Mill City Museum

Today we went to visit the Mill City Museum. This museum is a good value for the admission price. We started off with a 20 minute video about the history of Minneapolis. The short movie is written and directed by Kevin Kling. He's so funny! I wish all history could be as entertaining. After the movie we went up the flour tower - a half hour multi media elevator ride up all nine floors of the burned out flour mill. The view from the ninth floor balcony is stunning. The mill closed in the 1960's and part of the tour is listening to the voices of people who worked in the mill. I learned a lot today. One thing I didn't know is that Pillsbury and Gold Medal flour sold to homeowners and individual consumers. Cargill and other giant food businesses are the ones who sold to bakeries and the general food industry. When we started to buy convenience foods, prepackaged breads and cookies, Pillsbury and Gold Medal mills suffered. This museum is great for kids because they have a hands-on area. I especially liked the Mississippi river water table where I could open and close the locks and divert the water into the turbines. In another area museum staff demonstrated a flour dust explosion using cornstarch and electrical sparks. I think he might have put a little too much corn starch in there because he burned off some arm hair. I never pass up a chance to see an explosion. After the museum we walked across the river on the stone arch bridge where people were already setting up blankets and lawn chairs to watch the fireworks tonight. They only have to wait 5 hours but they looked content to stay all evening.