A Science Museum of Minnesota membership is research-backed + scientifically proven to be the gift that gives + gives back. Not only can you visit the museum for free all year, you are supporting groundbreaking research that supports the health of Minnesota's lakes, keeps STEM education in your kid's classrooms, and builds equitable organizations in your communities. Join us. Link in bio.
"Every lake is important to someone. we want to make sure that we provide the science that they need to be able to protect and maintain the quality of their lake for the future." - Dr. Adam J. Heathcote, Director of the museum's Department of Water and Climate Change.
We sat down with Adam recently to understand the importance of the work of his team at the @stcroixresearchstation . While research has shown that museums are one of the most trusted institutions in the country, these once-revered sources of truth are still facing roadblocks. Now — more than ever — we need your support to keep the museum at the forefront of climate change research. Learn more at the link in bio.
Thank you to @mspmag readers for recognizing us with a silver medal in their 2026 Best of the Twin Cities poll. After taking a look at some (just some -- all are stellar!) of the other St. Paul cornerstones that came in second best, we think we're in good company. St. Paul is so fun!
Place to Take Visitors: @comozooconservatory
Old Fashioned: @thelexmn
Ice Cream Shop: @grandolecreamerymn
Twin Cities Legendary Establishment: cossettas
Did you know humans aren’t the only ones who can get skin cancer? From cats and dogs to horses and even whales, animals can also be affected by too much sun exposure. Nature has evolved some incredible defenses — thick fur, scales, feathers, and pigmentation — but no epidermis is invincible.
This Skin Cancer Awareness Month, explore the science of skin, how it protects us, and how it continues to evolve across species in Skin: Living Armor, Evolving Identity, our latest traveling exhibit. Uncover the stories written in the body’s largest organ through June 6.
A 21+ event that's so fire 🔥
Come for the lava flows, stay for the pork tenderloin. Our popular adults-only event Dinner and a Movie is back, pairing thoughtfully selected flavors with immersive museum experiences --- because why settle for just one? Wear something chic, wake up your taste buds, and prepare yourself for a night that sparks every single sense.
Here's how the night unfolds:
🥗 Primi: Seated dinner plus one included glass of beer, wine, or soda. Signature lava flow cocktails and mocktails available for purchase.
🌋 Secondi: An Omnitheater showing of Volcanoes: Fires of Creation. Go where few would ever dare.
🍮 Dolce: Exclusive adults-only gallery exploration, complete with dessert and drinks.
Dinner and a Movie | Saturday, May 23, 5:30-9 p.m.
Tickets: Starting at $130 per person, sold as singles or in groups of two and four
Snag your seat at the link in bio.
Starry stonewort, a nuisance whose name is much more jovial than the invasive macroalgae's ability to clog boat motors and prevent fish swims, has blanketed 31 Minnesota lakes since its discovery in 2015. Resistant to chemical and mechanical controls, the grassy green muck can only be prevented through human intervention.
"Clean, drain, dry, and dispose (CD3)" is a directive given to boaters before they enter and exit Minnesota waterways. Through the Environment and Natural Resources Trust Fund (ENRTF), @mnlakesandrivers installed 31 boat cleaning stations at 21 bodies of water around Minnesota for boaters to more easily put the "CD3" acronym into practice. Learn more about how you can do your part at the link in bio.
Funding for this project was provided by the Minnesota Environment and Natural Resources Trust Fund as recommended by the Legislative-Citizen Commission on Minnesota Resources (LCCMR).
Video: @jondsteinhorst
The green muck that blankets some of Minnesota’s lakes and rivers isn’t just an eyesore — it’s a vital component of our aquatic ecosystems, producing most of Earth’s breathable oxygen, removing carbon dioxide, and forming the base of the aquatic food web.
However, scientists at the museum’s @stcroixresearchstations see a different underbelly of these algae blooms, studying how harmful versions of the cyanobacteria can be dangerous to wildlife, humans, and the entire food chain. Learn more about their efforts on the Microscope, linked in our bio.
Stop 🛑 your 🫵 scroll 🤳 with a tour through the museum. We could *drone* on about all of our incredible exhibits and interesting architecture, but it just isn’t the same as the story a high-flying + high-speed camera can tell.
Three gigantic floors of learning and fun await in downtown St. Paul 🦖🤭🦠
*saves to Mother's Day gift inspo folder*
Get Mom something she won't find anywhere else! All these goodies --- and more --- can be snagged in our Explore Store: store.smm.org
