Electricity and innovation museum

The Bakken Museum

About 1.0 mi straight-line from Linden Hills Station

An interactive Minneapolis museum of electricity, health technology, and invention in the historic West Winds mansion and gardens.

The place

About The Bakken Museum

The Bakken Museum explores electricity, health technology, and invention through interactive galleries inside West Winds, a historic mansion near Bde Maka Ska. The independent nonprofit opened in 1975 and is named for medical-device innovator Earl Bakken.

The strongest connection to a streetcar day is technology: visitors move from a working early electric-transit system to hands-on experiments about circuits, fields, medical electricity, and innovation. Spark is explicitly described as bilingual and accessible, while other galleries and the medicinal gardens broaden the visit beyond a single technical theme.

Current visitor information lists Tuesday–Saturday hours, standard admission tiers, free parking, and a second-Thursday evening extension. The reviewed site does not provide enough detail to promise every historic-building route or garden surface to every mobility device, so call about the exact access need rather than generalizing from Spark's specific accessibility statement.

What stands out

Experiment with electricity

Hands-on exhibits turn circuits, magnetism, and medical electricity into active exploration rather than display-case reading.

Use Spark as the accessible anchor

The bilingual gallery is specifically described as accessible and offers interactive stations for varied ages.

Read science inside West Winds

The mansion and medicinal gardens connect innovation, health, architecture, and landscape in one property.

Pair it with the train

Why it belongs in a Minnesota Streetcar Museum trip

The museum is about one mile straight-line from Como-Harriet's Linden Hills Station. Treat it as a separate two-hour anchor rather than a quick add-on: use the streetcar's afternoon window, then leave enough time for the interactive galleries before the museum's 4 p.m. close.

Before you go

Plan your visit

  • Regular hoursTuesday–Saturday, 10 a.m.–4 p.m.; second Thursday of each month extended to 6:30 p.m.
  • Admission$14 adult; $12 age 65+; $11 students; $10 ages 4–17; ages 3 and under free
  • Reduced admissionNative American visitors free; qualifying limited-income visitors $1 under the current museum policy
  • ParkingFree surface-lot and street parking
  • AccessibilitySpark is specifically accessible and bilingual. Call about the complete historic-building or garden route and any equipment need
  • Sensory supportNoise-canceling equipment is available for Spark; contact the museum for broader sensory planning
  • FoodPlan meals separately and follow current museum rules; the visit page does not promise a full onsite café
  • Time budgetAllow about two hours for interactive galleries, mansion context, and seasonal garden time

Return to depot history

Add Excelsior Museum

At the other streetcar line, step into the former Excelsior depot for Lake Minnetonka transportation and community history.

View the guide →

Useful answers

Frequently asked questions

When is The Bakken Museum open?

Current regular hours are Tuesday–Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., with an extension to 6:30 p.m. on the second Thursday of each month.

How much is admission?

The current standard rates are $14 adult, $12 age 65+, $11 student, and $10 ages 4–17. Children 3 and under are free; separate reduced-admission policies also apply.

Is The Bakken Museum part of the streetcar museum?

No. It is an independent science and history museum about one mile straight-line from the Como-Harriet line.

Is the museum accessible?

Spark is explicitly described as accessible and bilingual. The reviewed site does not fully describe every route through the historic mansion and gardens, so call about the exact need.

Is parking available?

Yes. The museum lists free surface-lot and street parking.

Trust and accuracy

Sources

Source checked 2026-08-15. This free guide has not yet been confirmed by the venue. Current hours, prices, services, and accessibility can change; confirm time-sensitive details directly.