In partnership with the Minnesota Alliance of Local History Museums, our public catalog is available on MN Collections. To explore our collection and find your favorite treasures, link : James J. Fiorentino Foundation and Museum Collection
Three of five dolls on a large Dutch band organ named “Aimee of Amsterdam.”
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History
Beginning operation in 1948, the building was originally intended to store aluminum from the nearby foundry. Instead, it became storage for large coils of army surplus wire. Enter the Fiorentino brothers: James, Antonio, Orlando, and Frank.
In the 1950s, the brothers founded Custom Door Sales, Inc., building and installing garage doors. It went through a number of partnerships and name changes until James retired and sold the business to his nephew in 1990. It moved to another location, and James made the warehouse his own.
He filled the walls and cases with a wide variety of objects, such as Black Forest cuckoo clocks; wood carvings; unique musical instruments; and rock spheres, which were polished and shaped by him. It was his vision to open the collection to the public as a museum, and was incorporated as a nonprofit museum in 2007.
Exterior of the James J. Fiorentino Foundation and Museum.
Update
The James J. Fiorentino Foundation and Museum is currently closed to the public for renovations and other preparations. We are planning to open in 2021, though the date is subject to change based on project timelines. Updates regarding our opening date will be posted here as they become available.
About
Located in the heart of the North Loop neighborhood in Minneapolis, Minnesota, the James J. Fiorentino Foundation and Museum is home to a large collection of Black Forest cuckoo clocks, geologic specimens, vintage musical objects, and other intriguing items, embracing the beauty of human ingenuity and craftsmanship.
Mission
The James J. Fiorentino Foundation and Museum seeks to inspire an appreciation of human craftsmanship through the display and preservation of its collection’s cuckoo clocks, vintage musical novelties, and numerous curiosities, in so doing honoring the memory of its founder.
Minnehaha Creek extends from Lake Minnetonka in the west and flows east for 22 miles (35 km) through several suburbs west of Minneapolis, and continuing through south Minneapolis. The watershed for the creek covers 181 square miles (470 km2). Along the creek is a 53-foot (16-meter) waterfall, Minnehaha Falls, which is situated 3/4 of a mile from where the stream empties into the Mississippi River.
Minnehaha Falls is geologically linked to Saint Anthony Falls, which is the only waterfall on the Mississippi River. Roughly 10,000 years ago, St. Anthony Falls several miles downstream on the Mississippi River at the confluence of the glacial River Warren (at present-day Ft. Snelling). Geologically, the area has a sandstone layer beneath a layer of limestone. Over the centuries, water in the river beds broke through the limestone layer, and the churning at the bottom of the falls ate away at the soft underlying sandstone. Eventually, the hard limestone cap was unsupported and broke off. Thus St. Anthony Falls receded, moving upstream at a rate of about 4 feet (1.2 m) per year. As St. Anthony Falls on the Mississippi River moved past Minnehaha Creek, a second falls was created, Minnehaha Falls, which also continued to move upstream to its present site in the park.
An island in the Mississippi River near Minnehaha Creek once existed; the receding St. Anthony Falls divided into two as it passed around the island. The falls in the channel farthest from Minnehaha Creek reached the upstream end of the island first, cutting off water to the west channel and resulting in an “abandoned waterfall” at the north end of the channel. The abandoned west channel is now a grassy cul-de-sac known as the “Deer Pen”. Locating the abandoned waterfall was made difficult in recent years since the Deer Pen was partially filled with tons of fill dirt from nearby construction projects. Today, the mouth of Minnehaha Creek where it joins the Mississippi River is the lowest surface point in the city of Minneapolis at 686 ft (209 m) above sea level.
Erosion within the last century has resulted in a falls that is fairly narrowly channeled and vigorous, notably after a heavy rain. Photographs of the waterfall from the 19th century show a much wider, curtain like character to the falls. When the creek is dry, the older, much-broader ledge can be observed. If there were sufficient interest and funding, some remedial work could theoretically restore the 19th-century appearance of the falls. Due to extremely cold winter temperatures, the falls freeze, creating a dramatic cascade of ice that can last well into the spring. If there is a rain shortage in the autumn, the falls may virtually dry up. In the summer, especially in the rainy months of June and July, the flow can be surprisingly forceful.
Minnehaha Falls are only a portion of the Minnehaha Historic District, which was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1969. In the nomination form, the site was recognized for its architectural, commerce, conservation, literary, transportation, and urban planning contributions
As we come into the garden season we want you to know that you can feel good about the plants you take home from Tangletown Gardens. At our 140 acre Farm in Plato, MN we know the way we treat our land and community shapes our future.
Regenerative agriculture is an everyday practice at Tangletown Gardens. We grow without hormones and toxic chemicals and take great pride in our land.
At the Farm, April brings prep work in the fields and the Greenhouses are bursting at the seams. The first release of early spring annuals and cold tolerant edibles are for sale at the Garden Center. Late spring and summer plants, succulents, and houseplants are awaiting their turn and trees and Shrubs will start arriving.
It is such an exciting time of year because everyday the Garden Center and Shoppe will look different. Stop in daily for best results!
…on the fifth anniversary of Prince’s passing, Paisley Park is opening our doors for fans to pay tribute and celebrate his life. The Paisley Park Atrium will be open for free visitation on Wednesday, April 21, from 9 AM– 9 PM. Advance reservations are required.
Guests are also welcome to leave flowers, mementos, and other memorial items in front of the Love Symbol statue outside the Paisley Park main entrance. For those unable to visit in person, an online memorial will be available.
Reservations must be made in advance. Limited on-site parking will be available and guests are encouraged to use ride share applications. Visits will be timed, and masks required, keeping in accordance with Covid-19 restrictions currently in place. Limited reservations are available.
Reservations do not include tickets for a tour; the museum will not host tours on April 21.
Explore Minnesota: The northern lights have been lighting up the skies in Minnesota! This incredible natural phenomenon can be seen throughout Minnesota at various times of year. Have you witnessed the northern lights in Minnesota? Here’s how by Brian Fanelli!
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A solar storm explosion near Grand Marais / Travis Novitsky
OUTDOOR ADVENTURES: As the name suggests, the northern lights become more pronounced the further north you go, and Minnesota’s location makes it one of the best states in the lower 48 to view them.
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There’s a perfectly scientific explanation for the aurora borealis phenomenon (more commonly known as the northern lights), and we’ll get to that in a minute. But when you see it in person—weaving, flickering and pulsing across the night sky, lighting up the stars with its impossible river of greens, purples and reds—it just feels like magic. Like the universe is reaching out to you, personally, and waving hello.
One slightly less obvious reason why Minnesota is an incredible place to view the northern lights? Our abundance of inland lakes. Prolific northern lights photographer Travis Novitsky(opens in new window) explains: “My favorite spot is on the south shore of any inland lake in northeast Minnesota. Being on the south shore means you get a great view of the lights looking north over the lake (as their name implies, northern lights are often most visible in the northern part of the sky).”
Unlike other states that might have one or two ideal spots to view the northern lights, Minnesota’s 10,000 lakes offer borealis chasers a practically unlimited supply of unique spots to view and frame them.
Northern lights over a houseboat in Voyageurs National Park
Where to See the Northern Lights in Minnesota
The vast, open skies of northern Minnesota are ideal for viewing the northern lights. Undisturbed by the light pollution of Minnesota’s urban areas, natural darkness reigns as you venture into the northernmost reaches of the state. Here are a few of the best spots in northern Minnesota for catching the aurora borealis:
Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness (BWCAW) extends 150 miles along the U.S.-Canada border, covering 19,000 acres with over 1,100 lakes and 1,200 miles of canoe portage routes. Adventurers can revel epic night skies after days filled with paddling and portaging. Spanning more than 1 million acres, this certified International Dark Sky Sanctuary(opens in new window) is accessible primarily by canoe.
Cook County(opens in new window) visitors can frequently see the northern lights and Milky Way shining over Lake Superior and along the Gunflint Trail.
Voyageurs National Park is a newly certified International Dark Sky Park(opens in new window) offering expansive views of unpolluted skies from its waterways, where visitors can see impressive meteor showers and northern lights shows. More than a third of this remote 218,000 acre national park is covered in water and presents primetime night sky viewing.
Lake of the Woods and the Northwest Angle(opens in new window), where there is a panoramic view of the waters and forests by day and, sometimes, the Milky Way and northern lights by night. Separated from the rest of Minnesota by Lake of the Woods, the Northwest Angle is the northernmost point in the continental U.S.
Outside of northern Minnesota, other destinations across the state, remote and urban alike, provide ideal stargazing conditions:
In the mid– and southern parts of the state—including Park Rapids, St. Cloud, Stillwater, Lake City, Mankato and Rochester—locals can see constellations on any clear night, and these cities have been known to host an occasional northern lights display.
Just miles from downtown Minneapolis, Silverwood Park hosts after-dark events for visitors to explore and learn about the fascinating things that occur outside after the sun sets.
Northern lights over the Gunflint Trail / David Johnson
When to See Northern Lights
The early sunsets and long, star-filled nights of fall and winter make those seasons popular for northern lights trips, but despite what you may have heard, no one season is especially likely to result in a showing.
That doesn’t mean weather has no effect on light activity—in fact, northern lights can be predicted quite accurately by following weather conditions—just not the weather conditions here on Earth. What you want to follow is space weather, primarily the solar wind stream and solar flares of the sun.
According to the popular science website howstuffworks(opens in new window), aurora borealis occurs, “when highly charged electrons from the solar wind interact with elements in the Earth’s atmosphere. As the electrons enter the Earth’s upper atmosphere, they will encounter atoms of oxygen and nitrogen at altitudes of 20 to 200 miles above the Earth’s surface. The color of the aurora depends on which atom is struck, and the altitude of the meeting.”
Novitsky uses spaceweather.com(opens in new window) as his primary resource for “keeping watch” on northern lights activity. “If there’s a chance of activity, [the site] will tell you about it—sometimes as many as three or four days in advance. I check that website almost every day.”
Milky Way stargazing near Motley / Jordan Watke
Celestial Photography & Learning Vacations
Capturing an incredible photo of the northern lights is possible with most types of modern cameras—just make sure your camera allows for manual shutter speed control, because capturing a truly stunning shot requires an exposure of 10 to 30 seconds. That likely rules out the camera on your smartphone, but leaves most DSLR and mirrorless varieties in the mix, including many relatively inexpensive ones. Other than manual shutter speed, you’ll also need a sturdy tripod to keep your camera steady during those long, night sky exposures.
If you’re just starting out with night photography, there’s no better introduction than a photography workshop. Limited to 10 or fewer participants, these beginner-friendly learning vacations will guide you through the basics of night photography via a combination of classroom-based learning, shooting time and one-on-one instruction.
Novitsky also recommends picking up a book on night-time and low-light photography and giving it a good read. Once you’ve got a grasp of the basics, it’s just about practice, he says.
Of course, you won’t catch the northern lights every time you go out shooting, but you’ll find plenty of other, more common night sky photo ops in the North Star State. Rural Minnesota’s deep, dark skies are rich with celestial displays such as meteor showers, shooting stars, the Milky Way and star constellations.
To learn more about celestial displays such as the northern lights, and to share your enthusiasm with younger family members, there’s nothing better than a trip to one of Minnesota’s planetariums. Most planetariums offer regular public showings, and private group showings by appointment.
Northern lights in Minneopa State Park / @russ.man
Planning Your Northern Lights Trip
Planning a trip around the northern lights is easier said than done.
No matter how much planning goes into your trip, there is never a guarantee it will coincide with a celestial display. Maybe the cloud coverage will be too heavy, or the lights will be a little weak. Sometimes you’ll come away empty handed. Sometimes you’ll fail.
But, for many northern lights photographers, that’s part of the fun. Because when the solar wind blows just right, and the sky is clear, you’ll come face-to-face with a phenomenon that humans have been yearning to capture and understand ever since we first looked toward the stars: aurora borealis, the northern lights. There’s nothing quite like it, and no matter how much time you spend chasing the northern lights, it’s always worth it.
So start checking the space weather and cleaning your lenses, because it’s always northern lights season in Minnesota, and there’s never been a better time to go exploring.
Brian Fanelli is a writer and editor for Explore Minnesota. When he isn’t writing about life in The North, you’ll find him browsing the sci-fi shelves in a local bookstore, biking one of Minnesota’s spectacular trails or walking his Chihuahua around Minneapolis.
Glensheen’s outdoor light display, Spirit of the Lights, and Christmas Candlelight Tours in the mansion will be offered every Friday & Saturday night in March.
Even though the typical holiday season is over, we threw out the rule book on Christmas and have extended the holiday tour season. Due to COVID closures, we weren’t able to offer our popular Christmas Candlelight tours and outdoor light display, Spirit of the Lights to the public this past December. So here’s your chance!
Spirit of the Lights is an outdoor light display that originated on Park Point at the home of Marcia Hales. The display is celebrated for its intimate and natural feel. Many of the motifs and displays are in memory of individuals or in recognition of meaningful moments. The display sprawls across Glensheen’s 12-acre lakeside estate, magically illuminating the grounds. Many of the display’s pathways will remain unplowed, making a nighttime snowshoe experience the perfect way to enhance Spirit of the Lights. Glensheen has snowshoes available for free rental.
Due to daylight saving time, there will be various event times:
March 21st – April 4th (Fri & Sat)
Spirit of the Lights entry 7:00 pm – 9:30 pm (presale only)
