In 1975, Earl Bakken—an imaginative tinkerer turned visionary inventor—founded a museum that would grow into one of Minnesota’s most unique cultural treasures. Today, as The Bakken Museum celebrates its 50th anniversary this year, the institution reflects on a half-century of sparking curiosity, honoring history, and inspiring the next generation of innovators.
Courtesy of The Bakken
Bakken himself is the embodiment of innovation. Fascinated from childhood by the possibilities of electricity—an obsession first ignited when he watched Frankenstein on the big screen—he went on to co-found Medtronic and design the world’s first external, battery-powered pacemaker. Driven by his passion for merging science, technology, and imagination, he began collecting rare books, instruments, and artifacts that explored “electricity in life.” What started as a personal collection has since grown into a world-renowned museum, rooted on the scenic shores of Bde Maka Ska in Minneapolis.
From Rare Collections to Public Inspiration
The early vision of The Bakken Museum was as an international research hub, attracting scholars from across the globe. But in 1998, a major expansion shifted the focus outward, opening its exhibits, programs, and gardens to the public. The museum became more than a library of rare books or a vault of instruments—it became a place where curiosity comes alive for visitors of all ages.
Today, the museum’s permanent and rotating exhibits explore the intersections of science, technology, and the humanities. Visitors can step into interactive spaces, wander through its lush medicinal gardens, or marvel at its 15,000-piece collection of artifacts that reveal the human quest to understand health, wellness, and the natural world.
Courtesy of The Bakken
Inspiring the Next Generation
Education remains central to The Bakken’s mission. Through on-site workshops, youth camps, and traveling outreach programs, the museum connects thousands of students each year to the excitement of STEM. Programs are designed to be hands-on, student-led, and brimming with creativity—whether kids are designing their own inventions, exploring circuits, or seeing electricity in action. By blending science with storytelling, The Bakken ensures its lessons linger long after a field trip ends.
Celebrating 50 Years
The “Brilliant at 50 Gala” will be held at the historic Grain Belt Brewery on Oct. 10, and it will entail evening of food, drink, and celebration that will spotlight 50 innovators shaping the future. The following day, the museum will host a 50th Birthday Bash, a free, family-friendly festival filled with hands-on activities and open access to exhibits and gardens. On Oct. 12, the celebration will continue with the Minnesota STEM Book Fest, blending literature and science in partnership with The Thinking Spot.
Looking Ahead
For 50 years, The Bakken Museum has been a place where creativity and curiosity thrive. Its mission—“to inspire a passion for innovation by exploring the potential for science, technology, and the humanities to make the world a better place”—feels as vital today as it did in 1975.
As the museum reflects on its past and looks toward the future, it stands as a reminder that innovation doesn’t just happen in laboratories or boardrooms—it begins in the spark of curiosity, the willingness to ask “what if,” and the courage to imagine a better world. Here’s to the next 50 years of discovery, inspiration, and wonder.
