Legacy Projects

legacy funded projects

The Legacy Amendment, adopted by Minnesota voters in November 2008 as a constitutional amendment, increased the state sales tax by 3/8 of 1% for 25 years. The revenue generated was specifically allocated to support initiatives related to clean water, parks, outdoor habitat preservation, as well as arts and cultural heritage. The Minnesota Legislature established a website to enable citizens to track the utilization of funds from the Legacy Amendment. Through the following link, individuals can observe how these funds are allocated across the state: legacy.mn.gov

As a beneficiary of the Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund under the Legacy initiative, The Bakken Museum has significantly enhanced our museum spaces and education programs to represent the deep cultural heritage of Minnesota. The Bakken inspires a passion for innovation by exploring the potential for science, technology, and the humanities to make the world a better place.  The Bakken Museum has a unique opportunity to leverage the past to inspire the next generation of innovators to transform the future.   

 

Museum Collections 

The Bakken's Collections serve as a valuable resource for delving into the exploration of efforts to understand the human body, health, and wellness throughout history. Housing 11,000 books, 2,500 artifacts, and 1,000 pieces of art and ephemera, there is something to spark anyone's curiosity, spanning topics from electricity in literature to intriguing fringe science. Legacy funds have been utilized to process new pieces into the Bakken Museum’s collections, delve deeper into their history, impact, and significance, and ensure accessibility for the public. Legacy funds have also been utilized to expand and diversify our collection of oral histories. 

Related recent Legacy Grants: 

  • Cross-Sectional Medical Alley Oral Histories Project - 2023  

  • Processing the Earl Bakken Legacy Collection - 2022 

 

Museum Exhibitions and Experience

The Bakken Museum's building features several permanent exhibits spanning the historic West Winds Mansion and additional built-out exhibit spaces. Legacy funds have been employed for planning new exhibitions, updating exhibit components, and enhancing the overall visitor experience. Additionally, these funds have played a crucial role in identifying accessibility priorities within the historic West Winds Mansion, ensuring enhanced access in the years to come. 

Related recent Legacy Grants: 

  • Dakota Native Plants Garden Exhibition Renewal and Translation - 2023 

  • Improving Demographic Data Collection at The Bakken Museum - 2023 

  • Education Residency Program and Exhibition Experiential Plan - 2023  

  • West Winds Mansion Audio Tour Script Writing - 2022 

  • Evaluation of Building Compliance with ADA for The Bakken Museum’s West Winds Mansion - 2022 

  • The Earl Bakken Exhibition Treatment – 2022 

 

For more information, contact Alex Askew, Vice President of Philanthropy, at askew@thebakken.org

mission

The Bakken Museum inspires a passion for innovation by exploring the potential for science, technology, and the humanities to make the world a better place.

Vision

We will build a community at the intersection of science, technology, health, and wellness, leveraging the past to inspire the next generation of innovators to transform the future.

values

  • Creativity // We believe that everyone has the ability to use their creativity to help make the world a better place. We aim to foster that creativity in each other and our audiences.

  • Curiosity // We are always learning, growing, and asking questions. This curiosity is the lens through which we approach learning and making connections in unexpected ways.

  • Uniqueness // We take pride in the ways we can be surprising or different from what might be expected. We encourage our staff and audiences to bring their full selves and embrace the strengths and connections in our differences.

  • Adaptability // We acknowledge that change is constant and that we are made stronger by our ability to accept and understand change. We improvise with empathy and purpose, using change as an asset to adapt, grow, and develop in new ways that support the needs of our audiences and each other.

  • Collaboration // We work to leverage our collective genius in service of our mission. We listen to each other, support one another, work to better understand each other, and as a result, grow and evolve together.

  • Equity // We will strive to be a place where everyone is welcome, represented, and valued and will work to correct the structural imbalances which prevent that goal.