The Washburn A Mill, which houses the museum, was partially destroyed in a massive flour dust explosion in 1878 that killed 18 people.
Minneapolis was nicknamed the 'Mill City' because the power of St. Anthony Falls allowed mills to produce enough flour to feed the entire nation.
The museum structure integrates original industrial machinery, including grain elevators and internal rail tracks.
The building's rooftop observation deck provides an unobstructed view of the Stone Arch Bridge and the St. Anthony Falls spillway.
The museum features a working 'Water Lab' that explains the role of the Mississippi River in the industrialization of the city.
Mill City Museum is built into the ruins of the Washburn A Mill, once the largest flour mill in the world. Located on the banks of the Mississippi River, it showcases the technological evolution of the flour industry that made Minneapolis the 'Flour Milling Capital of the World.' The centerpiece is the Flour Tower, an eight-story freight elevator that transports visitors through a multisensory historical narrative. Exhibits detail the industrial history of the Mississippi riverfront and the impact of the milling industry on the region's economy. The museum preserves the limestone walls of the 19th-century mill as a structural backdrop. It serves as a primary site for understanding how industrial fire and power shaped modern Minnesota. The facility is operated by the Minnesota Historical Society.
The ruins courtyard, looking upward at the skeletal limestone walls against the sky.
Take the Flour Tower show early in your visit as it provides the necessary context for the rest of the museum.
Visit the outdoor ruins courtyard before entering the main exhibit galleries.
Check the museum's calendar for bread-baking demonstrations, which are held regularly in the on-site kitchen.
Do not skip the rooftop deck, which is easily missed if you only stay within the interior exhibit galleries.
Closed on Mondays and Tuesdays.
