history center of olmsted county

duffydog100

Found this to be very well done. Showed what life was like in time past. The displays are nicely done and contain several buildings. Especially enjoyed the old one room cabin where you can encouraged to touch items. School on property was also very interesting. Loved the writings on the black boards. One of the best displays in the area.

TravelinAltHSTeacher

We parked here to board the trolley and took extra time to go through the museum. I recommend walking the grounds and reading the sign posts as you do if the weather allows.

michelleg285

Fun place to learn about the city, Mayo clinic and IBM. We also went to the Rooster baseball game and it was neat to see what a 1860's game was all about!

Bro_WB

The coverage of founding of City of Rochester and of the Mayo Clinic and the Mayo family was interesting, supported by interesting displays and video or audio descriptions. Some of the remainder of the displays (e.g., local architecture, coverage of wars involving US) didn't seem to fit well. Maybe I just missed the rationale behind including them. The video on international immigrants stories was superb. Good value for admission fee. Worth the hour-long visit.

jmaes21

I recently moved to the Rochester area and wanted to learn about the area history so I stopped in. It was very informative. Exhibits explained the start of the Mayo clinic, the history of Saint Mary's hospital, the start of the IBM corporation in Rochester and about the diversity of cultures in the area. The grounds also have an old homestead cabin, an old school and a barn. I am very glad that I stopped. It was well worth the time.

MNfamily_10

We attended the days of yesteryear event again this year; it's a great experience for people of all ages, especially families. There are lots of tractors and machinery on display, with other machines running. There are people with displays and kids can shuck corn, make butter, rope, and other activities. They have wagon and carriage rides, and all the buildings are open for the weekend. The museum is interesting and the schoolhouse, farmhouse too. It's in August; you can buy a button in advance or in person.

KeryE

We began a tour of Mayowood here by checking out the exhibits and browsing the giftshop. It was interesting for those who want to learn about Rochester history.

Kclynnd

Rochester has an interesting history. The clinic was founded here after a devestating tornado. This is one of the many things you can learn at the history center. I found the exhibit on historical medical treatments to be interesting, not sure if this was a permenent or temporary exhibit. Worth a stop on the way to Mayowood if you enjoy history.

aerete

They have a local group of people that provide a living example of baseball at the turn of the century…that’s 1885. Totally entertaining! You can tell the players (actors) are having a blast, too. The umpire is hilarious was he narrates throughout the game.

adjutant1814

The museum has a variety of exhibits on the history of the county; including the big 1883 tornado, the Mayo Clinic, St. Mary's Hospital and hands on exhibits for children. There are also many programs both on and off site. The grounds include a 1800’s log cabin, country school, two farms and other displays that are open during the summer months. Also has a gift store.There is something interesting for everyone.Location in southwest part of town is a little out of the way, but definitely worth the trip.