Legacy of the Lakes Museum

Much of Minnesota’s history is inspired by the many beautiful lakes throughout our state, and the Legacy of the Lakes Museum and Gardens is dedicated to bringing that history to the public.

The museum features handcrafted wooden boats, grand hotels and fishing clubs, bringing to life traditions that reach back nearly a century and a half.

These diverse exhibits, as well as the Gardens, are all part of the Legacy of the Lakes Museum, a nonprofit organization dedicated to the preservation of antique and classic watercraft, resort memorabilia and sporting equipment used on the Minnesota lakes.

Originally known as the Minnesota Lakes Maritime Museum, the name was changed to Legacy of the Lakes in 2016 to better communicate and reflect its mission of celebrating shared memories and experiences of Minnesota lake life, preserving it for future generations.

In 2018, the BoatHouse, an indoor event center, was added and is available for rent for weddings, corporate events and family gatherings as well as a place for the museum to host educational programs. It includes an indoor event hall, bathrooms and bridal suite/ greenroom.

Several events are planned for the summer, including the Legacy of the Lakes Museum Classic Boat Show July 9-10 and at 7 p.m. August 9, historian Rachel Barudson will present “How Our Lakes were Named..” Visit the museum’s website for more information on these events.

The museum is located in downtown Alexandria at 205 Third Avenue West, near the Alexandria Fire Department. The museum office is open Monday-Friday from 8:30 a.m.-4 p.m.

Cost of admission is $10 for adults, $8 for seniors 65 and older, $5 for military and veterans and students ages 5-17 and $25 for families (parent and children 17 years of age and younger). Children 5 and younger are free when accompanied by a paying adult.

Museum hours are 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday-Friday, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday and noon-4 p.m. on Sunday.

Contact the museum at (320) 759-1114 or through its website www.legacyofthelakes.org for more information.

MUSEUM EXHIBITS GRAND HOTELS AND RESORTS Each June they would arrive via the Great Northern and Minneapolis, St. Paul and Sault Ste. Marie Railroads, bringing trunks filled with silks and linens, formal dinner wear and European hats. See how these affluent early visitors summered in grandeur. WOODEN BOATS Since the Museum’s inception, wooden boats have held center stage. Few museums offer as wide a range of rare boats including Chris-Craft, Gar Wood, Century and Hackercraft, as well as the ultimate collection of made-in-Minnesota craft. SHAPES OF THE FUTURE Fiberglass revolutionized the boating industry—making boats more affordable while enabling radical new designs. See some of the coolest in our “Fiberglassics” exhibit today. GO FISH! See how fishing technology has evolved since our area first became famous for great fishing in the late 1800s. Check out some amazing catches and learn about the legendary guides that made them possible. THE MINNESOURI CLUB In 1890, 20 men from Missouri and 15 from Minneapolis formed a club overlooking the waters of Lake Miltona. Experience life on the lake back in the day with our re-creation of a Minnesouri Club front porch. MADE IN MINNESOTA! Minnesota’s been home to skilled watercraft builders since Native Americans first fashioned birch bark canoes hundreds of years ago. The museum boasts the most complete collection of Minnesota-made boats from Larson to our own Alexandria Boat Works.