Archives
Hennepin History Museum maintains historical archives pertaining to the Hennepin County region including photos, maps, letters, books, blueprints, diaries, school yearbooks and postcards dating back as far as the mid-1900s. Our photography collection includes historic realty photographs for many Hennepin County neighborhoods, along with a collection documenting the 1960s demolition of The Gateway District in downtown Minneapolis.
A portion of our archival collection is processed with finding aids. Finding aids are documents that offer an overview of what is in each archival collection, letting you know if a collection is worth exploring further. You can see the list of Finding Aids here.
Research Library
Doing research on your own or with the assistance of our full-time archivist is offered to both members and the public alike. Everyone wanting to do research, whether on your own or with assistance, must submit an appointment request to: research@hennepinhistory.org
The Research Library has one computer station available for use with free access to Ancestry.com and Minneapolis newspapers on newspapers.com. A copy machine is available with a small printing fee. Public access resources include:
- Card catalog for archival collections and library materials
- Sanborn fire insurance maps
- Clipping files
- City directories
- Reference books on Hennepin County
- Maps and atlases
In order to better serve our patrons, the Hennepin History Museum partnered with Minnesota Digital Library and Hennepin County Library Digital Collections to create digitized copies of some of our collections. The original content still remains in the museum archives.
Hennepin History Museum collection hosted by Hennepin County Library Digital Collections
Hennepin History Museum collection hosted by Minnesota Digital Library
Memory Lab
As part of the Museum’s new program, Radical Roots: A New Approach to Family History, which launched in 2022, the Museum offers a variety of equipment to assist you in converting your family records and documents into digital form, including legacy equipment to digitize out-of-date formats like audio and VHS tape, and a film deck for 8mm and Super 8 film conversion to mpr4 format. A scanner to digitize photos, negatives, and slides is also available. Training and guidance will be provided. Use of the Memory Lab is free, but reservations are required at research@hennepinhistory.org The Memory Lab is located just outside the Research Library.
How to Begin
- Submit a request for an appointment in the Research Library at research@hennepinhistory.org
- Upon receipt of your appointment request, our archivist will email you to discuss your research goals and determine whether you need to consult the resources in person or can conduct your research of the HHM archives on-line.
- Our archivist will provide a list of relevant archival material if any exist. Prior to your first research session (whether in person or on-line), you will need to determine which materials you want to access. Note: this initial discussion with our archivist is at no-charge. If HHM does not have relevant resources for your inquiry, you may be directed to another institution.
Fees for Research, Photocopies, and Digital Images
Fees support the continued preservation, research and digitization of our collections; payments are non-refundable. There is no fee for assistance while doing self-directed research. High school and undergraduate students are exempt from Research Fees.
Research fees for in-person and email research sessions
includes compensation for physical or digital retrieval of newspapers, Minneapolis Directory, Ancestry.com, genealogy, maps, atlases, photos, documents, and other archival records.
First 30 Minutes
Public: Free
HHM Members: Free
Each Additional 30 Minutes
Public: $30/Hour
HHM Members: $24/Hour
Fees for Photocopies
Public: 25 cents/copy
HHM Members: Free
Fees for Digital Images
Provided by archivist in subsequent discussions
Payment Process
Instructions provided in subsequent discussions.
Need Further Assistance?
For researchers that require additional assistance, please contact our Museum Archivist.