Orphanage Museum Sites
We invite you to take a self-guided tour of the Orphanage Museum on the grounds of the former Minnesota State Public School for Dependent & Neglected Children. Different locations on the campus explain different parts of the story. Check the hours of operation at the bottom of this page.
Main Museum
The primary museum is located in the central hallway of Owatonna's City Hall. This u-shaped hall hosts display cabinets with materials sorted both chronologically and by subject. Photos and artifacts tell the stories of the children who lived this history.
Free admission. Suggested donation: $2 per person.
The Museum is closed on major holidays.
Restored Boys' Cottage 11
Take the opportunity to walk through a cottage from the State
School era to learn the stories of the boys who lived there. Highlights include original terrazzo flooring, bathroom fixtures, and woodwork, and a Gift Shop. Constructed in 1923, Cottage 11 was designed to house 25-35 boys from ages 6-13.
Free admission. Suggested donation: $2 per person.
C-11 is closed on Mondays and major holidays. See hours below.
Interested in volunteering at Cottage 11?
See Volunteer Opportunities.
State School Children's Cemetery
In all, 198 State School children have been laid to rest in the Children's Cemetery. The Cemetery is open for public viewing. It was restored by the Orphanage Museum and local friends.
The first 47 children who died were buried with a tombstone. However, the practice changed. The next 151 children who died were buried simply with their identification number etched on a slab of cement. Through a community effort, each grave now has a named marker.
A local newspaper reported on June 26, 1891, "A cemetery has been laid out on the State School farm which will be used for such of the Wards of the School who die there." Could they imagine that this cemetery would become the final resting ground for 198 children?
Outdoor Audio Stations
Grab a map in the main museum to locate the six outdoor stations. The map and each station are equipped with a QR code to play on your device.
Harvey Ronglien, who lived at the State School from 1932 to 1943, serves as your guide. Harvey gives life to the buildings and grounds by describing how they were used when this site was Minnesota State Public School. The stations loop you though the grounds with its the historic architecture.
The six-station Outdoor Audio Tour leads to Boys' Cottage 11, the Children's Cemetery, Root Cellar, Flagpole Plaza, Rock Garden, and the 1898 School Monument.
