Mill City Museum in Minneapolis is built within the ruins of the oldest floor mill in the world on the banks of the Mississippi River. The museum showcases the history of Minneapolis as a great milling city with exhibits from local and regional artists.
History
William de la Barre, an Austrian engineer designed the structure that houses Mill City Museum in 1880 as the world’s largest flour mill. In 1991, Washburn A Mill was almost completely destroyed by fire however, the City of Minneapolis cleared the debris with Minneapolis Historical Society taking charge of developing a milling museum and education center on the site.
The museum construction began in 2001 with preserving the ruins of the historic mill a top priority for architect Thomas Meyer who developed the concept to make the historic site modern while retaining the structural integrity of the ruins. The industrial concept uses limestone, brick and other earth elements along with steel to showcase the 8-story glass building of gallery space that overlooks the Mississippi River. A courtyard was also established fenced by the charred masonry walls left after the 1991 fire.
Exhibits
Mill City Museum features exhibits by local artists that convey the history of Flour Milling in Minneapolis and the significance of the Washburn A Mill as the largest flour mill in the world.
Touring Mill City Museum
Tours of the Mill City Museum are commonly self-guided with museum admission. However, special guided tours are available throughout the year that require additional ticketing and advance registration in many instances. Many tours include other historic landmarks on the riverfront. Tours are subject to change with more information online. Past tours have included family scavenger hunts, Hennepin Island, a walking tour of women’s history, and the railroad history in Minneapolis.
Gold Medal Walking Tours- This tour explores Minneapolis history beginning with the Mill City Museum and includes a 90-minute guided walk of 1.5 miles of Mississippi Riverfront sites.
Washburn A Mill Tour- Focusing only on the historic Washburn Mill, this one-mile tour highlights the lives of the people who worked in the mill and how flour milling impacted the economy of Minneapolis.
Engineering the Falls- A volunteer costumed as Willian de la Barre who developed the Washburn A Mill guides participants through the development of milling and hydropower. Visitors will also get to see the waterfalls that powered the mill.
Disasters of the Riverfront- A 1.5-hour tour that captivated audiences with the history of disasters and multiple fires on the Mississippi Riverfront including the damage to the Mill in 1991 and bridge collapses over the last decade that have shaped the landscape of the area.
Field Trips- Educators and their classrooms are welcome to participate in field trips, arranged in advance with the Mill City Museum. Schools, Youth and community groups can engage with kids of all ages through specially designed scavenger hunts and guided exploration of museum exhibits.
704 South Second Street, Minneapolis, Minnesota, 55401, Phone: 612-341-7556
Plan Your Trip