Location: Saint Paul
Top Things to do in Saint Paul
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What to do and see in Saint Paul, Minnesota (MN): The Best Specialty Museums
Saint Paul has been called the last city of the East primarily because early developers built it to fit Eastern standards: city squares or parks, towers and turrets, lofty arches, Baroque domes and elaborate adornments abound. Ideal for families and those who like to explore on foot, the capital of Minnesota offers big city attractions with small town manageability. It's an easy and scenic stroll along the banks of the Mississippi River from the Children's Museum to the Science Museum. The kids (and the young at heart) will love them both. Nearby are the grandiose State Capitol, designed by esteemed architect Cass Gilbert and the historic Como Park, which includes lovely picnic areas, a zoo and a conservatory. Also in the mix are modern museums, stately old mansions, interesting natural wonders and unique shops to browse around. Be sure to check out the stellar collection of contemporary works by local artists at the Minnesota Museum of American Art. From four-star luxury to affordable and family-friendly, Saint Paul offers a variety of lodging and dining possibilities making it a great destination for all tastes and budgets.
Restaurants in Saint Paul
1. Science Museum of Minnesota
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 1,112 reviews
The Science Museum of Minnesota is one of the state’s most popular museums, with a reach that extends well beyond its riverfront location in downtown Saint Paul. In addition to its beloved visitor place, which serves hundreds of thousands of people each year with its engaging exhibits, breathtaking giant screen films, and engaging special events, Science Museum education programs touch students in all of Minnesota’s 87 counties each year, and its research programs span the globe. Discovery awaits at the Science Museum of Minnesota! You’ll find something fascinating around every corner. We love to see the fun that our visitors have! Tag us in your photos @sciencemuseummn, or use #ShareYourDiscovery!
Reviewed By AdrienneM61 - Wichita, United States
We were actually there to visit the Mississippi National Riverway - which is located inside the Museum foyer. The foyer had a few exhibits that you could do without purchasing tickets to the very extensive museum - we LOVED the musical stairs, seriously...so incredibly cool and unique. We were a little short on time, so we had no intention on entering the museum, except a lady with her child had won tickets from an auction and had 4 more than they could use and asked if we would enjoy them, we graciously agreed. Huge thanks to that sweet lady. The museum is HUGE, we didn't get to do everything because again, it's huge! And the tickets included the IMAX film on Apollo 11 which was great! What we did get to do was very enjoyable, with several volunteer run stations where kids could make their own crafts or be part of an exhibit - very well done museum, enjoyable for kids and adults of ALL ages. If ever in the Twin Cities again, we will DEFINITELY return, to finish the rest of the museum!
2. Julian H. Sleeper House Museum
3. Minnesota Transportation Museum
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 38 reviews
Reviewed By Traveling_MandJ - Midland, United States
We planned a Minnesota State Fair vacation and looked for additional attractions to bolt onto our Twin Cities visit. We are really glad we put this one on the list! Housed in an old railroad maintenance roundhouse, the museum has a number of displays that include restored train cars that can be walked through. Lots of attention to child friendly games and adventures are provided. The museum also provides a short train ride in an old caboose, where you are encouraged to climb up and sit in the cupola -- which is really a neat experience. We'll echo the previous comments about the outside looking a bit rough, but take our work -- check out the inside. You'll be glad you did! The Hidden Gem" of this museum is the docent lead tour of the restoration projects ongoing in part of the museum. It includes "work in progress" on a number of train cars and a steam engine. The tour includes an explanation of what the unit started like, the current plan, and a discussion of the current state of the restoration. It also included an informative visit to the blacksmith shop, where many of the restoration iron/steel pieces are created. (Tip: Make a request for the docent led tour at the ticket window, as they seem to run on an "as requested" basis)
4. Gibbs Farm
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 21 reviews
Costumed guides tell the story of the Gibbs family and early 1800s Dakota history because of the family's unique relationship with them. Site contains Dakota tipi, a replica bark lodge, and a wild rice camp. Site also has the Gibbs family historic farmhouse, barns, and a replica of their first sod house. A one-room schoolhouse, farm animals, a heritage apple orchard, historic gardens, and a restored prairie grace the site. Open Saturdays & Sundays from Memorial Day through the end of October. Available for weddings and private parties.
5. Jackson Street Roundhouse
6. Twin City Model Railroad Museum
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 76 reviews
Children 4 and under FREE! Explore the history of trains in the Twin Cities as well as the hobby of modal railroading through interactive layouts in all scales and sizes! Interpretive panels tell the story of model railroading along with many collections of toy trains. Little engineers will enjoy playing with the Thomas wooden and electric layouts while visitors of all ages will love the incredibly detailed toy train layouts! Regular adult Admission: $10 per person. Night Trains Admission (Saturday nights Nov-Feb): $15 per person. Children 4 and under are free!
Reviewed By wayne102018
This was a great place to visit. We highly recommend this place. We tood our grandson who loved it. But both my wife and I said we should go back ourselves. It was fantastic. The big train layout was from the old MIlwaukee Train Depot from decades ago. There are numerous additions to see also, including a large train layout with a mountain and town made out of legos. It is very easy to spend a couple hours enjoying the exhibits. Again, we highly recommend this museum.
7. Hmong Cultural Center
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 30 reviews
The Hmong Cultural Center provides to the public a Hmong History Center and Library featuring exhibits related to the Hmong History in Minnesota and Hmong culture as well as a comprehensive Hmong Resource Library for research. Exhibits include Hmong Minnesota: Yesterday and Today, The Hmong Folk Arts Experience and Hmong Cultural Artifacts Drawings by Seexeng Lee.
Reviewed By lindaslp43498 - Saint Louis Park, United States
I recently brought my Meetup group for a tour at the Hmong Museum and Cultural Center. It was a wonderful learning experience. I was surprised at how little I actually knew about the history and culture of the Hmong people. The museum is full of interesting information and artifacts. I was especially impressed by the beautiful needlework on display. Our tour was comprehensive with plenty of time for questions that our guide was glad to answer. The museum also has an extensive library that is open for research and is recognized as the best of its kind in the country. I would encourage anyone with an interest in learning about a culture not many of non- Hmong people know much about to visit this museum. I would also suggest Hmong people who want to reconnect with their culture to stop in. They hold a variety of classes for anyone who might be interested.
8. Schubert Club Museum
Overall Ratings
4.0 based on 22 reviews
Guests will be introduced to The Schubert Club Museum by an interpretive guide in our orientation space. They will also encounter a massive sculpture of instruments.Moving deeper into the museum, visitors will learn about the evolution of keyboard instruments, sneak a peek at our collection of composer manuscripts and letters, engage with phonographs and music boxes, see and try Indonesian Gamalan instruments, and discover imaginative and experimental musical instruments.No admission charge. An interpretive guide is on staff to provide tours. Groups of 5 or more are encouraged to call ahead. After-hours tours may be possible by special arrangement.
9. Minnesota Air National Guard Museum
10. Bell Museum
Overall Ratings
4.0 based on 38 reviews
Minnesota’s official natural history museum, is now located on the Saint Paul campus of the University of Minnesota. Take amazing journeys from the far reaches of the cosmos to deep inside the human brain in the Whitney and Elizabeth MacMillan Planetarium. Explore the origins of the universe and the diversity of life on earth in our galleries, which include our world famous wildlife dioramas. Engage all your senses in our Touch & See Lab with 10,000 year-old fossils, living plants and animals, and more. Wander outside on our green roof and observation deck, and explore the learning landscape of native plants, geology gardens, and solar station.
Reviewed By julielp - Bloomington, United States
I love this place! There is a touch and see room with all kinds of pelts, bones, and little lives to look at. There is a planetarium where you can learn about the planets. Go upstairs to see many dioramas with screens to bring them to life. They look so real you feel very immersed in the scene. You can even learn to dance like a crane! You can learn about outer scape and the solar system. You could spend a whole afternoon here.For my senior mother and I it was $32 to see both the museum and the planetarium. It's also $5 to park.
