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Science Museum of Minnesota: Top 10 Design Features

September 16th, 1999

MINNEAPOLIS — What are the most unique design elements of the new Science Museum of Minnesota? Museum officials and respresentatives of the design firm Ellerbe Becket say you won't want to miss these ten features:
  1. Easy access. Come one, come all! Come by bike, on the bus or by foot, as well as by car. The new Science Museum site has been designed to welcome everyone, no matter how people choose to come, or from which direction. Walking and bike paths around the site, from the river and from the city, all lead you to the main lobby. An 812-car parking ramp accessible from downtown offers a direct connection to the main lobby, making access comfortable regardless of the weather.
  2. Indoor/outdoor experience. While many museums are interior-focused, the new Science Museum's architecture allows visitors to engage in its surroundings. Lots of glass, dramatic vistas, new terraces and outdoor park areas make the new Science Museum truly an indoor-outdoor destination.
  3. Easy wayfinding. Many large museums are a virtual labyrinth for visitors. In planning its massive new museum, Science Museum officials and architects were determined to avoid this common downfall of large institutions. A major design emphasis for the new Science Museum was ease of orientation and visitor comfort. From the parking garage to the lobby to the exhibit and classroom areas, the layout will make your visit as trouble-free and enjoyable as possible. Clear sightlines make it easy to find the ticket office, exhibits, theater, toilets — so you can spend your time having fun instead of searching.
  4. Connections to downtown St. Paul and the river. The new Science Museum is a terrific place to begin a walking exploration of the area. Just steps away from the front door at Kellogg Boulevard you will find St. Paul's beautiful Rice Park and the Landmark Center. In the other direction, a dramatic outdoor stair takes you to the Mississippi riverfront. And linking public walkways lead to historic Irvine Park and the interesting shops and restaurants along West Seventh Street.
  5. The Kellogg Boulevard entrance plaza. The new Science Museum's main entry is a short walk across a plaza from Kellogg Boulevard. The plaza will be a great place to pause and enjoy dramatic river views as well as the St. Paul skyline. Above the main entry doors, a 40-ft.-high (12 m) by 90-ft.-wide (27 m) window offers views of the museum interior to passersby on Kellogg Boulevard, St. Paul's main thoroughfare. See what is new and exciting at the museum on your way through downtown.
  6. The main lobby. Sample a bit of beautiful downtown St. Paul indoors. A magnificent 90-ft.-wide (27 m) glass window faces the city with views of RiverCenter, Rice Park and the public library. High windows bring in light from all directions, making you feel like you are outdoors.
  7. Incorporation into the bluff's edge. The architecture forms a new bluff-like edge to the Mississippi River valley, with many facets and outdoor terraces. Eat lunch on the highest terrace with commanding views. Visit an actual river towboat on the Mississippi River Gallery terrace. Explore more activities on the lower terraces that lead to Science Gardens below.
  8. The riverfront stair. A triangular glass-enclosed staircase spirals down to the river side of the main lobby. Free and open to the public, this path will give pedestrians a sample of what the museum has to offer. Dramatic panoramic views up and down the river unfold as you descend to the riverfront level.
  9. The new William L. McKnight-3M Omnitheater, the nation's first convertible dome IMAX® theater. The new theater has both a nine-story-tall flat screen and a nine-story-diameter domed screen, with giant mechanical arms that can rotate the domed screen in and out of position, giving the museum flexibility to use either format. This is the first theater of its kind in North America. The gigantic exposed pivoting structure that holds the domed screen will be visible to theater-goers as they enter the seating area.
  10. Open spaces. Unlike most museums, there are few walls dividing the exhibit spaces. A three-story cascade of exhibit spaces is organized around the light-filled atrium. Visitors will be able to see from level to level and across the space to find the exhibits that interest them. This will further enhance the ease of wayfinding through the massive space.


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