Afton Historical Museum

Help Us Reach Our Fundraising Goal of $10,000!

Every Gift Counts!

Since reopening after the pandemic, the Museum board, staff and our awesome volunteers have been busy!  

We are excited to announce a new Afton Schools exhibit which will open soon. 

We continue to do infrastructure projects with grant money provided by the State of Minnesota, from the Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund through the Minnesota Historical Society.  This year we completed a stunning restoration of our 100-year old mural and the building upgrades to stabilize it. We also installed a fire suppression system to safeguard our collections. 

We are grateful for the large amount of grant money the Museum has received from this fund over the years, and the trust placed upon our organization to satisfactorily complete these projects. 

This grant money can only be used for designated projects which have been approved through a lengthy and competitive process. The museum board and our volunteers participate in numerous fundraising activities to raise money for our monthly operating expenses, but we still rely on our generous donors to help with these costs. 

What are our operating costs? They include all of the monthly expenses needed to keep our building open, including our part time staff. 

This year we are asking for donations to help with our operating costs. 

Can you help us reach our goal of $10,000?

THANK YOU for your continued support, and for entrusting us to preserve our area history. We could not do it without you! 

Afton Historical Museum Mission Statement

The Afton Historical Society was organized in 1980 for the purpose of locating and collecting any material which would help to establish or illustrate the history of the Afton area or the state, the exploration, settlement, development, and activities in peace and war, the progress of population, ethnic groups, wealth, education, arts, science, agriculture, manufacturing, trade, etc., and to disseminate historical information to interested persons, groups, and institutions.

The Museum is located within the former Congregational church, built in 1868, in the historic Village of Afton. Since opening our doors in 1985, over 10,000 historic items have been protected and the museum has become a gathering spot for visitors young and old. Membership dues and donations are the main source of funding for operating the museum. 

Discover Your History: The museum has an outstanding collection of historic documents, including Afton's original plat map on silk, diaries from early residents, business ledgers, burial information, photographs, property and family histories. Artifacts include historic farming implements, civil war memorabilia and Afton's first post office counter. Notable displays like "Wedding Dresses Through the Ages" have garnered rave reviews. 

Its All About Connections: Whether it's working with our Collections Manager to research property history, discover early Minnesota history, or decorate 100’s of pumpkins; the Afton Museum is a place where people go to connect and discover. Our popular events attract visitors who return year after year, and are fun for every age. 

THANK YOU for your kind consideration and we hope to see you at the museum soon! For more information follow us on Facebook or visit our website.