Regarding science, technology, and humanities The Bakken Museum inspires a passion for innovation. The Bakken Museum is located on the west shore of Bde Maka Ska in Minneapolis. This museum features interactive exhibits for all ages. It also offers exceptional STEM education programs.
The Bakken Museum was established in 1975. Earl Bakken co-founded Medtronic. He created the first external wearable battery-powered pacemaker. Bakken hoped to create a research center focused on electricity in life. The museum now includes exhibits about plants, medicine, and Mary Shelley’s “Frankenstein.” Bakken was especially inspired by this book.
Earl Bakken spent his childhood building and taking apart electronic devices. After seeing the movie “Frankenstein,” he decided to study electrical engineering at the University of Minnesota.
Inside The Bakken Museum you can explore many exhibits. Spark is The Bakken Museum’s newest exhibit. It explores the iterative processes of innovation and creativity. Frankenstein’s Laboratory features Frankenstein’s monster. Deep Roots discusses modern preconceptions about the relationship between plants and wellness.
Ben Franklin’s Electricity Party allows visitors to try electric party tricks. These tricks are similar to those conducted by Ben Franklin and other scientists in the 1700s. Mary and Her Monster showcases Mary Shelley’s magic bookcase. It is filled with artifacts and books from The Bakken collection. Solve the puzzle of Frankenstein’s story illustrated by artist Zak Sally. You can also meet a living portrait of Mary. Hear about the people, science, art, and culture that inspired her.
The Florence Bakken Medicinal Garden is located on the museum grounds. There is also a statue of Hermes. Hermes was the messenger god of Ancient Greece and Rome.
The Bakken Museum sits in a quiet residential neighborhood. It occupies a historic mansion built in 1928. Carl Gage designed the house called West Winds. It combines English Tudor, European Gothic Revival, and other architectural styles.
A glass tower, the Lantern of the Lake, provides a new front door. A rotating dichroic prism sculpture has become a signature icon for the museum. The surrounding green space expands interior classrooms for outdoor learning. Visitors often move from dark to lighted areas. This represents the museum’s mission of technology, electricity, and innovation.
The museum has classrooms for classes, workshops, meetings, and receptions. The Franklin Room features stain glass windows. It has great views of the rooftop terrace and Bde Maka Ska. The Great Hall is perfect for cocktail receptions, dinners, and corporate meetings.
The Bakken Museum has a rare book and instrument collection. It also offers exhibits about electricity and architecture. Anika Taylor says there is a profound love of learning, exploring, and discovery at The Bakken Museum. Heather Walch loves seeing students learn something new. They do not realize they are learning because it is fun.
So come and explore The Bakken Museum. Experience the wonders of electricity and the power of innovation. Perhaps you will discover something new about the world and yourself.