Bloomington - We Are Water MN
2025-11-22 - 2026-02-01 | Bloomington Education and Visitor Center, 3815 American Blvd E, Bloomington, MN, 55425, United States
The We Are Water MN traveling exhibit examines water issues statewide and in local communities through personal stories, histories, and scientific information. It strengthens Minnesotans’ relationships with water, exposes visitors to new perspectives, and increases participation in water stewardship activities.
Host Partner: Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge
Want to know more about We Are Water MN?
Learn more about the We Are Water MN exhibit, partnership, and programs.
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St. Paul - From Mountains to Lakes: Celebrate HERstory
2025-11-24 18:00 - 20:00 (America/Chicago) | Minnesota Humanities Event Center, 987 Ivy Avenue East, Saint Paul, MN, 55106, United States
Join the Minnesota Humanities Center and Hnub Tshiab: Hmong Women Achieving Together (HWAT) as we celebrate with Kaohly Vang Her a defining moment in St. Paul and Hmong history, the election of Her as St. Paul’s first women and first Hmong mayor. From refugee beginnings to civic leadership, the Hmong story is one of strength, courage, and transformation. Together, we will enjoy food, hear from inspiring speakers and performers, and reflect on what this moment means for all of us.
Program
6:00pm: Social and Appetizers
6:30pm: Program Begins
7:45pm: Photos with St. Paul Mayor Elect Kaohly Vang Her
8:00pm: Program Concludes
Registration
Registration for this event has closed.

Online Content Session - Era Four: Imperial Expansion and Native Dispossession
2025-12-02 16:00 - 17:30 | Online
Trace the effects of U.S. expansion on Native nations and examine how policies of land seizure and sovereignty denial shaped the 19th century. Led by Dr. David Aiona Chang and moderated by Dr. Katharine Gerbner, this session will provide deep historical context, source analysis, and thematic framing.

View Dr. David Aiona Chang’s Bio

I am a Native Hawaiian historian of Indigenous people, colonialism, borders and migration in Hawaii and North America, focusing especially on the histories of Native American and Native Hawaiian people. My work moves between hyperlocal and global scales while centering the perspectives and experiences of Indigenous people and integrating close textual analysis, granular social history, theoretically informed analysis of race, gender, sexuality and nationalism, and Indigenous epistemologies and methodologies.

My second book, The World and All the Things Upon It: Native Hawaiian Geographies of Exploration was published in 2016 by the University of Minnesota Press. It speaks to a foundational imperative in Indigenous studies: the need to not just understand Indigenous people from their own perspectives, but to understand the world from their perspectives as well. It traces the ways that Kanaka Maoli (Native Hawaiians) explored the outside world and generated understandings of their place in it in the century and half after James Cook stumbled on their islands in 1778. In doing so, this book examines indigenous people as the active agents of global exploration, rather than the passive objects of that exploration, broadening our understanding of geographical knowledge production and power in the context of colonialism.

My first book, The Color of the Land, argues for the central place of struggles over the ownership of Native American lands in the history of racial and national construction by Creeks, African Americans, and whites in the Creek Nation and eastern Oklahoma. The Color of the Land was awarded the 2010 Theodore Saloutos Prize for best book in agricultural history from the Agricultural History Society and was granted Honorable Mention in the competition for the American Studies Association’s 2011 Lora Romero First Book Prize.

All Content Sessions will be conducted via Zoom and a Minnesota Department of Education (MDE)-hosted Canvas learning community. Each session’s lectures and discussions will be recorded and registered participants will receive access to the Canvas course with session recordings, curated resources, and collaborative planning tools.

High school U.S. History teachers and 5th and 7th grade educators are invited to participate in companion Pedagogy Sessions.

Registration
Content Sessions are open to all K–12 educators interested in historical content and source-based instruction. Educators are welcome to register for individual sessions that align with their interests and schedules. Join us for one or more sessions throughout the year.

This event is free but registration is required. Separate registration is required for each offering.

Registration Questions: Brittany.Rawson-Haeg@state.mn.us

Register Now

This offering is part of Navigating the U.S. History Eras: Content, Pedagogy, and Inquiry in the Classroom is a yearlong professional learning opportunity supporting implementation of Minnesota’s 2021 K–12 Academic Standards in Social Studies presented by MHC and MDE.

St. Paul - From Mountains to Lakes: The Museums We Carry
2025-12-03 08:00 - 16:00 | Minnesota Humanities Event Center, 987 Ivy Avenue East, Saint Paul, MN, 55106, United States
Across mountains, oceans, generations, and borders, the Hmong people have carried songs, textiles, and rituals that tell the stories of their identity for hundreds of years. Elders serve as living museums, passing knowledge from one generation to the next. Yet what happens when that transfer is disrupted, when younger generations reach for knowledge through the internet or AI, without understanding that Hmong truths live in many forms, shaped by clan, dialect, nationalism, and landscapes across the globe?
From Mountains to Lakes: The Museums We Carry is a daylong retreat that brings together Hmong cultural bearers, educators, and community leaders to examine the dangers of cultural extinction and explore collective ways to preserve identity. Held at the Hoċokata Ti Cultural Center, participants will engage in a guided learning experience led by members of the Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community, reflecting on how Indigenous peoples sustain culture, language, and identity across generations. The retreat concludes with a collective reflection on the challenges ahead and a call to action to carry these living museums forward together.
Agenda:

8:00am Check-in at Minnesota Humanities Center, light continental breakfast will be served (8:00am – 8:45am)
8:45am Load Bus
9:00am Travel to Hocokata Ti Culture Center (Shakopee, MN)
9:45am Culture & Exhibit Tour (indoor & outdoor)
Noon Indigenous Lunch & Culture Exchange Panel Discussion
2:00pm Depart Hocokata Ti Culture Center and return to MHC
3:00pm Reflection
4:00pm Adjourn

K-12 Educators will receive 4 clock hours. Participants are welcome to wear traditional clothing.
Registration
Registration for this event has SOLD OUT.
Registration Questions: registrations@mnhum.org

Online - From Page to Practice: The Native American Lives Series in the Classroom
2025-12-04 07:30 - 08:30 | https://www.mnhum.org/event/online-from-page-to-practice-the-native-american-lives-series-in-the-classroom-morning/
Join us for an introductory professional development session on the Native American Lives Series—a vibrant new collection of biographies designed to support grades 1–8 educators in bringing Indigenous voices, histories, and perspectives into the classroom. This session will introduce the first four books in the series, each centering the life and legacy of a Native changemaker. Developed with Native authors, illustrators, and editors, these books provide culturally grounded content that supports both literacy development and inclusive social studies instruction.
Educators will have the opportunity to:

Engage with Minnesota Department of Education content specialists integrating indigenous content with current academic standards
Learn about classroom ready resources and educator guides
Hear from series co-editor Heid E. Erdrich and highlights about the series

K-8 Educators will receive 1 clock hour.
Registration
This event is free but registration is required. This session is also available at 4:00 p.m. on December 4, 2025.
Registration Questions: registrations@mnhum.org
Register Now

Online - From Page to Practice: The Native American Lives Series in the Classroom
2025-12-04 16:00 - 17:00 | https://www.mnhum.org/event/online-from-page-to-practice-the-native-american-lives-series-in-the-classroom-evening/
Join us for an introductory professional development session on the Native American Lives Series—a vibrant new collection of biographies designed to support grades 1–8 educators in bringing Indigenous voices, histories, and perspectives into the classroom. This session will introduce the first four books in the series, each centering the life and legacy of a Native changemaker. Developed with Native authors, illustrators, and editors, these books provide culturally grounded content that supports both literacy development and inclusive social studies instruction.
Educators will have the opportunity to:

Engage with Minnesota Department of Education content specialists integrating indigenous content with current academic standards
Learn about classroom ready resources and educator guides
Hear from series co-editor Heid E. Erdrich and highlights about the series

K-8 Educators will receive 1 clock hour.
Registration
This event is free but registration is required. This session is also available at 7:30 a.m. on December 4, 2025.
Registration Questions: registrations@mnhum.org
Register Now

Minneapolis - Feeding Our Souls: The Essence of Hotdish Wisdom
2025-12-08 11:00 - 13:30 | Sabathani Community Center, 310 E 38th St, Minneapolis, MN, 55409, United States
Feeding Our Souls the Essence of “Hotdish Wisdom” explores the themes of connecting and joy through food and community. Our partners for this unique intergeneration experience will feature BIPOC Foodways Alliance (BFA), the Minneapolis Public Schools, and the Sabathani Community Center. BFA will feature five “home cooks” who will tell their stories through the lens of home cooking. Through story circles, the event is aimed to uplift and share important cultural legacy stories and histories as elders and students enjoy five distinguished renditions of the comfort food – “hotdish.”
Registration
Registration is limited to senior citizens for this event.
Registration Questions: registrations@mnhum.org
Register Now

Online - Building Summative Tasks for Social Studies
2025-12-17 07:30 - 08:30 | https://www.mnhum.org/event/online-building-summative-tasks-for-social-studies/
Gain insight into designing summative tasks that align with the inquiry arc. Participants will explore ways to assess students’ understanding through authentic performance-based assessments aligned to both the content and the skills of social studies benchmarks.
The Minnesota Department of Education, in partnership with the Minnesota Humanities Center, will host virtual and in-person sessions to support planning for and implementation of the 2021 K-12 Academic Standards in Social Studies, held monthly during the 2025–26 school year. These sessions are open to anyone with building or district-level responsibilities for curriculum planning and development in all social studies content areas, including curriculum directors, department leads, and teachers. Pre-registration is required for in-person sessions.
Virtual sessions will have content similar to in-person sessions, and whenever possible will feature the same speakers.
In-person sessions will be an hour longer than virtual sessions and will allow time for supported collaborative work and networking.
While districts are encouraged to have a representative at each monthly session, either in-person or virtual, participants do not need to commit to attending all nine sessions. Participants are also welcome to attend either session type throughout the year, as is best suited to their needs and schedule.
K-12 educators will receive 1 clock hour.
Registration
Registration Questions: brittany.rawson-haeg@state.mn.us
Register Now

Online Pedagogy Session – Era Four: Imperial Expansion and Native Dispossession
2025-12-18 16:00 - 17:30 | Online
Trace the effects of U.S. expansion on Native nations and examine how policies of land seizure and sovereignty denial shaped the 19th century. Using content and sources from Dr. David Aiona Chang, Minnesota Department of Education (MDE) Social Studies Specialist Brittany Rawson-Haeg and experienced classroom educators will lead this hands-on workshop supporting high school U.S. History teachers in designing inquiry-based, standards-aligned units.
All Pedagogy Sessions will be conducted via Zoom. Educators who participate in all Pedagogy Sessions will leave the year with a complete U.S. History course aligned to the new standards.
Educators are invited to participate in companion Content Sessions.
Registration
Pedagogy Sessions are designed for high school U.S. History teachers and may also be relevant for 5th and 7th grade educators. Educators are welcome to register for individual sessions that align with their interests and schedules. Join us for one or more sessions throughout the year.
This event is free but registration is required. Separate registration is required for each offering.
Registration Questions: Brittany.Rawson-Haeg@state.mn.us
Register Now
This offering is part of Navigating the U.S. History Eras: Content, Pedagogy, and Inquiry in the Classroom is a yearlong professional learning opportunity supporting implementation of Minnesota’s 2021 K–12 Academic Standards in Social Studies presented by MHC and MDE.

Online Content Session - Era Five: Slavery, Civil War, and Reconstruction
2026-01-15 16:00 - 17:30 | Online
Explore the causes, course, and consequences of the Civil War, and evaluate the transformative potential and limitations of Reconstruction. Led by Dr. Rebecca Brückmann and moderated by Dr. Katharine Gerbner, this session will provide deep historical context, source analysis, and thematic framing.

View Dr. Rebecca Brückmann’s Bio

Rebecca Brückmann (pronounced “Brookman”) is an associate professor of History at Carleton College, who specializes in African American History. She completed her Ph.D. in Modern and Contemporary History at Free University Berlin, Germany, in 2014. She is the author of the monograph “Massive Resistance and Southern Womanhood: White Women, Class, and Segregation” (University of Georgia Press, 2021), which analyzes whites supremacist women’s resistance against Black Freedom activism in Arkansas, Louisiana, and South Carolina from the 1940s to the 1960s. Her research on the Black Freedom Movement, the history of the Black Diaspora, Southern history, and the history of white supremacy has been published, e.g., in the Southern Quarterly, the South Carolina Historical Magazine, the European Journal of American Studies, and “Picturing Black History.” She is currently an Academic Leadership Fellow of the Associated Colleges of the Midwest. At Carleton, she teaches courses on Black and African American history from the 14th through the 21st centuries, including “Black Perspectives on the Civil War and Reconstruction,” “Slavery in the Atlantic World,” and “Freedom Then, Freedom Now: Reconstruction to #BlackLivesMatter.”

All Content Sessions will be conducted via Zoom and a Minnesota Department of Education (MDE)-hosted Canvas learning community. Each session’s lectures and discussions will be recorded and registered participants will receive access to the Canvas course with session recordings, curated resources, and collaborative planning tools. High school U.S. History teachers and 5th and 7th grade educators are invited to participate in companion Pedagogy Sessions.
Registration
Content Sessions are open to all K–12 educators interested in historical content and source-based instruction. Educators are welcome to register for individual sessions that align with their interests and schedules. Join us for one or more sessions throughout the year.

This event is free but registration is required. Separate registration is required for each offering.

Registration Questions: Brittany.Rawson-Haeg@state.mn.us

Register Now

This offering is part of Navigating the U.S. History Eras: Content, Pedagogy, and Inquiry in the Classroom is a yearlong professional learning opportunity supporting implementation of Minnesota’s 2021 K–12 Academic Standards in Social Studies presented by MHC and MDE.

Winona - Third Thursday MMAM and the Native American Lives Series - George Morrison: Modern Artist
2026-01-15 18:30 - 19:30 | Minnesota Marine Art Museum, 800 Riverview Drive, Winona, 55987, United States
Join us at the Minnesota Marine Art Museum for a Third Thursday book event, featuring the Native American Lives Series title, “George Morrison: Modern Artist.” Author Staci Drouillard and illustrator Tashia Hart will share their stories about how this book project was created as well as shed light on the incredible career of George Morrison, Grand Portage Anishinaabe artist, the subject of a major solo exhibition at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. The Native American Lives Series, a joint publishing effort between the Minnesota Humanities Center and Lerner publishing, shares real life stories of Dakota and Ojibwe leaders, artists, activists, and elders who have been influential for their communities and have shaped Minnesota and national history. The series co-editors, Heid E. Erdrich and Gwen Nell Westerman share that “These children’s books are by, for, and about Dakota and Ojibwe people and will help Dakota, Ojibwe, and other Native American children imagine their own potential and help them see their cultures represented alongside biographies of American leaders in our society.”
Presented in partnership with the Minnesota Marine Art Museum.
Registration
Registration through the Minnesota Marine Art Museum. Students may attend for free, however registration is still required.
Registration Questions: hello@mmam.org
Register Now

Online - Repeatable Routines: Building Formative Tasks for Social Studies, Session One
2026-01-21 07:30 - 08:30 | https://www.mnhum.org/event/online-repeatable-routines-building-formative-tasks-for-social-studies-session-one/
Begin a three-part series on developing effective formative assessment routines. This session will introduce strategies for using formative tasks to gauge student learning and adjust instruction in real-time.
The Minnesota Department of Education, in partnership with the Minnesota Humanities Center, will host virtual and in-person sessions to support planning for and implementation of the 2021 K-12 Academic Standards in Social Studies, held monthly during the 2025–26 school year. These sessions are open to anyone with building or district-level responsibilities for curriculum planning and development in all social studies content areas, including curriculum directors, department leads, and teachers. Pre-registration is required for in-person sessions.
Virtual sessions will have content similar to in-person sessions, and whenever possible will feature the same speakers.
In-person sessions will be an hour longer than virtual sessions and will allow time for supported collaborative work and networking.
While districts are encouraged to have a representative at each monthly session, either in-person or virtual, participants do not need to commit to attending all nine sessions. Participants are also welcome to attend either session type throughout the year, as is best suited to their needs and schedule.
K-12 educators will receive 1 clock hour.
Registration
Registration Questions: brittany.rawson-haeg@state.mn.us
Register Now

Minneapolis - Repeatable Routines: Building Formative Tasks for Social Studies, Session One
2026-01-22 09:00 - 11:00 | Minnesota Department of Education, 400 NE Stinson Blvd, Minneapolis, MN, 55413, United States
Begin a three-part series on developing effective formative assessment routines. This session will introduce strategies for using formative tasks to gauge student learning and adjust instruction in real-time.
The Minnesota Department of Education, in partnership with the Minnesota Humanities Center, will host virtual and in-person sessions to support planning for and implementation of the 2021 K-12 Academic Standards in Social Studies, held monthly during the 2025–26 school year. These sessions are open to anyone with building or district-level responsibilities for curriculum planning and development in all social studies content areas, including curriculum directors, department leads, and teachers. Pre-registration is required for in-person sessions.
Virtual sessions will have content similar to in-person sessions, and whenever possible will feature the same speakers.
In-person sessions will be an hour longer than virtual sessions and will allow time for supported collaborative work and networking.
While districts are encouraged to have a representative at each monthly session, either in-person or virtual, participants do not need to commit to attending all nine sessions. Participants are also welcome to attend either session type throughout the year, as is best suited to their needs and schedule.
K-12 educators will receive 2 clock hours.
Registration
Registration Questions: brittany.rawson-haeg@state.mn.us
Register Now

St. Paul - Asian Talk: What It Means To Be Human vs AI
2026-01-22 16:30 - 19:30 | Minnesota Humanities Event Center, 987 Ivy Avenue East, Saint Paul, MN, 55106, United States
Asian Talk is a series that immerses participants in thought-provoking conversations through the perspective of Asian American scholars, professionals and culture bearers on the topic of Artificial Intelligence. Each event blends story, scholarship, culture and even some humor to explore how technology is shaping our shared future through the grounding lens of the humanities. All are welcome, especially young professionals and college students. Our first event is sponsored and co-hosted by HAP.
As Artificial Intelligence (AI) rapidly shapes our world, transforming how we work, learn, create, and connect, it also challenges us to reflect deeply on our shared humanity. What does it mean to be human when machines can write, speak, and even appear to feel? How do we ensure that technology serves people, cultures, and communities and will never replace it?
Through engaging community conversations, and hearing from local leaders and national speaker Dr. Mai Lee Chang, participants will explore the intersections of culture, technology, and what it means to be human. The program will conclude with a reflection by distinguished author Kao Kalia Yang and a powerful drumming performance by TaikoArts Midwest.
Program Schedule:

4:30pm – Check-in & Appetizers
5:00pm – Program Starts
7:00pm – Social Networking
7:30pm – End

Keynote:
Dr. Mai Lee Chang is a research scientist specializing in human-AI collaboration. Her work encompasses a range of AI technologies including robots, conversational agents, and other embodied AI. Her research focuses on aligning AI behavior with human values, such as algorithms that optimize for both efficiency and fairness within human-robot teams. She investigates these dynamics in complex, multi-stakeholder domains including healthcare and aging. Dr. Chang recently completed her postdoctoral research at Carnegie Mellon University. She holds a Ph.D. in Electrical and Computer Engineering from the University of Texas at Austin and previously worked as an engineer at NASA-Johnson Space Center.
Honorary Guest:
Kao Kalia Yang is an award-winning writer, teacher, and speaker whose work explores identity, loss, resilience, and the depths of the human experience. Her acclaimed memoirs, The Latehomecomer, The Song Poet, and Somewhere in the Unknown World have received national recognition, including honors from the Dayton Literary Peace Prize and the National Book Critics Circle, for their powerful storytelling. Through her children’s literature she creates tender narratives that help readers of all ages understand hope, belonging, and the meaning we make of our lives. Yang is widely regarded as a leading and distinguished literary voice on what it means to be human.
Event Co-host, Sponsor, and Emcee:
May yer Thao is President & CEO of HAP whose mission is to catalyze economic prosperity through education, community support, and entrepreneurship, working with all individuals, while uplifting Hmong & Southeast Asian American communities.
Featured Thought Leader Panelists:
Dani Thao is a marriage and family therapist whose work is shaped by her Hmong refugee family background and a deep understanding of multigenerational systems. She supports individuals, couples, and families in navigating culture, identity, communication, and healing within their relational and cultural ecosystems. As President of ACEL Minneapolis–St. Paul, Dani leads initiatives that elevate Asian American leadership and strengthen community connection across the Twin Cities. Her approach blends cultural humility, systems thinking, and compassionate leadership, empowering communities to grow with clarity, resilience, and purpose.
Shajive Jeganathan is a technology leader specializing in AI governance and digital innovation across MedTech, e-commerce, FinTech, and legal tech. He holds several prominent leadership and board roles, including President and Co-Founder of the India Chamber of Commerce Minnesota, President of the Hindu Society of Minnesota, Board Chair of the Lankan Professionals Network, a Governor-appointed board member of the Minnesota Board of Architecture, Engineering, Land Surveying, Landscape Architecture, Geoscience, and Interior Design (AELSLAGID), and an Executive Advisory Board member at GBJets. He recently received an honorary listing in Marquis Who’s Who in America. In addition to his professional and civic leadership, Shajive is the winner of Mister South Asia 2025, with an international modeling career that includes runway appearances in New York, New York Fashion Week, Los Angeles Fashion Week, and Milan Fashion Week, Italy, and he also hosts the Prime Talks podcast.
Community Contributors: Asian Corporate and Entrepreneur Leaders, Hindu Society, India Chamber of Commerce, and TaikoArts Midwest

Online Pedagogy Session – Era Five: Slavery, Civil War, and Reconstruction
2026-01-29 16:00 - 17:30 | Online
Explore the causes, course, and consequences of the Civil War, and evaluate the transformative potential and limitations of Reconstruction. Using content and sources from Dr. Rebecca Brückmann, Minnesota Department of Education (MDE) Social Studies Specialist Brittany Rawson-Haeg and experienced classroom educators will lead this hands-on workshop supporting high school U.S. History teachers in designing inquiry-based, standards-aligned units.
All Pedagogy Sessions will be conducted via Zoom. Educators who participate in all Pedagogy Sessions will leave the year with a complete U.S. History course aligned to the new standards.
Educators are invited to participate in companion Content Sessions.
Registration
Pedagogy Sessions are designed for high school U.S. History teachers and may also be relevant for 5th and 7th grade educators. Educators are welcome to register for individual sessions that align with their interests and schedules. Join us for one or more sessions throughout the year.
This event is free but registration is required. Separate registration is required for each offering.
Registration Questions: Brittany.Rawson-Haeg@state.mn.us
Register Now
This offering is part of Navigating the U.S. History Eras: Content, Pedagogy, and Inquiry in the Classroom is a yearlong professional learning opportunity supporting implementation of Minnesota’s 2021 K–12 Academic Standards in Social Studies presented by MHC and MDE.

The Great Northern Festival: Poets Building Community
2026-01-29 17:00 - 19:00 | The Loft at Open Book, 1011 Washington Ave S, Minneapolis, MN, 55415, United States
Join us at The Great Northern Festival for an evening of poetry, conversation, and civic imagination as The Loft hosts Poets Building Community, a special gathering of Poets Laureate from across Minnesota. This event is the culminating public program of Minneapolis Poet Laureate Junauda Petrus’s 2025–2026 laureate year.
Guided by Petrus’s central question—“What does community look like for you?”—Poets Laureate will share original poems and reflect on the civic and cultural work they carry into their communities. The evening will weave together art, storytelling, and public purpose, offering a rare glimpse into how poets help shape the places we call home.
Featured poets will include:

Junauda Petrus, Minneapolis Poet Laureate
Gwen Nell Westerman, Minnesota State Poet Laureate
Jean Prokott, Rochester Poet Laureate
Donte Collins, former St. Paul Youth Poet Laureate
Heid E. Erdrich, inaugural Minneapolis Poet Laureate
Joyce Sutphen, former Minnesota State Poet Laureate

The conversation will be moderated by Cristeta Boarini, Partnerships Manager at the Loft.
We will also take a moment to recognize Andrea Jenkins for her contributions as a poet and her pivotal role in establishing the Minneapolis Poet Laureate position – (City Council Member 2017-2025).
Come celebrate the power of poetry to build connection, spark change, and imagine new futures together.
Registration
This event is free and open to all, however registration through The Loft is required.
Registration Questions: loft@loft.org
Register Now

Winona - Water Bar at the New Look Preview Party
2026-01-30 18:30 - 22:00 | Minnesota Marine Art Museum, 800 Riverview Drive, Winona, 55987, United States
MHC is excited to bring the Water Bar to the Minnesota Marine Art Museum’s (MMAM) New Look Preview Party, where water tenders will serve up flights of local drinking waters and spark conversations around stewardship of local water resources.
“What’s a Water Bar?” you may wonder? A Water Bar is a bar that serves free, local water. It’s a social space that centers the life-sustaining action of drinking water. It’s a table to gather around. It’s a space for quenching thirst, for questioning water, for sharing and encountering stories, and for being and becoming part of a community.
MMAM’s New Look Preview Party celebrates the launch of their2026 theme, Making Waves – marking two decades of genre defying artists pushing the boundaries of what marine art is, and can be – and three new exhibition projects that usher in the new year: Splish, Splash, Story: Selections from The Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art, Robert Gonzalez: Mystical Waters, and Water | Craft.
This memorable night out at the museum features enlightening artist conversations, drink specials and light bites by the Waterbar Cafe & Provisions culinary team, and a world-premiere live performance of Glacial Spatial—an immersive sound experience created by Trever Hagen and Josh Berg in collaboration with the Winona Symphony Orchestra, curated in partnership with Liquid Music.
Registration
Tickets for this event must be purchased through the MMAM. MMAM is now offering friends of MHC $15 Presenting Partner Advanced Tickets! Use promotional code – NEWLOOK2026.
Register Now

Minneapolis - The Great Northern Festival: Water Bar @ Sauna Village
2026-01-31 10:00 - 18:00 | Riverplace Courtyard, 1 SE Main St, Minneapolis, 55414, United States
MHC is excited to bring the Water Bar to The Great Northern Festival, where water tenders will serve up flights of local drinking waters and spark conversations around stewardship of local water resources.
“What’s a Water Bar?” you may wonder? A Water Bar is a bar that serves free, local water. It’s a social space that centers the life-sustaining action of drinking water. It’s a table to gather around. It’s a space for quenching thirst, for questioning water, for sharing and encountering stories, and for being and becoming part of a community.
Join us inside the Riverplace building next to the Sauna Village before or after your steam.

Online Content Session – Era Six: Migration, Imperialism, and Inequality
2026-02-03 16:00 - 17:30 | Online
Examine the late 19th and early 20th century through the lenses of industrialization, imperial expansion, and rising social inequality. Led by Dr. Maddalena Marinari and moderated by Dr. Katharine Gerbner, this session will provide deep historical context, source analysis, and thematic framing.

View Dr. Maddalena Marinari’s Bio

Maddalena Marinari is Professor of History at Gustavus Adolphus College. She is the author of Unwanted: Italian and Jewish Mobilization Against Restrictive Immigration Laws, 1882–1965 (2020). Her work on immigration restriction, U.S. immigration policy, and immigrant mobilization has appeared in the Journal of American History, Journal of Policy History, Journal of American Ethnic History, Journal of the Gilded Age and Progressive Era, and Social Science History Journal. She has also co-edited four books and two special journal issues on different aspects of US immigration history in the twentieth century. Her next book explores the history of family, marriage, and sexuality in U.S. immigration policy from 1875 to 2025. Professor Marinari is currently president of the Immigration and Ethnic History Society.

All Content Sessions will be conducted via Zoom and a Minnesota Department of Education (MDE)-hosted Canvas learning community. Each session’s lectures and discussions will be recorded and registered participants will receive access to the Canvas course with session recordings, curated resources, and collaborative planning tools.

High school U.S. History teachers and 5th and 7th grade educators are invited to participate in companion Pedagogy Sessions.
Registration
Content Sessions are open to all K–12 educators interested in historical content and source-based instruction. Educators are welcome to register for individual sessions that align with their interests and schedules. Join us for one or more sessions throughout the year.

This event is free but registration is required. Separate registration is required for each offering.

Registration Questions: Brittany.Rawson-Haeg@state.mn.us

Register Now

This offering is part of Navigating the U.S. History Eras: Content, Pedagogy, and Inquiry in the Classroom is a yearlong professional learning opportunity supporting implementation of Minnesota’s 2021 K–12 Academic Standards in Social Studies presented by MHC and MDE.

St. Paul - Feeding Our Souls: The Essence of Food and Musical Joy
2026-02-06 18:00 - 20:00 | Progressive Baptist Church, 1505 Burns Ave E, St. Paul, MN, 55106, United States
Feeding Our Souls: The Essence of Joy events explore the themes of connecting through foods which have always played a pivotal role in shaping our identities and communities. Recipes and flavors bind families, showcase heritage, and promote understanding. Our series delves into this unique intersection of food and culture, inviting participants to explore the rich narratives behind every dish.
The Feeding Our Souls: The Essence of Food and Musical Joy evening will examine the connections and relationship of food and music. Our partners for this unique integration of the arts will feature Chef James Johnson, Founder of Cooks of Hope, and members of the Vocal Essence Witness Choral Ensemble, G. Phillip Schoultz Director. Through the richness of Gullah-Geechie, Low Country cuisine, traditional spirituals, Gullah music, and story circle dialogues, the event is aimed to uplift and share important cultural legacy stories and histories.
Registration
This event is free, however registration is required.
Registration Questions: registrations@mnhum.org
Register Now

Online Pedagogy Session – Era Six: Migration, Imperialism, and Inequality
2026-02-19 16:00 - 17:30 | Online
Examine the late 19th and early 20th century through the lenses of industrialization, imperial expansion, and rising social inequality. Using content and sources from Dr. Maddalena Marinari, Minnesota Department of Education (MDE) Social Studies Specialist Brittany Rawson-Haeg and experienced classroom educators will lead this hands-on workshop supporting high school U.S. History teachers in designing inquiry-based, standards-aligned units.
All Pedagogy Sessions will be conducted via Zoom. Educators who participate in all Pedagogy Sessions will leave the year with a complete U.S. History course aligned to the new standards.
Educators are invited to participate in companion Content Sessions.
Registration
Pedagogy Sessions are designed for high school U.S. History teachers and may also be relevant for 5th and 7th grade educators. Educators are welcome to register for individual sessions that align with their interests and schedules. Join us for one or more sessions throughout the year.
This event is free but registration is required. Separate registration is required for each offering.
Registration Questions: Brittany.Rawson-Haeg@state.mn.us
Register Now
This offering is part of Navigating the U.S. History Eras: Content, Pedagogy, and Inquiry in the Classroom is a yearlong professional learning opportunity supporting implementation of Minnesota’s 2021 K–12 Academic Standards in Social Studies presented by MHC and MDE.

St. Paul – 2026 Minnesota Council for the Social Studies (MCSS) Conference
2026-02-21 07:30 - 16:30 | Macalester College, 1600 Grand Ave, St. Paul, 55105, United States
The Minnesota Humanities Center will be at the annual Minnesota Council for the Social Studies (MCSS) Conference this year – stop by our table to connect with us, explore educator resources, and learn more about our work with educators.
You can also find us co-presenting at the following sessions:

Experiential Civic Learning: Cultivating Communities that Practice Democracy Through We the People and Project Citizen
Rethinking History and the Meaning of Freedom
K-5 Inquiry through Primary Sources
Ethnic Studies in Action: Place-Based Learning to Strengthen Civic Engagement
Meeting the Mandate: Genocide Education in Minnesota’s Classrooms
Towards 2026: Building Disciplinary Literacy in the 2021 K-12 Academic Standards in Social Studies
From Bdote to the Classroom: Learning from Place to Inspire Civic Engagement

About MCSS
The Minnesota Council for the Social Studies supports, advocates for, and celebrates excellence in the teaching and learning of social studies in Minnesota.
Registration
Registration through MCSS is required to attend.
Register Now

North Mankato - Social Studies Standards Workshop Series
2026-02-23 09:00 - 15:00 | South Central Services Cooperative, 2075 Lookout Drive, North Mankato, 56003, United States
The Social Studies Standards Workshop Series is a two-day workshop series (February 23 and April 30, 2026) designed to equip K–12 teachers and school leaders with the knowledge and tools needed to successfully implement the new social studies standards by the 2026–27 school year. Participants will engage in a guided exploration of the revised standards, including analysis of major content shifts, vertical alignment across grade levels, and implications for curriculum planning.
Throughout the workshop, teams will connect the updated standards to the C3 Framework, deepening their understanding of high-quality instructional practices and identifying necessary instructional shifts to support student learning.
K-12 educators will receive 5 clock hours for each session.
Registration
Registration for this event is managed by South Central Services Cooperative. Fee for Series ($200.00) includes lunch both days. Registration closes Monday, February 23, 2026.
Registration Questions: 507-389-1425
Register Now

Byron - We Are Water MN
2026-02-24 - 2026-04-20 | Oxbow Park and Zollman Zoo, 5731 County Rd 105 NW, Byron, MN, 55920, United States
The We Are Water MN traveling exhibit examines water issues statewide and in local communities through personal stories, histories, and scientific information. It strengthens Minnesotans’ relationships with water, exposes visitors to new perspectives, and increases participation in water stewardship activities.
Host Partner: Oxbow Park and Zollman Zoo
We Are Water MN is thrilled to make its 2026 debut at our very first zoo host site! Please visit the exhibit at the newly-renovated Zollman Zoo & Nature Center, where you can learn more about water alongside the many animals that call it home. The Dr. Paul E. Zollman Zoo houses over 30 species of wild animals native to Minnesota, so be sure to leave time for a visit to the otters and eagles! This stop on our We Are Water MN is also a fantastic opportunity to learn more about the unique Karst Geology of the Olmstead County area–don’t miss out on the chance to learn more about this unique geography!
Want to make a day of out of your visit to the exhibit? Oxbow Park offers almost any outdoor enthusiast a chance to pursue their favorite activity such as hiking, fishing, snowshoeing, and more.
About We Are Water MN?
We are Water MN is a project of the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency and the Minnesota Humanities Center in partnership with the Minnesota Historical Society; the Board of Water and Soil Resources; the Minnesota Departments of Agriculture, Health, and Natural Resources; and University of Minnesota Extension.
Learn more about the We Are Water MN exhibit, partnership, and programs.
Learn More

Online - Repeatable Routines: Building Formative Tasks for Social Studies, Session Two
2026-02-25 07:30 - 08:30 | https://www.mnhum.org/event/online-repeatable-routines-building-formative-tasks-for-social-studies-session-two/
Continue refining formative assessment practices by exploring structured routines that encourage student engagement, reflection and feedback in the social studies classroom.
The Minnesota Department of Education, in partnership with the Minnesota Humanities Center, will host virtual and in-person sessions to support planning for and implementation of the 2021 K-12 Academic Standards in Social Studies, held monthly during the 2025–26 school year. These sessions are open to anyone with building or district-level responsibilities for curriculum planning and development in all social studies content areas, including curriculum directors, department leads, and teachers. Pre-registration is required for in-person sessions.
Virtual sessions will have content similar to in-person sessions, and whenever possible will feature the same speakers.
In-person sessions will be an hour longer than virtual sessions and will allow time for supported collaborative work and networking.
While districts are encouraged to have a representative at each monthly session, either in-person or virtual, participants do not need to commit to attending all nine sessions. Participants are also welcome to attend either session type throughout the year, as is best suited to their needs and schedule.
K-12 educators will receive 1 clock hour.
Registration
Registration Questions: brittany.rawson-haeg@state.mn.us
Register Now

Morton - 5th Annual Dakota and Ojibwe Language Symposium
2026-02-25 12:00 - 2026-02-27 13:00 | Jackpot Junction Casino Hotel, 39375 County Rd 24, Morton, MN, 56270, United States
The Minnesota Indian Affairs Council’s Language Revitalization Working Group, partnering with the Minnesota Humanities Center, is hosting the 5th Annual Dakota and Ojibwe Language Symposium. The goal of the symposium is to bring people and educators working in Dakota and Ojibwe language revitalization together. We will use this time to celebrate successes, highlight the current state of the field, shape future language revitalization efforts, and elevate the visibility of Indigenous languages throughout the state of Minnesota. By bringing people together, we hope this symposium serves as an opportunity for individuals to network with other Dakota and Ojibwe language professionals and provide valuable resources.
CEUs will be available for educators attending the symposium.
This year, the symposium will be held February 25, 26, and 27, 2026 at Jackpot Junction Casino Hotel in Morton, MN. Breakfast and lunch are included. Participants are responsible for booking their own overnight accommodations if needed and can call Jackpot Junction Casino Hotel at 1-800-946-2274.
If you have any questions, please email Skyler Kuczaboski at skyler.kuczaboski@state.mn.us.

Community Presenter Application
If you are interested in leading an in-person session for other symposium participants, we invite you to submit a proposal. Sessions will be approximately 45 minutes long, and proposals will be accepted on a rolling basis until all sessions are filled.

Exhibitor Application
If you’re interested in tabling at the Symposium, please complete an application. All applicants will be notified of the planning committee’s decision on their proposal within a week. Priority will be given to those focusing on language revitalization. The final decision on selection will be determined by the Working Group.
Please note: No sales will be allowed at symposium. This application is meant for informational/educational booths that are handing out free information and literature, not selling items.

Symposium Registration
Registration Questions: registrations@mnhum.org | MHC Cancellation Policy
Registration for this event has SOLD OUT.

Minneapolis - Repeatable Routines: Building Formative Tasks for Social Studies, Session Two
2026-02-26 09:00 - 11:00 | Minnesota Department of Education, 400 NE Stinson Blvd, Minneapolis, MN, 55413, United States
Continue refining formative assessment practices by exploring structured routines that encourage student engagement, reflection and feedback in the social studies classroom.
The Minnesota Department of Education, in partnership with the Minnesota Humanities Center, will host virtual and in-person sessions to support planning for and implementation of the 2021 K-12 Academic Standards in Social Studies, held monthly during the 2025–26 school year. These sessions are open to anyone with building or district-level responsibilities for curriculum planning and development in all social studies content areas, including curriculum directors, department leads, and teachers. Pre-registration is required for in-person sessions.
Virtual sessions will have content similar to in-person sessions, and whenever possible will feature the same speakers.
In-person sessions will be an hour longer than virtual sessions and will allow time for supported collaborative work and networking.
While districts are encouraged to have a representative at each monthly session, either in-person or virtual, participants do not need to commit to attending all nine sessions. Participants are also welcome to attend either session type throughout the year, as is best suited to their needs and schedule.
K-12 educators will receive 2 clock hours.
Registration
Registration Questions: brittany.rawson-haeg@state.mn.us
Register Now

St. Paul - Objects of War: A Storytelling Circle
2026-02-26 18:00 - 20:00 | Minnesota Humanities Event Center, 987 Ivy Avenue East, Saint Paul, MN, 55106, United States
The Minnesota Humanities Center invites you to join us for an engaging evening focused on stories of community, consolation, and courage. For Objects of War, participants are asked to bring an item connected to an experience of war and conflict — which could be dog tags, a service member’s good luck charm, or a family heirloom — and share the story of this item during the evening. Moderated by trained facilitators, the conversation will help participants understand why we hold on to certain objects, and how these objects help us better understand the human impacts of war.
About the Facilitators
Jovita Hernandez is a recently retired educator with 32 years of experience. Throughout her career, she approached teaching through a lens of equity, nurturing curiosity, and emphasizing the connections built through the power of story. She introduced Story Circle practice not only in her own classroom but also across the district, leaving a lasting impact on students and colleagues alike. Today, she continues to champion this practice, sharing it in both educational and community spaces as a dedicated story circle practitioner.
Pang Foua Xiong is a creative social entrepreneur, cultural conservator, and mother. She is a first-generation Hmong woman, born to refugee parents who arrived in Minnesota in 1980, and raised in the Rondo/Frogtown neighborhood on the homelands of the Dakhóta people in Mni Sóta Makoce (Saint Paul, Minnesota). Her work spans more than 25 years in grassroots advocacy and co-designing accessibility and equity opportunities in healthcare, education, and economic systems. Her identity and journey as a Hmong woman and efforts in cultural and language revitalization of her endangered native language and heritage continue to shape her sense of place and purpose. She is the founder of Community & Co Lifestyle, LLC, a cultural and creative social enterprise that facilitates and nurtures collaborative connections, leadership, community engagement, and facilitating systems of care. As a social entrepreneur, bilingual Hmong interpreter, creative and social impact consultant, and humanities facilitator, Pang Foua co-designs and leads thoughtful community-centered initiatives, creative solutions, and engagement through the lens of whole wellbeing, place-knowing, and place-based learning practices.
This event is presented in partnership with the Minnesota Military and Veterans Museum, an institution which seeks to strengthen public understanding of how armed conflicts and military institutions have shaped our state and national experience.
Registration
This event is free to attend, however registration is required. Dinner will be served at the event.
Registration Questions: registrations@mnhum.org
Register Now

Online Content Session – Era Seven: U.S. and the World
2026-03-03 16:00 - 17:30 | Online
Investigate how World War II, the Cold War, and global migrations transformed U.S. society and its role on the international stage. Dr. Katharine Gerbner will moderate a panel of three historians: Elaine Tyler May, Hiromi Mizuno, and Jimmy Patiño, Jr. This session will provide deep historical context, source analysis, and thematic framing.

View Elaine Tyler May’s Bio

Elaine Tyler May is Regents Professor Emerita of American Studies and History at the University of Minnesota.  She is past president of the Organization of American Historians, and past president of the American Studies Association.  Her books include  Fortress America: How We Embraced Fear and Abandoned Democracy (2017);  America and the Pill: A History of Promise, Peril, and Liberation (2010); Homeward Bound: American Families in the Cold War Era (1988, newest edition 2017); Barren in the Promised Land: Childless Americans and the Pursuit of Happiness (1997); Pushing the Limits: American Women, 1940-1961 (1996); and Great Expectations: Marriage and Divorce in Post-Victorian America (1980). She has written for the New York Times, the Los Angeles Times, Ms., Daily Beast, the Chronicle of Higher Education, and the Minneapolis Star Tribune, among others. She is a recent recipient of fellowships from the National Endowment for the Humanities and the Guggenheim Foundation.

View Hiromi Mizuno’s Bio

Hiromi Mizuno is Associate Professor of History at the University of Minnesota. She teaches courses on Modern Japan, Global Politics of Hunger, Global History of WWII. She is an intellectual and cultural historian whose research interests include history of science and technology, the Japanese empire, Cold-War Asia, agricultural modernization, and environmental history.

View Jimmy Patiño’s Bio

Jimmy Patiño is Associate Professor of Chicano and Latino Studies at the University of Minnesota. His work examines how marginalized communities imagine and enact democratic practices amid global capitalism, focusing on Mexican-origin and broader Latino/a/x communities at the U.S.–Mexico border and in major U.S. cities. His book Raza Sí, Migra No: Chicano Movement Struggles for Immigrant Rights in San Diego shows how generations of Mexican-origin activists confronted the crisis over the “illegal alien” by building community across differences in citizenship and national affiliation. Centering San Diego as both an urban and border space, his work highlights challenges to deportation-oriented policies from 1968 to 1986 through the lens of Chicano self-determination. He is currently developing new projects on solidarity across African American, Chicana/o/x, and Puerto Rican movements, exploring how regional contexts shaped Black-Brown/Afro-Latinx diasporic alliances and revolutionary thought across the Midwest, Texas, California, and New York. His broader research and teaching interests include Comparative Ethnic Studies, Chicano/a-Latino/a History, diaspora, transnationalism, borderlands, social movements, political mobilization, and Cultural Studies.

All Content Sessions will be conducted via Zoom and a Minnesota Department of Education (MDE)-hosted Canvas learning community. Each session’s lectures and discussions will be recorded and registered participants will receive access to the Canvas course with session recordings, curated resources, and collaborative planning tools.

High school U.S. History teachers and 5th and 7th grade educators are invited to participate in companion Pedagogy Sessions.

Registration
Content Sessions are open to all K–12 educators interested in historical content and source-based instruction. Educators are welcome to register for individual sessions that align with their interests and schedules. Join us for one or more sessions throughout the year.

This event is free but registration is required. Separate registration is required for each offering.

Registration Questions: Brittany.Rawson-Haeg@state.mn.us

Register Now

This offering is part of Navigating the U.S. History Eras: Content, Pedagogy, and Inquiry in the Classroom is a yearlong professional learning opportunity supporting implementation of Minnesota’s 2021 K–12 Academic Standards in Social Studies presented by MHC and MDE.

St. Paul - Teaching Bdote Educator Workshop
2026-03-07 09:00 - 12:00 | Minnesota Humanities Event Center, 987 Ivy Avenue East, Saint Paul, MN, 55106, United States
The Teaching Bdote Educator Workshop is designed for educators who have attended or plan to attend Learning from Place: Bdote and are preparing to incorporate the experience into their classroom or to lead their own classroom field trip. Whether you are looking for a refresher or preparing for your first teacher-led trip, this workshop will provide the guidance, resources, and confidence you need.
Offered in collaboration with Saint Paul Public Schools, this interactive, in-person session supports educators in aligning Bdote field trips with the 2021 Minnesota Social Studies Standards and the inquiry-based model of learning. Participants will also receive an overview of newly developed Bdote lesson plans, including a closer look at one lesson that is nearing completion and explicitly aligned to the standards. These lessons are designed to support classroom learning before and after a Bdote field trip.
The workshop will be facilitated by Saint Paul Public Schools and Minnesota Humanities Center staff and will address common questions and anxieties that non-Indigenous educators may experience when teaching Dakota history, grounding the work in Dakota voices and perspectives.
Ramona Kitto Stately (Santee Dakota) will share Dakota perspectives and guidance on teaching Dakota history with care. Participant reflections from classroom educators who have recently led Bdote field trips will be shared through short video segments from a previous Teaching Bdote session, offering candid insights and practical guidance grounded in real classroom experience.
Participants will:

Learn from recorded reflections and practical guidance from classroom educators on teaching Bdote, preparing students, and leading field trips.
Learn from Dakota perspectives on centering Indigenous knowledge and place-based histories.
Explore new and emerging Bdote lesson plans aligned to Minnesota Social Studies Standards.
Access resources and lesson materials to support both classroom learning and field trip planning.

Intended Audience: While all are welcome, this workshop is especially geared toward teachers in grades 4–7.
K-12 educators will receive 3 clock hours upon completion of the workshop.
Continental Breakfast will be provided.
Registration
Saint Paul Public School teachers: Register using discount code SPPS26 to waive the fee.
Registration Questions: registrations@mnhum.org | Cancellation Policy
Register Now
