Bell Museum

We’re much more than our dioramas and planetarium. We also house a collection of 1.2 MILLION plant, fungi, lichen, mollusk, reptile, amphibian, fish, bird, and mammal specimens that are used by researchers at the University of Minnesota and around the world to understand natural history.

As Minnesota’s natural history museum and planetarium, the Bell Museum aims to provide high quality science and nature learning for all Minnesotans no matter where you are in the state!

K-12 EDUCATIONAL EXPERIENCES

Gallery Experience
The Bell Museum’s gallery experience is designed to allow for self-directed learning and choice with content support from museum educators along the way! Take your students on a journey through space and time in our Minnesota Journeys gallery. Your visit will be enhanced by our printed Discovery Journals: These standard-aligned and grade-specific materials are designed to support and shape your visit through our interactive and immersive galleries.

Science Labs
The Bell Museum offers classroom size lab spaces in the Dr. Roger E. Anderson Education Wing, with state-of-the-art equipment and activities, supporting many of the Minnesota state science standards. Lab content spans Astronomy, Earth Science, Life Science, Nature of Science and Engineering, Arts, Physical Sciences & Engineering Practice, with offerings for kindergarten through Grade 6.

Planetarium Shows
The Whitney and Elizabeth MacMillan Planetarium offers a wide variety of programs in our state-of-the art domed theater. With interactive live programs and recorded presentations, teachers will find content to fit their learning objectives. Learners of all ages will be amazed and inspired.