Minnesota History Awards

From exhibitions to organizational capacity building, Minnesota has been a national leader in public history but did not have a sanctioned awards program to identify this work until 2009, when the Minnesota History Awards were created by the Minnesota Alliance of Local History Museums. In addition to highlighting those who have achieved excellence, the program intends to use the example of winners to show the rest of our peers how it can be done, with the goal of raising the quality of everyone’s work. Follow the links on past winners to see their nomination packets and find out more about the award-winning projects and programs.

How to Apply

Nominate projects accomplished in 2017 for the 2018 Minnesota History Awards program in Behind the Scenes, Collections, Partnerships, Publications, Public Programs, and Preservation. Nominate outstanding individuals who have contributed to Minnesota's local history field for 25 years or more for the Lifetime Achievement. (See descriptions and examples below. We have a full list of past winners to inspire you.)

Applications are due Feb. 2, 2018 and winners will be honored at the 2018 MALHM Conference, April 25-26, in Marshall, Minnesota.
2018 MALHM Lifetime Achievement Award Nomination Packet
2018 MALHM Minnesota History Awards Nomination Packet

Award Categories

Behind the Scenes

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Too often the work that goes on behind the scenes is not given its proper due, even though it might help you meet your mission. A successful fundraising campaign, preservation project, or new set of policies that allows an organization to move forward in a manner they had not known before needs to be recognized to set an example for the rest of the state’s organizations.

Past winners include:
  • Northfield Historical Society for winning funding for and preserving the records of a local business, with a 95-plus year history in the community: “The Legacy of Malt-O-Meal Stays in Northfield" (A few objects from the huge collection are pictured above.)
  • Arlington Historical Society for the Lido Theater Marquee Restoration Project - A campaign that partnered public, private and nonprofit to raise funds for and restore a community landmark.
  • Winona County Historical Society for the Winona County History Center’s Laird Norton Addition (Behind-the-Scenes) A development campaign that weathered the depths of the 2007 recession to raise $4.6 million for the Laird Norton Addition to the Winona County History Center.

Collections
Conservation of a special artifact or collection, improved storage facilities, collection rehousing project, digital preservation, and improved access to collections.

This project category was added in 2016; no winners in the first year.

Partnerships

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A project or partnership formation between two or more entities that furthers the mission of those involved and can serve as a model for other organizations.

Past winners include:
  • Red Wing History Museums (Goodhue County Historical Society, Pottery Museum of Red Wing, Red Wing Marine Museum, Red Wing Shoe Company Museum, American Ski Jumping Museum & Hall of Fame, and Aliveo Military Museum) for their Red Wing Museum Crawl event. (See event poster at left.)

Publications

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Print publications, such as books and magazines, will share the spotlight with newsletters and web sites. Anything published for public consumption is eligible for nomination in this category.

Past winners include:

Public Programs

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A project or partnership formation between two or more entities that furthers the mission of those involved and can serve as a model for other organizations.

Past winners include:
  • Waseca County Historical Society for its crowd-sourced timeline exhibit (see left)
  • Northfield Historical Society for its 40 for 40 exhibit.

Preservation

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Designation of a local historic site or district, saving of a historic building, a historic structure or district report, and the reuse or rehabilitation of a historic structure or district.

Past winners include:
  • Depot Preservation Alliance, Inc. (2014) for its preservation of the Baudette Depot (pictured left)

Lifetime Achievement

PictureJan and Art Warner, Marlys Hirst
In its 25th anniversary year, the Minnesota Alliance of Local History Museums will be honoring three local historians with a Lifetime Achievement Award in 2016. Recipients must have worked 25 years or more in the Minnesota local history field and have proven themselves as exemplary in their dedication and service to their local communities in collecting, preserving, and sharing its history.
Inaugural year recipients were:

Questions? Comments?
Please contact us if you have questions about the nominations process or have suggestions for improvement. MALHM Board Member Jill Wohnoutka will chair the 2018 Minnesota History Awards Review Committee.