OUR ORIGIN
About Us
The Minnesota Discovery Center’s primary focus is DISCOVERY. We are a nonprofit comprising a museum, research center, and recreational park that tells the story of the Iron Range — “The Land, The Mines, The People, and The Work” — through exhibits, programs, events, interpretation, recreation, and genealogical research materials.
Spreading over a 33,000 indoor facility and an 660-acre open-air campus, we are the largest museum complex in Minnesota outside the Twin Cities. Through engaging exhibits, educational programs, and community events, MDC helps connect visitors to the region’s rich history and culture.
Our Iron Range Research Center helps preserve our local history. Housed in a 14,000-square-foot facility, this installation includes a unique library and archives of historically significant Iron Range and Taconite Assistance Area records. Our library alone contains 7,000 volumes about northeastern Minnesota history.
We are a sanctioned government records repository where the public can research genealogical data. Our collection includes over 4,000 records from local and regional units of government, personal and family papers, organizational and corporate documents, topography and mining maps, photographs, and regional oral histories. We are also tied to Ancestry.com and offer free public access.
Our History
1977
Established in 1977 as the “Iron Range Interpretative Center,” we initially housed 34 exhibits detailing the development of the Iron Range. Originally owned and operated by the State of Minnesota, under the governance of the Iron Range Resource and Rehabilitation Board, we received funding as part of the Taconite Assistance Area.
1980
In 1980, the Iron Range Research Center opened as part of the Iron Range Interpretive Center. Our interpretive center expanded over the years by adding a 1,600-seat amphitheater, the Ironworld USA Railroad (which connected Glen Location and Festival Park), and the Minnesota Civilian Conservation Corps History Center. Soon after, the name “Iron Range Intepretive Center” was changed to “Ironworld.”
2003
In 2003, the Iron Range Resources Commissioner appointed the Ironworld Task Force to consider Ironworld’s future, eventually forming the “Ironworld Development Corporation.” This 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization was created to govern, manage, and promote Ironworld’s assets.
2007
Finally, in 2007, Ironworld officially transitioned from joint control of the State of Minnesota and the Iron Range Resources to the present-day nonprofit museum, the Minnesota Discovery Center. We continue providing unique educational opportunities to learn about the Iron Range.
NOW
Now, we are a state-owned treasure proudly embodying the spirit and history of the Iron Range. We are the home of an award-winning museum, a premier research center with one of the largest collections of genealogical and local history research materials in the Midwest, and plenty of year-round learning opportunities. Plus, we’re an all-season destination for recreation, including historic trolley tours, live music opportunities, hiking, kayaking, biking, paddleboarding, snowshoeing, sledding, and mini golf. We also administer the trailhead of the Redhead Mountain Bike Park.
