Our Backyard opens at the Science Museum of Minnesota on June 9
Interactive outdoor exhibit features new exhibits on energy and conservation
St. Paul, Minn.—The Science Museum of Minnesota invites visitors of all ages to experience science in an expanded outdoor exhibit, Our Backyard. Located on the picturesque banks of the Mississippi River, this interactive space transforms scientific learning into large-scale, full-body adventures that can't be contained indoors. Our Backyard opens for the season on June 9, and is open during regular museum hours.
"Our Backyard is where engineering meets imagination," said Alison Rempel Brown, President and CEO. "We've created a space where visitors can get messy, make noise, and engage with scientific principles – and their friends! – through joyful hands-on experimentation, in a natural outdoor setting."
On June 12, the museum will also host Museum Nights: Summer Camp, an adults-only kickoff party for the summer. Blackstack Brewing will have samples of its beers, including Thunder Lizard IPA, a collaboration between the museum and the brewery. An in-house chef will share science-backed tips and tricks for how to get the perfect sear on your summer steak. Adults-only trivia and special Science Live performances will round out the celebratory occasion.
The outdoor exhibit features numerous interactive stations designed to spark creativity, encourage teamwork and develop problem-solving skills while exploring fundamental scientific concepts:
Exploring Energy (Powered by Xcel Energy)
Visitors can harness the power of kinetic and potential energy, generate electricity through movement, and experiment with sustainable energy solutions including solar and wind power installations. The innovative "human circuit" station allows participants to use their own bodies as conductors to complete electrical circuits.
“We’re always looking for new ways to help our communities understand how energy works and the important role it plays in our daily lives,” said John Marshall, regional vice president, Community Relations and Foundation at Xcel Energy. “We’re delighted to continue supporting the Science Museum of Minnesota by creating a fun, engaging and educational experience for the public to enjoy.”
Engineering and Design
Young engineers can customize playhouses using natural materials, design and test small wind turbines and construct boats, bridges, dams or waterwheels at the bamboo water run. The exhibit's stream-side location provides the perfect setting for nature-situated making and engineering activities.
Physical Exploration
Visitors can create and navigate their own obstacle courses, test their directional skills in a challenging maze and experiment with water blasters and targets in cooperative or competitive games. The exhibit also features experiential learning stations including parachute drops demonstrating wind resistance and whisper dishes that transmit sound across the park.
Artistic Discovery and Relaxation
For those seeking a more contemplative experience, Our Backyard offers hammock chime chairs that produce musical tones and slate easels for painting with water.
New Amenities
New for 2025, the exhibit includes expanded food service options, like Saturday grilling and ice cream, shaded seating areas and a 1,000-square-foot pavilion, sponsored by Best Buy, suitable for events and community gatherings. The addition of demonstration fields and gardens provides a living laboratory for exploration of cultural connections, sustainability and the future of food.
Our Backyard is also the result of a years-long National Science Foundation-funded grant for Expanding Activities for Nature Situated Engineering (EXPANSE project). This grant was abruptly canceled in April 2025, led by the Department of Government Efficiency. While much of the work had been completed, the grant was previously extended to early 2027 to allow the museum to continue refining the experience through listening sessions with families who represent communities historically excluded from outdoor, museum-based spaces.
“We hope that visitors will make the connection between innovative – and fun! – learning experiences like Our Backyard and the vital federal support that makes them possible,” Brown said. “Creating science-based learning experiences – for the earliest learners to adults – takes time, dedication and effort.”
Images are available upon request; contact pr@smm.org.