The Minnesota Historical Society strives to attract high school and college interns from underrepresented communities to encourage engagement and diversify the institution. Students are placed across the Society in various departments and sites and have the opportunity to work alongside museum professionals to enhance their skills and apply their knowledge in a professional environment. College students participate in learning activities together over a semester-long period to enrich the internship experience and network with other interns in their cohort. The activities focus on engaging with the Society on a deeper level by discussing current issues and trends with museum staff, sharing intern experiences and building professional networks. During FY12 and so far in FY13, Arts and Cultural Heritage funding has supported 96 college interns who have contributed more than 9,900 hours across the Society and seven high school students who have contributed more than 500 hours of service at two historic sites.

Hennepin County will partner with community groups in North Minneapolis to initiate new Environmental Education programs targeting inner city youth. These programs will provide hands-on, experiential outdoor learning opportunities.

Four new and unique views of Fort Snelling from various points in history will be available for students, teachers and the general public to access online. The Minnesota Historical Society has been collaborating with the Institute for Advanced Technology in the Humanities at the University of Virginia to build four computer models that illustrate a dynamic and changing Fort Snelling from 1820 to 1945. The models will be linked to a rich and interrelated set of materials from all parts of the Society's collections, including photographs and manuscripts. In spring 2013, project staff and Historic Fort Snelling staff will plan how the models can best serve the public online and at the fort.

Partner: The Minnesota Geospatial Information Office

In the spring of 2013, students and the general public will be able to choose a specific place on an online map of Minnesota and historical images and information related to that spot will automatically appear. The site will give students and the general public a deeper knowledge of the history of particular places in the state. Geo-tagging staff has been adding geographical markers to more than 300,000 of the Society's historic photographs, maps and artifacts.

The Golden Eagle Research Project aims to increase understanding of golden eagles in Minnesota by conducting surveys, tracking winter resident golden eagles and educating the public about golden eagles.