About the Bakken Museum

history

The Bakken Museum is named for our founder, Earl Bakken. Earl Bakken spent his early years building and taking apart electronic devices. When Earl Bakken was a child, he saw the film, Frankenstein. The use of electricity to create life in the movie inspired him to pursue a degree in electrical engineering from the University of Minnesota. He would go on to co-found one of the world's largest medical device companies. In 1957, following an electrical blackout on Halloween night, Earl built the first external wearable, battery-powered pacemaker.

Earl began collecting artifacts and literature for others to learn from in his company's headquarters. Then, in 1975, The Bakken Museum became an independent 501(C)3 nonprofit and moved to its current home in Minneapolis. In the early years, the organization's primary mission was to become an international research center focusing on "Electricity in Life." As a result, the rare book and instrument collection attracted researchers worldwide.

In 1998 the first floor was built. This new construction included exhibit spaces, classrooms, a catering kitchen, and a climate-controlled artifact vault. The addition allowed the institution to focus its efforts on public-facing programs and becoming a nationally recognized STEM education center.

Today, 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. Located on the West shore of Bde Maka Ska, the museum features interactive exhibits, a medicinal garden, a world-renowned collection of artifacts, and exceptional STEM education programs.

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.