Linden-hills.com
Discovery Days at the Bakken Museum
I have driven past the Bakken museum almost daily, and finally took my youngest daughter there last week for Discovery Days. The theme was Engineering “It’s Electric”.
The Bakken museum is housed in the historic West Winds mansion and was founded by Earl Bakken, a co-founder of Medtronic. It is an affiliate of the Smithsonian Institute.
The museum has a STEM focus and contains several hands on exhibits, including experiments on static electricity and interactive stations about electricity. You can also watch a film about Frankenstein, and even experience what it feels like to have electric current go through you body. On the grounds of the mansion are a beautiful variety of gardens, including medicinal, native and organic plants.
Playing the Theramin
During the Discovery Days, there were additional fun activities, such as creating an electric circuit, making a mini-turbine/pinwheel, playing a videogame and taking a closer look at a few electric cars. There were Nissan Leafs and a BMWi3 in the parking lot available for a closer look. My daughter enjoyed being able to plug in the car charger and I am dreaming of the i3.
Thanks to the Bakken for the passes for the event, we will definitely be back! I encourage everyone with children interested in science, math, and engineering to spend a few hours at a wonderful museum right in our neighborhood. More information on the Bakken can be found here.
Larisa Ozols, linden-hills.com