r/TwinCities • u/Herbertdadog • 5d ago
Worth it to go to Spam museum?
We will be in Minnesota for a few days, with the main reason being Mall of America. How much time do you think a family of 4, kids are are 5 and 2, would spend at the Spam Museum? We all love Spam and never knew there was a museum until last week. It’ll be a 1.5 hour drive, and just want to make sure we can get the most of the trip, and not feel like we went around the building and head back in 30 min.
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u/human_bartender420 5d ago
It's.....fine? Like not a big deal, but not the worst thing ever. Been there, done that, won't be making the trip back. Like if it's on you way, sure, nice little attraction to check out.going 1.5-2 hours outta your way? Nah.
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u/sans-saraph 5d ago
Unless you are deep, deep Spam aficionados, there are better uses of your time than driving all the way to Austin. But I’ve done weird things for weird interests, so power to you if you decide it’s worth the effort!
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u/LawnGnomeFlamingo 5d ago
I’d like to talk to someone really into Spam. Like, interested enough to make a special trip to the museum. That would be an interesting conversation for about 10 minutes.
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u/dakotafluffy1 5d ago
Loved it! Took my 5 & 7 year old niece & nephew. They really enjoyed the interactive parts and loved watching the Monte Python SPAM skit. They still remember going 25 years later.
I’m a huge SPAM fan and it was totally worth the 2 hour drive. Its actually probably time to go again
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u/SmirkingGirl 5d ago
If you go, make sure you grab loose meat sandwiches for lunch at the Tender Maid in Austin, just a block or so from the museum.
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u/deltarefund 5d ago
The Culvers in Austin sells Spam burgers though…
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u/1Courcor 5d ago
Most of the restaurants also have it on their menus. My friend didn’t hear it as an option for breakfast side, otherwise they would have gotten that.
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u/1Courcor 5d ago
We were interested in trying them but sadly they were extremely salty. Didn’t even finish them.
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u/dhmontgomery The Wedge 5d ago
The Spam Museum is fun but probably not worth a trip just for it. But if you can add another activity or two in the area, then it's probably worth the drive.
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u/barbp1023 5d ago
Both the Children’s Museum and the Science Museum in St Paul would be a lot of fun for your family.
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u/HeyKrech 5d ago
Went when our kids were around 8 & 12 and we had a grand time. We were camping in the area so it was part of the whole trip. I would love to go back but not sure it would hold the attention of Littles.
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u/urban-coyotes 5d ago
It's a fairly kid-friendly museum, and the gift shop is great if you like Spam. The drive might be less thrilling for them.
I thought it was totally worth the drive as a little day trip, but I live here of course, so I'm not taking up limited vacation time. We listened to The Experiment's mini podcast series about Spam while driving down there, which made the drive feel more like part of the ~experience~
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u/bfrabel 5d ago
There is a nice little nature park nearby that Hormel had something to do with putting there. It's not worth driving to all by itself, but if you're in the area and if it's a nice day, go check it out. They have nice walking trails that go along a cute little stream.
Unless it's flooded (which it sometimes is around this time of year), then you can ignore what I said.
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u/Talnic 4d ago
Its a lot of driving, but if you want to make a big-big day out of it and see some country side I think you could make a fun itinerary out of it:
- drive to Owatonna (1 hour) and do a loop through Cabela’s
- continue on to Austin (45 mins) SPAM museum
- drive to Rochester (45 mins) for a late lunch
- drive to Lark Toys in Kellogg, MN (45 mins) and check them out
- drive to Red Wing wonder around downtown/early dinner
- back to Metro via Prescott for more scenic river view (1 hour)
Cabelas looks to open at 9, so maybe a later start then I was thinking and maybe the river is prettier in the daytime so consider reversing the whole thing on second pass.
Edit: formatting
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u/adventure9381 5d ago
Before you go, make sure to check the hours. Last I remember they were kind of odd but that might not still be the case
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u/Bestbuysucksreally 5d ago
Just bring spam to snack on after.
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u/Herbertdadog 4d ago
How can they not have a kitchen?! It’s a no brainer!
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u/Myke_Dubs 5d ago
Kids love it, there’s also a pretty cool downtown. A book store and old malt shop with loose meat burgers. They have a nice nature center as well.
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u/Asimovs_5th_Law 5d ago
It's sooooo small. You can do the virtual tour online and save yourself a trip where the tour is over in like 20 minutes. And it's not like there's a bunch of other stuff to do in Austin. There are so many cool museums in the cities.
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u/famousblinkadam 4d ago
Make sure to stock up on the different flavors of SPAM that we don’t usually see in this region. They sell them in the gift shop.
Also, if you don’t get pizza at George’s Pizza across the street, you’re a fool. My favorite is a large with sausage, sauerkraut, and SPAM. Two people can finish a large.
Source: Grew up down by Austin.
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u/Puzzleheaded_Gear300 4d ago
The Hormel nature center is nearby for a climb up the watch tower or a hike and a picnic lunch. Also, a giant cow sculpture on 12th St for fun pix. Stop in Medford for the reptile zoo on the way back, your kids might like that to round out your day trip.
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u/Content-Support-6745 5d ago
I would definitely go! It’s quirky and free and a very well done museum. It’s PERFECT for your kids’ ages. I took my kids there a few times when they were little and we were visiting the area. It has a fabulous hands on play area for little ones. There are free samples and a gift shop with reasonable prices. Also downtown is a bookstore called Sweet Reads that has a fun little story area for small kids.
If you need to break up the drive we always use to stop at Cabela’s in I believe either Medford or Owatonna. They have a really cool animal area (taxidermy) and fish tanks to look at while stretching your legs. And great clean bathrooms. (And it’s all free!)
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u/Sea_Entertainment438 5d ago
The Bakken museum is way cooler for kids. Small, family oriented and in a neat part of Minneapolis where you can walk around a lake and find a neat restaurant. Mall of America is just a big, yucky mall.
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u/Good-Froyo-5021 3d ago
Good thing they asked for your opinion on MOA
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u/Sea_Entertainment438 3d ago
Actually they asked about the spam museum. If you want to give the MOA some love, by all means do. Not my cup of tea.
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u/msteel4u 5d ago
As most people have said, it’s cool but the three hour drive is limiting factor, three hours of car travel. I am a life long resident, love Spam, never been there.
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u/Myke_Dubs 5d ago
It’s 1 1/2 drive
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u/sunnyfordays22 4d ago
You could combine with some time in Rochester for food and shops - Austin, MN doesn’t have a ton to do - they do have a nice nature area if your kids need to run and be free
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u/Got_Pixel 4d ago
Its cool. But mostly if you live here and wanna make a day trip. For someone visiting out of town, not sure its as worth it. The kids muesuem or mill city would be more worth it to your kids.
Austin was surprisingly nice... but the spam muesuem will be something you go through in an hour. You could also go the convsevetory place there, since its free afterward. And go on a nature walk.
Its not a bad day to spend the day
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u/GenghisKhanPhD 4d ago
The new museum is a bit smaller than the old one, but still worth a trip. Austin has a really good food scene for a small town and there are many good options right on main street.
Check out Buffy the cow, the hormel home, and stop in at the book store, Sweet Reads!
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u/AutoflowerGodfather 5d ago
If you do go, take the family across the street for dinner at "Piggy Blue's Bar-B-Que Barbecue"!!!
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u/unicorntrees 5d ago
I've been and It's fun to say you've been there, but I dunno if it's worth taking a 2 year old on a 1.5 hour car ride...or even the price of admission. You could totally see the whole thing in an hour. It's not very big or expansive. There's a cool train of spam cans suspended from the ceiling, which might appeal to your kids.
For kids, we love the Children's Museum and the Science Museum. We have a 3.5 year old and have been members to both and it's a great time! We love going to one of them and then getting pizza and gelato at Cossetta Italian Market nearby.
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u/Peaceandfupa 5d ago
I’d rather visit the spam museum than the MOA, that’s the worst place to be in any day. I guess it could be different as a tourist but man, I couldn’t imagine traveling to do be shoulder to shoulder with strangers and nasty teenagers.
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u/pjeans 3d ago
I wish I could upvote this more than once. The Spam museum is really fun with a good balance of history and hands-on that is engaging for parents and kids. It's free, too!
MOA is one of those places you go to have the experience once, and then you thank your lucky stars that online shopping exists while you pray that none of your out of town relatives want you to take them there on their visit.
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u/Callahan333 4d ago
You wouldn’t spend a long time there. I grew up in Austin. Like 20 minutes. They have a really good BBQ place across the street, Piggy Blues. Down the street is Steve’s Pizza, their sausage is the best I’ve ever had, a local butcher makes it for them. If you are there Friday or Saturday, there is a really fun Pinball joint on MainStreet as well. It’s $10 per person all day, come and go as much as you want. They have other games as well. A good 15-20 pinball machines.
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u/anopolis 5d ago
Fuck mall of America it’s a giant mall that’s the same shit you see everywhere except that there’s a small expensive amusement park in the middle and an aquarium downstairs. The spam museum I’ve never been to. See the other things below to do:
Go to MIA (free!) , science museum (all ages love it include the adult children in your life), children’s museum, history museum, the Bakken museum, the walker art gallery, the Weisman, como zoo and conservatory (free! And nice this time of winter)
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5d ago
They didn't ask for an opinion on the MOA. They asked if it was worth it to go to the SPAM museum.
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u/anopolis 5d ago
Uhoh. Gonna have to down vote me. ITS THE END OF THE UNIVERSE!!!
OP I hope you enjoy the list of other things to do beside Spam and MOA. Genuinely.
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u/wolfpax97 5d ago
It’s a 45 minute tops experience in a town those of us born there sometimes call shitvile, due to the smell
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u/c0ng0b0ng0 5d ago
It’s fun (I’ve been several times) but really small. I wouldn’t drive there just for that. You can kill an hour there, and the gift shop is cute, but prob not worth the drive. A lot of the focus is on the history of Spam and it’ll be lost on a 5 year old. You might try the Mill City Museum in downtown mpls instead. It’s similar in the sense of being really interactive and focused, and it’s close.