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FISCAL YEAR 24

MNHS ANNUAL REPORT

All of us at MNHS owe an enormous amount of gratitude to the people of Minnesota who make our work possible. Thank you to our members and donors for your support. We also thank our Governor and Lieutenant Governor, legislators, our Executive Council, visitors, employees, volunteers, interns, and all the people of Minnesota, for your commitment to MNHS and our mission.

Please read on to learn about the impact we’re making at MNHS and how we’re carrying out our mission to create powerful engagement with history.

FISCAL YEAR 24

MNHS ANNUAL REPORT

All of us at MNHS owe an enormous amount of gratitude to the people of Minnesota who make our work possible. Thank you to our members and donors for your support. We also thank our Governor and Lieutenant Governor, legislators, our Executive Council, visitors, employees, volunteers, interns, and all the people of Minnesota, for your commitment to MNHS and our mission.

Please read on to learn about the impact we’re making at MNHS and how we’re carrying out our mission to create powerful engagement with history.

“As we celebrate and commemorate the 175th anniversary of the Minnesota Historical Society, the milestone is only one small part of what we’ve accomplished this year. Let’s remember 2024 as a banner year for engaging with audiences and transforming access to history across Minnesota and beyond.”

— Kent Whitworth, CEO and director of the Minnesota Historical Society
$
7.8

Million provided by the
Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund
for 174 legacy grants.

arts-cultural-heritage-fund
2024-press-titles-1

3 RECORD-BREAKING YEARS
in a row for MNHS Press

165000

Print and Ebooks sold — a 35% increase over last year.

volunteer

 

815

volunteers logged more than
19,000 hours in support of MNHS!

members

 

19001

member households
A 4% increase over FY23

visitors

 

886000

visitors explored MNHS sites in FY24.

National History Day Turns 50

It’s a special year for National History Day. The program that inspires students across the country to explore historical topics celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2024. And since this year also marks the 35th anniversary of our involvement in the program, it’s a special year for MNHS as well.

National History Day is an educational competition that encourages students in grades 6-12 to study history through in-depth research and creative projects. Students choose a topic that relates to an annual theme, research that topic, and present their research in one of five presentation categories: papers, exhibits, documentaries, performances, and websites. In the process, they gain critical thinking and research skills, college readiness and a deeper appreciation for history overall. 

This year’s theme was “Turning Points in History.” Sixty-four Minnesota students were named winners at the state competition and were eligible to represent the state at National History Day in Washington, DC. These students did Minnesota proud, taking home an array of awards, including seven medals, three finalists, and seven honorable mentions.

MNHS Collections Acquisitions

The Minnesota Historical Society began collecting, preserving, and sharing Minnesota’s history even before Minnesota became a state. MNHS serves as the repository of approximately 250,000 objects that chronicle our state’s unique history and culture. As stewards of these collections, MNHS understands these items are imperative to creating powerful engagement with history and providing learning opportunities for all Minnesotans.

 

MNHS acquisitions for Fiscal Year 24 include:

 

711

new acquisitions across manuscripts, fine art, 3D, sound/visual and maps/rare books

404

publications and maps

166

sound/visual–scrapbooks, photos, photo/negative collections, sound recordings, moving images

76

fine art–paintings, fine art photography, prints, and drawings

17

3D objects

48

manuscript collections

Dakota-hymnal
Okodakiciye Wakan Tadowan Kin. Hymnal According to the Use of the Protestant Episcopal Church in the Missions Among the Dakotas of the Missionary District of South Dakota. Revised and Enlarged [with:] Hymn in English corresponding to Hymnal in Dakota according to the use of the Protestant Episcopal Church in the Missions Among the Dakotas of the Missionary District of South Dakota. Joseph W. Cook, William H. Hare, Translators. New York: Thomas Whittaker, 1884 & 1902.  Custom beaded hide book cover by once-known maker, mid-20th century. Acquisition supported by the Carl A. Weyerhaeuser Rare Books Fund.
Peterson-Rose-Trellis-1
Lamar Peterson, Rose Trellis (2023), oil on canvas, 65 x 51 in.
2023_74_1_Lindbergh-Flight-Cap_overall
Charles Lindbergh Flight Cap (c. 1933)

Many Voices, Many Stories, One Place

Historic Fort Snelling welcomed a new exhibit that was six years in the making.

It seemed overwhelming to tell the comprehensive history of this site, as a place that dates back more than 10,000 years and means many different things to many different people. Instead, Many Voices, Many Stories, One Place uses individuals’ personal stories to share the complex history of Historic Fort Snelling and Bdote.

There are stories of enslaved people, everyday soldiers, diplomats, Tribal leaders, women, children, and veterans. This form of storytelling invokes empathy, and the lessons learned through creating and opening this exhibit will carry us forward.

Art by the Cehiseans of 2023

 

In the summer of 2023, the Minnesota History Center opened The Life and Art of Charles M. Schulz, an interactive exhibit tracing Schulz’s Minnesota roots and his creation of the famous Peanuts comic. Just one floor below in the Heffelfinger Room, another exhibit highlighted the work of emerging local artists who are following in Schulz’s footsteps.

Charles Schulz grew up in St. Paul and attended Central High School. To celebrate our connection to one of the world’s most famous cartoonists—and to further our commitment to community engagement—the Minnesota Historical Society partnered with Central High School’s Intermediate Drawing Class to create Art by the Cehiseans of 2023. The exhibit showcased original comics created by Central High students, also known as "Cehiseans."

Inspired by Schulz’s 1962 book Happiness Is a Warm Puppy, the students created one-page comics based on thematic prompts such as “Happiness is…,” “Sadness is…,” “Home is…,” and “Love is….” The work reflected a wide range of topics, from personal identity to outdoor adventures, and in doing so, echoed the legacy Schulz himself established. Through this exhibit, the students not only demonstrated their creativity but also offered a snapshot of what was on their minds, linking their own experiences to the timeless themes Schulz explored in his work.

The Art by the Cehiseans of 2023 exhibit instilled a sense of pride in the students, both in their individual achievements and in their collective effort. Yuri Rivers, one of the student artists, told MNHS, "I liked that we were able to get our own things out there, our own selves portrayed. It was just very nice to have something of our own in the public view." The Minnesota Historical Society is honored to have had the opportunity to display their artwork and looks forward to continuing our support of local youth and creative expression. 

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Dear Jacob: A Mother’s Journey of Hope

In an outstanding year for MNHS Press, one book stands out for the way it resonates with readers.

Dear Jacob: A Mother’s Journey of Hope made up more than half of new book sales and 20% of overall sales for MNHS Press in FY24.

The memoir by Patty Wetterling and co-author Joy Baker poignantly tells the story of a mother, a family, and a community who never gave up hope for their kidnapped son, Jacob. Readers identify with a mother’s love, despite her situation being one they will likely never experience.

Books like this one will forever have a place in Minnesota publishing.

Native American Undergraduate Museum Fellowship - Program Milestone

 

Native American Undergraduate Museum Fellowship (NAUMF), an innovative program designed to expose students to careers in the museum field, celebrated a major milestone in 2024!

Since launching in 2011, more than 100 students from around the country and representing more than 50 Tribal Nations have participated in the NAUMF program. The landmark 2024 cohort was made up of eight students representing a variety of communities across the Midwest.

Organized by the Native American Initiatives Department, fellows participate in three weeks of workshops and seminars, followed by seven weeks of immersive paid internship opportunities. 

Notable roles of NAUMF program alumni include:

  • Tribal Historic Preservation Officer (THPO)
  • ICWA law office paralegal
  • Language revitalization coordinator
  • Field Museum staff
  • Children's Museum staff
  • MNHS staff
  • Maxey Museum curator
  • K-12 teacher
  • School for Advanced Research partner
  • Art gallery director

This immersive ten-week program is made possible by the State of Minnesota's Legacy Amendment, through the vote of Minnesotans on Nov. 4, 2008, and our generous donors and members.

About the Native American Initiatives team

The NAI team is an advocate for Native communities and Native nations at the Minnesota Historical Society, serving as a bridge between community needs and MNHS resources, engaging with Native communities and nations throughout the state, and ensuring Native voices, stories, and concerns are addressed in MNHS work. The NAI team conducts research, provides content, and creates programming and engagement opportunities across the state.

Minnesota Historical Society Summary Financials

For the Fiscal Year Ended June 30, 2024

As a nonprofit organization, the Minnesota Historical Society (MNHS) serves all the people of Minnesota. Our annual expenditures of roughly $75 million come from public funding, earned revenue, and private funding that work together to deliver vibrant, crucial programs and services. 

Typically, two-thirds of our operating support comes from the State of Minnesota. We deliver functions designated by state law, such as managing critical records and collections and operating and preserving important historic destinations. State support includes funding from the state’s General Fund, Legacy Amendment (Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund) for statewide history and grant programs, and capital funding to preserve historic structures. 

MNHS receives private support from donors, foundations, members, and corporations. Their gifts support general operations, school field trips, acquisitions, conservation, and community outreach. Finally, revenue from admissions fees, rentals, museum stores, and other activities provides a base of funding while keeping history accessible and at family-friendly prices. In FY24, we saw increased earned revenue and attendance which reflected strong support from the public.

MNHS concluded FY24 with a strong balance sheet and the resources to support future operations. Our FY24 audited financial statements are available on the MNHS website. MNHS received an unmodified opinion from auditors Clifton Larson Allen, which is the highest level of assurance a CPA firm can provide for a financial statement audit.

 

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More information is available at mnhs.org/reports