The University of Minnesota has scheduled a grand opening later this month to celebrate completion of a new home in St. Paul for the Bell Museum.
The university has relocated the museum, which is Minnesota's official natural history museum as well as a part of the university's College of Food, Agricultural and Natural Resource Sciences, from its previous home in Minneapolis.
The facility will formally open to the public during a grand opening celebration July 13 to 15.
The $79 million, 92,000-square-foot facility has a 120-seat digital planetarium; four dedicated classrooms outfitted with new technology and equipment; a "touch & see" lab with live insects, reptiles and other animals; a second-floor observation deck with a green roof, telescope mounts and seating; and an open-air diorama featuring an ice age Minnesota.
The museum site also has sustainable landscaping with native plants, a geology exploration area, solar and weather stations, and honey bee hives.
The architect is Perkins + Will, and the builder is McGough.
