Exhibits

Travel back in time as you explore a variety of exhibits at the Plymouth History Center.

If you are new to the area, come and discover the history of your property. If your family has lived here for generations, stop by to explore your heritage. View a list of current exhibits in the dropdowns below.

All exhibits listed below are open to the public and can be viewed at no cost during regular business hours 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Tuesdays, Thursdays and the first Saturday of every month.

Activities for Children

At Old Town Hall, there is something for everyone. For children, there are activity sheets and hands on history interactive materials. Children may also enjoy Story Time at Old Town Hall, available on select Tuesday mornings throughout the year.

Plymouth resident Eugene Heezen, an expert woodcarver, made replicas of 15 historic local properties including the Farmer’s Home Inn, Gilfillan Log Cabin and others. He began his first in 1986, a replica of Town Hall, and finished his last in 2014. Many of the buildings were no longer standing requiring Eugene to recreate his models from historic photos. Visit the museum to see a rotating display of Eugene’s work and learn more about historic buildings throughout the city. 

Turnverein (pronounced toorn-fer-ahyn) is a German word meaning gymnastics club. It is a combination of the words turnen (to practice gymnastics) and verein (club). Minnesota, due to its high population of German immigrants, was home to several Turnvereins around the state, including a team called the West Minneapolis. After careful conservation and restoration, see this photograph from 1889 and read more about the history of a little-known sport and its connection to Plymouth history.  

See handmade leather goods from Plymouth residents. Some of the earliest items are from the 1880s, while others are from the 1950s.  

An audio recording space for oral history projects, podcasting and more is available for community use. Typically, an oral history recording session takes between 1-2 hours to record.

Participants are required to sign an oral history release form and will never be asked to share anything they are not comfortable with. Bringing special items or photographs is encouraged, but not required. 

Appointments are required. Contact Historical Site Coordinator Ryan Barland at rbarland@plymouthmn.gov or 763-509-5229

Research Room

The Research Center at Plymouth’s Old Town Hall has primary and secondary resources about local history. Research buildings, people and events related to Plymouth. Examples of research materials include letters; histories of local organizations and families; maps; municipal records; newspapers; yearbooks and more. Scanners are available. Participants are encouraged to bring a flash drive to store scanned images and materials.

Appointments are not necessary but are encouraged to allow staff to pull materials in advance. To get started, contact Historical Site Coordinator Ryan Barland at rbarland@plymouthmn.gov or 763-509-5229.