state school orphanage museum
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state school orphanage museum印象
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This was a blast from the past. If you are at all interested in child welfare or what a window into how things were, this is your place. It is beautiful yet haunting as you look back at how children were raised in the orphanage. I left with mixed feelings about the value of an orphanage. I found it interesting that many of the displays were voiced over by a former child at the institution. From his story-telling, you could tell he was somewhat torn as well. Very well done - worth the time!
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I met friends here, who with me took the self-guided tour through the museum and then the walk through the grounds, where audio stations are set up. This is a high quality presentation of history. I will return to walk the grounds again with others. There is no fee, but there is an opportunity to leave a free-will donation in Cottage 11, where the suggested donation is $2.00. One touring the large site will hear the voices of former staff, administration, faculty, and residents and family members. This is powerful!
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On a recent visit to Owatonna we stopped here to visit. The grounds are impressive. The buildings have been maintained very well. Most of them are being used for different groups. The museum has nice exhibits of how the orphanage was in the past. There are many pictures and stories to read from actual people who lived there. Some of the stories were good and others were so sad. It was amazing to see how many children had passed through this institution and how it had affected them. We actually met a man who had been there for most of his childhood. He is a guide there to answer questions you may have.We then took the self guided audio tour around the grounds and learned so much more about how the place was run when it was open. We toured the cottage some of the boys lived in and learned more from audio boxes placed throughout this building. The saddest visit was at the cemetary with all the little crosses with the names of very young children on them. It was a great learning experience for my family.
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This was such a moving experience. First you drive up to these beautiful grounds and see majestic buildings that were made to stand the test of time. You go into the main building and start reading some of the stories and see the photos and you begin to feel some emotional pain. We were fortunate to be there when the Boy's Cottage was open. Oh my-the poor children that lived in this environment. The audio clips were so interesting-as he explained some children didn't mind their stay because it was better than the chaos they came from while others were left there because their parents could no longer take care of them. Cannot imagine being that parent that had to leave their child/children off at the door. It sounded like the female matrons who each had 25-30 children in their "cottage" could be some really evil people. SOme of the children became indentured servants! That was shocking.....if you stayed for any length of time you were definitely institutionalized. Thank-you to everyone who helped make this museum a monument to the children and to the poor souls in the children's cemetery.
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I have a relative that lived in the orphanage and this is a very, very good tribute to the people that have lived there.
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Lived in Minnesota for over 30 years and had no idea this hidden gem was only an hour away. Went with a local tour group, and we all felt impacted by this visit. The volunteers are so dedicated and was fortunate to have an actual resident of the orphanage as our guide. The museum staff provided us with delightful refreshments after the presentation. Then, we had time to tour the actual rooms. Very, very interesting.
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If you are in Owatonna, MN you must visit the State School Orphanage MuseumMany people are not aware of the State School Orphanage which was in Owatonna.It is very interesting and provides a glimpse into the days of the past. On certain days you can even visit an old dormitory to see where the kids slept and what their days were like. There is also a cemetery on the grounds which you can visit. All in all, a very interesting museum!
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Every person young and old should visit. It tells how some of the orphans ended up here and how they were treated once they arrived. This shows the hard life that orphans had and how self sustaining this orphanage was. Make sure that you take the self guided walk of the grounds as well as visiting the museum. Take time to visit the cemetary to reflect on the life of the children buried here. Many children didn't make it; others did, but it affected their lives forever. There was no love here. This will leave an impact on everyone that visits. More cottages are being opened and there is talk of one of the tunnels being opened in the future.
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I've been visiting this site since I was a child. I have always been fascinated by the lives of the children who lived at this orphanage. There are a lot of artifacts to see, and stories to read. It's a somber day, but it's a good day too. They just opened a new cottage for viewing, to see where the kids slept and played. It's worth your time.
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Self guided tour for the most part. You will see what life was like for the children who were left here. It is emotional and thought provoking. Tour the main building which houses the museum and a local art gallery. Then visit the boys cabin, cemetery and grounds. One of the last surviving boys lends his voice and stories through recordings that can be heard from multiple stations throughout the campus. He is also available for presentation to large groups for a donation to the museu, if requested in advance.