Minnesota Historical Society

Minnesota Historical Society
Formation1849; 175 years ago (1849)
HeadquartersSaint Paul, Minnesota, U.S.
Websitewww.mnhs.org

The Minnesota Historical Society (MNHS) is a nonprofit educational and cultural institution dedicated to preserving the history of the U.S. state of Minnesota. It was founded by the territorial legislature in 1849, almost a decade before statehood. The Society is named in the Minnesota Constitution. It is headquartered in the Minnesota History Center in downtown Saint Paul.

Although its focus is on Minnesota history, it is not constrained by it. Its work on the North American fur trade has been recognized in Canada as well.[1]

MNHS holds a collection of nearly 550,000 books, 37,000 maps, 250,000 photographs, 225,000 historical artifacts,[2] 950,000 archaeological items,[3] 38,000 cubic feet (1,100 m3) of manuscripts,[4] 45,000 cubic feet (1,300 m3) of government records, 5,500 paintings, prints and drawings; and 1,300 moving image items.[citation needed]

Since 2011, MNopedia: The Minnesota Encyclopedia, has been an online "resource for reliable information about significant people, places, events, and things in Minnesota history." The work is funded through a Legacy Amendment Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund grant and administered by the Minnesota Historical Society.[5] The Minnesota Historical Society Press (MNHS Press) publishes books on the history and culture of Minnesota and the Upper Midwest with the goal of advancing research, supporting education, and sharing diverse perspectives on Minnesota history.[6] MNHS Press is the oldest publishing company in the state of Minnesota and the largest historical society press in the nation, with more than 500 books in print. MNHS Press also produces the quarterly magazine, Minnesota History (journal).

  1. ^ "The story of the Canadian fur trade owes a great debt . . . for research and general popularization, to the Minnesota Historical Society." Morse, Eric (1979). Fur Trade Routes of Canada. Minoqua, WI: NorthWord Press. p. 74. ISBN 1-55971-045-4.
  2. ^ "Artifact Collection". Minnesota Historical Society. Retrieved July 21, 2011.
  3. ^ Cite error: The named reference Sites was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  4. ^ "Manuscripts Collection". Minnesota Historical Society. Retrieved July 21, 2011.
  5. ^ "MNopedia: Minnesota Encyclopedia". Minnesota Historical Society. Retrieved January 2, 2018.
  6. ^ "Minnesota Historical Society Press". MNHS Press.