Sibley County Museum
Main Street
Henderson, Minnesota 56044
(507) 248-3434
I got to do something I've been wanting to do for years! I finally got to tour the Sibley County Museum on the main street of Henderson in the Minnesota River Valley. Melanie and I were given a private tour by Arlene Busse who appears to know everything there is to know about the house, the inventory, and the region.
While Melanie asked questions, I started taking pictures and I didn't want to stop. This museum is different from many others because you're walking among the artifacts. And the feeling of visiting someone's home from 1884 was icing on the cake for me.
One can see from the architecture than no expense was spared when the house was built. We got to see a lot of family photographs and beautifully preserved dresses specific to the site. There is a room dedicated to Joseph R. Brown and the Native Americans heritage. Another is dedicated to historic articles from past wars. It's a big place and there are a lot of other attractions that I can't think of right now.
The only area that was roped off was the little kid's room on the second floor which was brimming with antique toys. I was trying to imagine what it must have been like to be a small child there. The ceilings are very high and the rooms are large.
One of the first things I noticed when I walked into the museum was the striped wooden floor. The wood work was very dark, except for the parts where artisans painted a burled wood pattern back in the 1800's,
I was especially excited to see the original stenciling on the dining room walls. One upstairs bedroom was filled with beautiful feminine antiques.
You can see more photos from my visit to the Sibley County Museum by clicking here.
The Museum is open to the public for tours Memorial Day and Sundays from 2:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. June thru October and by appointment. Genealogy is by appointment only.
Admission fee is $2.00.
