers - especially until you're used to it. However, most years it's fine. Light snowfall during winter, covers everything, maybe one bad storm but most of the time tolerable. -As for stuff to do - TONS! Minnesota has a thriving community of nerds, artists, performers, and just talented people in general. We have two major zoos - one of them paid, one free (Como Zoo), multiple parks and indeed Land of 10,000 Lakes so lots of lake beaches to enjoy swimming or fishing if that's your thing. The Science Museum remains one of the coolest places to learn stuff on various science topics even into adulthood. Conventions are relatively plentiful, though as a warning some cons are for-profit and have some... questionable leadership, look into them before deciding to go - particularly on the anime con front, but we have sci-fi/fantasy cons aplenty, too. The Mall of America is a big, big place with tons of fun stores and whatnot, including the former Camp Snoopy (currently Nickelodeon Universe). The Walker Art Center has an amazing statue garden, including the iconic Cherry and Spoon fountain. There's also the amusement park Valley Fair, which during Halloween becomes Valley Scare with spooky attractions in the neighboring area that's used for the annual Renaissance Festival. -Minnesota is a fairly large state. Not Texas big, but since it's mostly plains and hills, a lot of it is spread out and getting from one city to another usually requires going on freeways (we're also weird because we have left exits on some parts of freeways). If you don't have your own vehicle, you may want to consider getting one just to get to farther places. That's all I've got off the top of my head! Good luck with your move and remember: we only have two seasons here - Winter and Road Construction.

[mathhombre]

Winter Count

High Dog Winter Count, [documenting 114 years of a Teton Dakota band's history from 1798-1912] [North Dakota Heritage Center & State Museum, State Historical Society of North Dakota, Bismarck, ND]

@garadinervi has been posting these from The First Scout. I was fascinated by the art, but now am wondering about the math. Could kids do something like this to represent their school? And learn some indigenous culture besides... So, gathering in one place.

Yanktonai, Winter Count, (cotton cloth, ink, pigment), [North Dakota], 1911 [Detroit Institute of Arts, Detroit, MI]

Copy of the Lone Dog Winter Count, (cowhide, painted) [National Museum of the American Indian, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C.]

Chief Martin White Horse Winter Count, [documenting significant events in Lakota history each year from 1789 to 1910] [Minnesota Public Radio, St. Paul. Denver Museum of Nature & Science. Photo: Scott Dressel-Martin]

«They Made Us Many Promises...», by Standing Bear (artist of the Oglala Sioux), ca. 1973 [Oakland Museum of California, Oakland, CA]

#counting #mathart #indigenous #lesson

[paleotanks]

Titanoboa enclosure at the Science Museum of Minnesota.

The current paleontology curator there is one of the guys that discovered it, which is how this touring model ended up there.

#titanoboa #paleocene #enclosure #science museum of minnesota #st paul #minnesota

[hecckyeah]

I'm visiting Minnesota for the first time outside of the airport this year and I recall you posting a bit about that state. Any recs of cool things to do/ good places to eat in the Twin Cities?

OMG yess exciting!! I grew up right in that area :))

I'll add what I can think of off the top of my head, but maybe some of my other MN moots can chime in? @3friesshortofahappymeal

I'll start with the big ones, then scale it down a bit :)

The Mall of America, for sure. I know it's a typical tourist attraction but it really is quite spectacular and worth a short trip. Sometimes there are cool concerts and events going on in the Rotunda (they have a list here), and if you've ever been shopping and thought, hmm I could go for a rollercoaster right about now, then the MoA's got you covered :) Also, I haven't been but my brother says the Fly Over America exhibit is AMAZING

Minnesota Zoo!! I haven't been there since my childhood, but they used to have this treetop rail which I think they replaced with a walkway. Either way, it's fantastic, very informative, super adorable!

The Science Museum of Minnesota in St. Paul!! Seriously one of my FAVORITE places ever. There's an omni-theater, which is worth the trip in itself. The exhibits are top tier, tons of interactive stuff for adults, and it takes FOREVER to get through it, so you know it's worth the admission price :)

Stillwater is about a 30 minute drive from the Cities, but it's incredible if you want to do some light hiking and visit some cute shops!

I've never actually been to the Minneapolis Institute of Art, but it's a top destination if you have the time/interest for it!

Depends on what time of year you're visiting, but you have your pick of lakes to swim in (or paddleboard, rent a boat, lay on the sand and get burned by the sun, etc) Some favorites are Long Lake, Wayzata Beach, Silver Lake, and White Bear Lake Park!

There are some super nice walking paths around the Stone Arch Bridge

The Mill City Museum is worth a visit if you're a huge nerd like me :) It's a great little peek into Minnesota history and culture!

The Guthrie Theater for SURE, especially the yellow tinted room a couple floors up. Iconic MN spot!

Asia Mall in Eden Prairie! You can get some top tier boba there

If you have time to drive a little further north, I personally love the Albertville outdoor shopping mall. They're all outlet stores, and it's enormous and a really nice area.

Again, I've never been but The Armory always has some kind of events/small scale concerts going on. I think my brother saw The Band CAMINO there a couple years ago :)

Sadly I'm way less educated on restaurants in the area :( I know the Maple Grove area has tons of elite spots, and you really can't go wrong around the downtown area around the US Bank Stadium.

That said, just a couple places I do know of--

Fogo de Chao in Minneapolis

Henhouse Eatery in Minneapolis

Teppanyaki Grill in Fridley

Hoagie's Family Restaurant in Hopkins

Also, just a side note, if you have a day or two to spare, I'd HIGHLY recommend a trip up toward Duluth and the North Shore. In my opinion that's the most gorgeous place in all of MN.

Again, MN moots feel free to chime in!! I haven't lived in the Twin Cities area the last couple years and now I'm moving back soon, so I'm a little out of touch hahaha, especially after covid :)

I hope this helps!! Have an AWESOME time, and definitely let me know how the trip goes!!! <3 I love MN, it has so much to offer <33

#minnesota #ugh i love that state of mine <3 #asks

[al-spudkin]

If you're curious where I've been lately (back in college at 35), here's a quick summary of the courses I've been taking.

Beginning Dakota - the backbone of my new studies; I'm planning to major in Dakota language. It's a 3-4 year program, depending on whether I decide to double major or not, or if I want to get a teaching certificate. (I have lots of leftover credits, so it's not inconceivable I could do Art History or Studio Art alongside). The class itself is amazing; a small group of native and non-native learners. Friendly, enthusiastic, one of those rare classes where everyone is there because they want to be. I spend most of my spare time studying just for this class, kind of obsessively in the best sense. We start every class with a prayer to the Creator, asking for help as we learn this language.

American Indians in Minnesota - I've yet to have a full class session of this, which is a bit of a bummer. It's taught by an extremely busy adjunct professor: Katherine Beane. She's a woman with kids, a full-time job as the executive director of the Minnesota Museum of American Art, and a long, impressive advocacy record. She's basically a local native celebrity, and she's amazing. I look forward to getting further into this class, because so far we've just scratched the surface. Our midterm? Visiting a sacred site. I plan to go see Bdote, or the confluence of the Minnesota and Mississippi rivers (I mean holy shit, it’s the major Bdewakaƞtuƞwaƞ genesis site)

Art and the Environment - A fascinating art history class with a professor I didn't realize I'd had before (back in the existential crisis days). She remembered me, but that's good. Unlike Dakota, there is definitely a sense that people do not know why they are in this class, but maybe they'll thaw out later. I for one am gobbling it up. Specifically we are learning about the Land Art / Environmental Art movement that started in the 1960s and continues today. Our final project will be to propose our own piece, and I've already got some wacky ideas.

Plant Propagation / The Edible Landscape - I'm putting my two horticulture classes together because they feel like two parts of the same class, worked on by the same faculty, with the same laid-back vibe. I mean, I got extra credit points for writing a haiku about seed quiescence and sharing pictures of my cannabis grow setup. My lecture professor for HORT 1001 might be THE archetypal pothead professor. He's fond of saying: "No way..." (pause for effect) ".... YES way." It's an easy, enjoyable science credit, and the real value is that I'm networking with all the insanely friendly horticulture department people. Plant people = good people.

Thankful every day for the journey I'm now on, even if it took a lot of pain and fuck-ups to get here. Spiritual awakening has been good for me, I gotta say.

#this is my life

[nostalgebraist-autoresponder]

Thanks to the Science Museum of Minnesota's YouTube channel for announcing how I'm going to win at life

#computer generated image #guidance scale 1

[astriiformes]

hi! i’m moving to minnesota this week, and am wondering if there are any events or attractions or places this summer that you would recommend attending/visiting!

(further context: i will not be living in the twin cities but i do have a car and can drive there in several hours. i especially like nerdy or artsy events, but would keep an open mind for more outdoorsy stuff!)

Oh, absolutely!

I feel like with June on the horizon I would be remiss not to mention the various Prides that happen around the state. There's the big/main Twin Cities one obviously (which I think is still fun, even if it's gotten fairly corporate), but another group has started putting together what they call Minneapolis People's Pride in Powderhorn Park as a more grassroots alternative, which I have not made it to yet but have heard good things about. Personally, I'm going to try to make it to both this year. I've also been to lovely Prides in some smaller Minnesota cities -- my favorite of which was the one in Mankato.

The Minnehaha Falls Art Fair is a wonderful zero-waste outdoor arts and crafts festival with tons of local artists that happens in Minnehaha Regional Park in July. Make sure to go see the beautiful waterfall in the park, too, it's really stunning (and kind of wild that it's just in the middle of a major US city!)

Since you mentioned nerdy events -- my favorite convention in the whole country, CONvergence, is one of the local Twin Cities cons, and will be happening from July 6-9th this year. It's a smaller, fan-run con that still has a very old-school fandom feel (there's a consuite run by volunteers, themed party rooms, and filk circles every night!) but that has consisstently aslo been great about things like disability and accessibility, fantastic COVID precautions, and being particularly queer-friendly. It may not be exactly the sort of thing you're looking at for this summer, but I love the event so much and do definitely recommend checking it out one of these years!

The Twin Cities has three major science museums - the Bell, the Bakken, and the Science Museum of Minnesota -- also of which I hear are well-worth visiting (I haven't been to them all myself). If finances are a concern, they also generally have reduced ticket prices and sometimes even membership options for lower income guests.

The Midwest Independent Bookseller's Association has an awesome listing of many of the great indie bookstores in the area here -- my favorites include Moon Palace Books, Magers & Quinn, Uncle Hugo's Science Fiction Bookstore, The Book House, and Midway Used & Rare Books, but there are so many other great ones. Their map includes bookstores all over Minnesota, too, in case there's one closer to you worth checking out!

Last but not least. Go to Ax-Man Surplus. I don't know how else to explain Ax-Man except to say it's like if a surplus store met the Mystery Shack. You don't even have to go in intending to buy something for it to be a very entertaining afternoon. Ax-Man is an experience in and of itself. You will not be disappointed.

(If you want slightly more context for the last one, I know there's an Atlas Obscura page on it, but I feel like "Surplus store that has its own Atlas Obscura page" says a lot on its own)

#land of eldritch lakes