Old Town Hall Museum

Museum Hours

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Upcoming Events at the Old Town Hall Museum

August 15, 2026 2 PM	Nine Mile Creek History Walk Walk with a Bloomington Historical Society guide from the Old Town Hall Museum along Nine Mile Creek to the former site of the McAfee grist mill. Learn about the history of points of interest along the way. We will view any changes being made in the creek valley that are related to the Nine Mile Creek Corridor Renewal Project now underway. There is a challenging hill to climb on this 2-mile round-trip route. Participants should be in good physical condition and wear appropriate footwear. This event is free, with free-will donations accepted. This is a members-only event for Bloomington Historical Society supporting members. Thank you for your support!
September 11, 2026 7 PM	The Legacy of September 11 Hero Tom Burnett Jr. On Friday, September 11, 2026 Museum Curator, Jean Bellefeuille, will present a program on how people reacted and remembered the events of 9/11 as we mark the 25th anniversary. Bloomington Jefferson graduate Thomas Burnett, Jr. was on flight 93 that day, and lost his life attempting to take the plane back from the hijackers. Tom's parents gifted a large number of documents and artifacts related to 9/11 to the Bloomington Historical Society. Rarely seen artifacts will be brought out for this special program including a Flight 93 memorial flag, a Freedom Quilt, tributes and awards, sympathy cards made by Bloomington school students, proclamations from the West Bloomington Post Office renaming, and more. This event is open to the public. The event is free, and donations are accepted.
September 19, 2026 2-4 PM	Bells Across America: Celebrate the Constitution Join our guests the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) as we celebrate a "Bells Across America" Constitution Week event. Meet, greet, and celebrate with DAR members and ask questions about September 1787 when the US Constitution was ratified. Watch a short program about our country's Constitution and then ring the museum's historic school bell at 3:00 PM. The event is free, and donations are accepted.
November 10, 2026 7 PM	More Than a Shipwreck: The Enduring Mystery of the Edmund Fitzgerald Explore one of the Great Lakes' biggest unsolved mysteries with author A. L. Padden: the sinking of the Edmund Fitzgerald. Hear about the significance of the Mighty Fitz, the events that led to the giant ore boat going down and the different theories about why it happened, and the ship's lasting impact on the Great Lakes. The event is free, and donations are accepted.

About the Museum

The Bloomington Old Town Hall Museum is housed in the historic Old Town Hall, which was built in 1892 and extensively renovated two times. The building served as town headquarters and a meeting place for the Town Board. The City of Bloomington's administrative offices were housed in the Old Town Hall until 1964.

Since 1964, the building has been home to the Bloomington Historical Society and a museum which features exhibits of artifacts from all periods of history.

In its early years, the Old Town Hall was a community meeting place where celebrations, dances and other social festivities were held. The museum continues to draw visitors coming to enjoy the view of a unique historic building, to view exhibits and to learn about the history of Bloomington.

Museum Collection

The Old Town Hall Museum displays many objects from its collection, while other artifacts are held in storage until featured displays are installed or artifacts are cycled into display. A growing number of our artifacts can be browsed or searched at the following public website:

Museum holdings can be conveniently browsed online at the MN Collections site, and you can find connections to other local history museums that also have made their holdings available for public search. If you see an artifact you want to view, contact the Bloomington Historical society to make an appointment with a Museum Curation Volunteer.

Tour Options

For groups or special circumstances, advanced tour arrangements can be made by contacting the Bloomington Historical Society. For a virtual museum tour, visit our Virtual Tour link.

Funding

The Bloomington Historical Society staff are passionate about sharing Bloomington history, preserving the growing museum collection, and researching topics of historical interest. If our work is valuable to you, please consider supporting our mission with a membership or donation, large or small. We appreciate your support!