Mill City Museum
Minneapolis, MN
A museum built inside the ruins of a huge flour mill beside the Mississippi, telling how Minneapolis became a milling capital. Ride the freight elevator through the old mill and finish on the rooftop terrace overlooking the river and falls.
The Minnesota Historical Society museum opened in 2003 in the ruins of the Washburn A Mill on the Mississippi, right at Saint Anthony Falls. The mill, built by businessman Cadwallader Washburn, was regarded after its rebuilding in 1880 as the largest and most advanced in the world. A flour dust explosion destroyed the earlier mill in 1878 and killed 18 people. In 1991 a fire left the vacant building almost completely gutted. The complex has been a National Historic Landmark since 1983.
The centerpiece is the "Flour Tower": in a freight elevator you ride through several floors of the old mill while the history and technology of milling are explained. Original features such as turbine shafts and rail tracks survive. From the observation deck you look out over the river and the falls. The neighboring Mill Ruins Park and the Stone Arch Bridge are easy to combine on foot. Allow two to three hours for the museum and a walk.
- Nearest town
- Minneapolis, MN
- Category
- History & culture
- GPS
- 44.9786, -93.2573
Hours, fees and access change. Confirm with the operator or park before you go.
Good to know
Best time to go
The most pleasant months are usually June and September. Still fine, with some compromises, in May and July–August. Cold, short days in November–March. (Estimate from long-term temperature averages, terrain and pass seasons)
Nearby
Campsites nearby
- Lebanon Hills Campground North LoopCampsite14 mi from Mill City Museum · 11 pitchesTents
- Lebanon Hills Campground West LoopCampsite15 mi from Mill City Museum · 57 pitchesCaravansElectricityDrinking waterShowersToiletsWaste disposal
- Lebanon Hills Campground East LoopCampsite15 mi from Mill City Museum · 24 pitchesTentsCaravansElectricityDrinking waterShowersToilets
- Bunker Hills CampgroundCampsite16 mi from Mill City MuseumWaste disposal
- Baker Park Reserve CampgroundCampsite19 mi from Mill City Museum · 200 pitchesTentsElectricity
- lake auburn campgroundCampsite22 mi from Mill City Museum · 57 pitchesTentsCaravansToilets
All campsites in Minnesota · Campsite data: © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL 1.0 · Updated October 3, 2026
FAQs
Where is Mill City Museum?
Mill City Museum is in Minneapolis, MN, at GPS 44.9786, -93.2573. It is about 46 mi from Red Wing.
Can you camp near Mill City Museum?
Yes. The nearest campsite listed in OpenStreetMap is Shaver Campground, about 13 mi away; within 25 mi there are 17 campsites and motorhome stopovers.
What is there to see near Mill City Museum?
Places worth a stop nearby: Minnehaha Falls (5 mi), Historic Downtown Stillwater (23 mi), Interstate State Park (41 mi) and Charles A. Lindbergh Historic Site (87 mi).
When is the best time to visit Mill City Museum?
The most pleasant months are usually June and September. Still fine, with some compromises, in May and July–August. (Estimate from long-term temperature averages, terrain and pass seasons)