Minnesota History Center, St. Paul, Dedicated entirely to Minnesota history, Then Now Wow is the largest exhibit ever created by the Minnesota History Center, with 14,000 square feet of gallery space. Designed primarily for children, visitors of all ages will enjoy exploring Minnesotas distinctive places from the prairies and forests to the cities, along the way they'll meet the people who have made their homes here. Step inside a prairie sod house; board a Twin Cities streetcar; don a headlamp to venture underground in an Iron Range mine; hitch a ride on a boxcar; sit in a modern tipi; and encounter artifacts and images unique to Minnesotas diverse people and historic events.Then Now Wow, is made possible by the Legacy Amendment through the vote of Minnesotans on Nov. 4, 2008. Major support provided by the 3M Foundation, the Fred C. and Katherine B. Andersen Foundation, and the Katherine B. Andersen Fund of The Saint Paul Foundation. Additional support from the BNSF Foundation, Rosemary & David Good Family Foundation, Grotto Foundation, Hardenbergh Foundation, Minnesota Corn Growers Association, Minnesota Soybean Research and Promotion Council and the Carl and Verna Schmidt Foundation.

Minnesota History Center, St. Paul, A playfully interactive exhibit, Open House: If These Walls Could Talk, brings to life the adage if these walls could talk by using a single, existing housein the Railroad Island neighborhood on St. Pauls East Sideas a window into the daily lives of people of the past.Stories of families, from the first German immigrants through the Italians, African-Americans, and Hmong who succeeded them, are told through rooms representing different eras of the house. Visitors become detectives, piecing together lives of the families who made this house their home.*This exhibit will be closed from Aug. 19-Sept. 6, 2013 due to gallery construction.

Minnesota History Center, St. Paul, This exhibit is the capstone of the Minnesota Historical Societys Minnesotas Greatest Generation project. It features more than 6,000 square feet of artifacts, interactive displays, and innovative multimedia experiences to reveal the lives and stories of the men and women who came of age during the Depression and World War II and who went on to create the phenomenal postwar boom. The exhibition relies substantially on first-person narratives drawn from oral history interviews, published memoirs, and reminiscences and letters in which a generation of Minnesotans narrates its own story, creating a fascinating collective autobiography in recorded interviews, images, film and audio.

North West Company Fur Post, Pine City, Explore life in an early 1800s fur trade wintering camp. Learn about the global economy of the time, the lives of workers in the fur trade, cross-cultural communications, women's roles and archeological tools used to uncover information about the fur trade. Discover why a hat was the driving force behind the earliest European exploration and settlement of the region. Then try on various hats, including a stovepipe top hat made of felt. View a 24 foot long north canoe loaded with merchandise typical of the time. And try lifting a pack typical of what a voyageur would have carried.

Minnesota History Center, St. Paul, Minnesotans do more than talk about the weather. They learn to cope with extreme temperatures, watch for signs of storms and generally enjoy the outdoors, whether boating on a summer's day, skiing down a hill or snowmobiling along trails through the forests. No matter the weather, it's always a nice day at the History Center when you visit the "Weather Permitting" exhibit.

Minnesota History Center, St. Paul, Step back in time to an era of flappers and suffragists, bootleggers and temperance workers, and real-life legends like Al Capone and Carry Nation. Created by the National Constitution Center, American Spirits: The Rise and Fall of Prohibition is the first comprehensive exhibition about Americas most colorful and complex constitutional hiccup. Spanning from the dawn of the temperance movement, through the Roaring 20s, to the unprecedented repeal of a constitutional amendment, this exhibition brings the whole story of Prohibition vividly to life. Programs include a 10-percent discount at the History Center's Museum Stores. Cafe Minnesota will be open for lunch following each program. Funded in memory of Marney Brooks. For more information visit http://www.mnhs.org/seniorsinmind.

Mill City Museum, Minneapolis, From Mill to Museum is an exhibit of dramatic images and words about the Washburn A Mill from the years it sat abandoned between 1965 and 2000. After General Mills shut down the mill in July 1965, this National Historic Landmark sat unused except for a few tenants, curiosity seekers and homeless people. The exhibit will uncover this little-known period in the history of the building that is the home of Mill City Museum. It will feature photos from final years of flour milling, redevelopment plans by preservation pioneer Peter Nelson Hall, depictions of the abandoned mill by local artist Mike Lynch and photographer Matt Porath, words and photographs by JobyLynn Sassily-James who took shelter in the building during a period of homelessness in the 1990s, and studies by Tom Meyer, the architect of Mill City Museum. The exhibit is located in the museums central Mill Commons, and is free and open to the public during regular museum hours. It will be on display through Dec. 31, 2013.

Minnesota History Center, St. Paul, The History Center will be open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Monday, Dec. 31. Take advantage of holiday vacations for a day of exploring the exhibit galleries, History Center stores and Cafe Minnesota. From noon to 4 p.m. head to the "Then Now Wow" exhibit's new "Babe the Blue Ox Pavilion" for hands on history and a live performance. Watch a world premiere play about Paul Bunyan and make your own Paul Bunyan and Babe the Blue Ox to take home.

Minnesota History Center, St. Paul, Join family and friends in this annual African-American celebration. Kwanzaa follows seven core principles: Unity, self-determination, collective work and responsibility, cooperative economics, purpose, creativity, and faith. The family day program includes storytelling, music, dance, fashion, crafts, food demos and an art activity.

James J. Hill House, St. Paul, Costumed actors bring 19th-century Christmas literature to life with warmth and humor in this reader's theater performance of holiday stories, including works by Mark Twain, Willa Cather, O. Henry's "Gift of the Magi" and selections from Dickens' A Christmas Carol. The performers, Craig Johnson and Kirby Bennett, will discuss the development of popular Christmas traditions, including Christmas literature during the 19th century. Admission to the one-hour program includes light refreshments and tours of the Hill House, decorated for the holidays.

Mille Lacs Indian Museum and Trading Post, Onamia, Create miniature ornaments from birch bark that can be used to decorate for the holidays or given as gifts. Registration is required 3 days prior to workshop. A light lunch and refreshments will be provided. A minimum of 5 participants required to hold workshop. Children under 18 must be accompanied by an adult.

Oliver H. Kelley Farm, Elk River, This event has been rescheduled from Dec. 9. Join a guide for a 75-minute tour of the Kelley Farm including a hike along the nature trail, a stop inside the historic farmhouse and a visit to the livestock pens. Discover how farm families and their animals coped with shorter days, colder temperatures and the upcoming holidays 150 years ago. Enjoy a horse or oxen-drawn bobsled or wagon ride. Dress for outdoor weather. Warm refreshments follow in the Visitors Center.

Charles A. Lindbergh Historic Site, Little Falls, The Charles A. Lindbergh house hosts a FREE monthly Film Series featuring a historic film or documentary. More information will be forthcoming.

James J. Hill House, St. Paul, The bustle and excitement of a Gilded Age Christmas is brought to life as the servants of the James J. Hill House prepare for the holidays. Costumed actors portray people who worked for the Hill family in a dramatized portrayal of servant life and holiday preparations at the Hill familys Summit Avenue mansion. The one-hour program moves through the elegant first floor spaces and then to the basement servant work areas. The script is based on letters and oral histories of people who worked for the Hill family during the first decade of the 20th century.

Mille Lacs Indian Museum and Trading Post, Onamia, Enjoy stories and light snacks from noon to 1 p.m., then from 1 to 3 p.m. children can learn how to make a cornhusk doll to take home. Cornhusk dolls are made out of the outer covering of an ear of corn and are typically made during the fall. Participants will receive a kit that includes materials for the doll and an instructional handout. Please allow an hour to make the craft. This project is recommended for children ages 10 and up.

Mill City Museum, Minneapolis, Get inspired for holiday baking when the finalists in the Star Tribunes annual Taste Holiday Cookie Contest bake their winning recipes in the Mill City Museum Baking Lab. Visitors can drop in and meet the finalists as they bake their award-winning cookies, learn more about the history of the recipes and why they are so good and get baking tips for the holiday season. Visitors will also be able to sample each of the winning cookies.The Star Tribunes Taste section sponsors the annual Holiday Cookie Contest in which readers submit their favorite holiday cookie recipes. The winner and 5 runners-up will be announced in the Nov. 29 Taste section.

Oliver H. Kelley Farm, Elk River, Visit the Kelley Farm just in time to make homemade toys to give as gifts for the holidays. In the visitor center, guests will choose between making several 19th-century toys, including a ball-and-cup game, buzz saws, pick-up sticks and corn husk dolls. All tools and materials will be provided.

Forest History Center, Grand Rapids, Minnesota winters are legendary. Years ago hearty lumberjacks toiled in logging camps cutting big timber between freeze up and break up. North Woods Number One, the Forest History Centers historically re-created logging camp, comes to life under a blanket of snow during this yearly event. Join the camp crew as they get ready to celebrate Christmas in the logging camp. Take in the smell of wood smoke, feel the warmth being cast off from the barrel stoves, enjoy the smell of fresh baked cookies and take a ride on a horse drawn sleigh. Bring your camera to get your picture taken with Santa.

Charles A. Lindbergh Historic Site, Little Falls, When C.A. Lindbergh did not seek re-election to the U.S. House of Representatives in 1917, he, his wife Evangeline and teenage son Charles spent the winter in their Little Falls home for the first time. Step back in time and visit the Lindbergh home as costumed characters portray family members and hired workers readying the house for Christmas 1918. Tour the home and hear why C.A. didnt seek re-election, then lost his bid for the U.S. Senate, see improvements made to the house at the time, learn about the recent end of World War I in Europe, and find out what everyones hopes are for the new year of 1919. The gallery exhibits in the Visitor Center will be open and visitors also can shop for holiday items at a special sale in the gift shop and receive a 10-percent discount on all merchandise.

Minnesota History Center, St. Paul, Families and children can create a make-it take-it craft on selected dates throughout the year (included with museum admission).