Sample St. Paul Entertainment Guide:
December 2024
Children’s
Museum
10 7th St. W.
St. Paul
651-225-6000
mcm.org
“Curious George: Let’s Get Curious!”, through January 5, 2025. Get up close with the most curious little monkey and follow his lead as you engage in math, science and engineering activities modeled after Curious George’s own adventures.
Exhibits and activities include “The Scramble,” “The Studio,” “Creativity Jam,” “Sprouts,” “Our World,” “Forces at Play,” “Shipwreck Adventures” and “Imaginopolis.” Tickets are $17 on weekdays and $19 on weekends. Admission is free the first Sunday of each month; reservations are required, and tickets are limited. The next free date is December 1.
History Center
345 W. Kellogg Blvd.
St. Paul
651-259-3000
mnhs.org
“Girlhood (It’s complicated),” through June 1, 2025. This exhibit from the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History features more than 100 objects that explore how young women have influenced politics, education, work, health and fashion.
“Reframing our Stories” is featured through October 2025. The exhibit was created from a decades-old box of photographs simply labeled “Indians.” Inside the box were dozens of pictures of Native community members, organizations, activities, and events that are relevant today.
“Our Home: Native Minnesota” features historic and contemporary photographs, maps, and artifacts that show how Minnesota’s native communities have retained cultural practices, teachings and values.
Other exhibits include “Minnesota’s Greatest Generation,” “Then Now Wow,” “Grainland” and “Weather Permitting.” Tickets are $15 for adults, $12 for seniors and college students, and $8 for children ages five to 17. Admission and parking is free on Thursdays, 4-8 p.m.
History Theatre
30 E. 10th St.
St. Paul
651-292-4323
Historytheatre.com
“I Am Betty,” through December 29. A musical look at the fictional Betty Crocker and the lives of women and society throughout the past 100 years. From $30.
Landmark Center
75 5th St. W.
St. Paul
651-292-3225
landmarkcenter.org
Public Building Tour, 12:30 p.m.-1:15 p.m., every Sunday. Learn about the building’s history, gangster connections and restoration.
Holiday Bazaar, Dec. 6-8. Shop for quality handcrafted items including jewelry, woodwork, paintings, décor, woven and wearable art, handmade lotions, soaps and more, and enjoy festive music and treats. $5. Hours are 10 a.m.-7 p.m. Friday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m., Saturday and noon-5 p.m. Sunday.
Star of the North Concert Band holiday concert, 7:30 p.m., Wednesday, Dec. 11. Free.
Songs of the Season courtroom concert, noon-1 p.m., Thursday, Dec. 12. Free.
Santa’s Workshop, 1-3 p.m., Sunday, Dec. 15. Games, gift-making and free photos with Santa. Free.
Woodturning demonstration, 1-4 p.m., Sunday, Dec. 15 in the AAW Gallery of Wood Art. Free.
Landmark Live concert featuring Annie Mack, 7:30 p.m., Friday, Dec. 20. From $20.
MN Museum of American Art
350 Robert St. N.
St. Paul
651-797-2571
mmaa.org
“Hilo de la Sangre (Thread of the Blood),” through January 15, 2025. Organized with Grupo Soap del Corazón, this exhibition brings together Latino visual artists to consider the significance of blood as the most essential component of life.
“Here, Now,” through May 2027. Discover 150 artworks across media from historically significant and notable new artists. All are in the M’s permanent collection.
The museum is open 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Thursday-Sunday. Admission is free.
Ordway Center
345 Washington St.
St. Paul
651-224-4222
ordway.org
“The Little Mermaid,” Dec. 3-29. In a magical kingdom beneath the sea, the beautiful young mermaid Ariel longs to leave her ocean home to live in the world above. Based on one of Hans Christian Andersen’s most beloved stories and the classic animated film, Disney’s “The Little Mermaid.” From $46.50.
St. Paul Chamber Orchestra concerts: Copland’s Appalachian Spring, Nov. 29-Dec. 1. Bach’s Brandenburg Concertos with Richard Egarr, Dec. 13-15. Handel’s Messiah, Dec. 21-22. All concerts from $16. Students are free.
Leo Kottke concert, 7 p.m., Thursday, Dec. 5. Prolific guitarist Leo Kottke boasts an impressive body of work and an unrivaled fingerpicking style. His 40-plus albums over four decades have earned him two Grammy nominations and widespread acclaim. From $59.
The String Queens: Our Favorite Things holiday concert, 7:30 p.m., Saturday, Dec. 7. Praised for its authentic, soulful and orchestral sound, The String Queens is a dynamic trio that creates stimulating musical experiences that inspire audiences to love, hope, feel and imagine. From $34.
Christmas with Cantus: Lessons and Carols for Our Time, 7:30 p.m., Friday, Dec. 20. Blending poetry with sacred and secular song, Cantus reimagines the beloved format of Nine Lessons and Carols made famous by the Choir of King’s College at the University of Cambridge. From $34.
Park Square
Theatre
20 W. 7th Place
St. Paul
651-291-7005
parksquaretheatre.org
“The Best Christmas Pageant Ever,” Dec. 6-22. In this hilarious holiday classic, two dads struggle to put on a Christmas pageant at the local community center and are faced with casting the Herdman kids – probably the most awful kids in history. From $25.
RiverCentre
175 W. Kellogg Blvd.
St. Paul
651- 265-4800
rivercentre.org
Minnesota Roller Derby, 6 p.m., Saturday, Dec. 14. Maul Rats vs. Roller Vortex and Bodies Of Water vs. Wednesday Warnings. From $17.
Science Museum
120 W. Kellogg Blvd.
St. Paul
651-221-9444
smm.org
Mental Health: Mind Matters, through February 2, 2025. Unravel the layers of mental health, using empathy and understanding to analyze the specific challenges and triumphs associated with mental well-being.
Virtual Reality Transporter, through December 2026. Use the VRT to hurtle through the cosmos at fantastic speeds, scuba dive into prehistoric seas, and join the astronauts of Apollo 11 as they moonwalk for the first time. $9.95.
Museum Nights, 5-8 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays. Explore museum galleries, check out special Science Live performances, enjoy food and drink, then catch an Omnitheater show.
Omnitheater films:
“Ancient Caves,” through February 14, 2025. Join scientists and cave divers to explore vast underground worlds and elaborate rock foundations in search of geologic clues about the planet’s climate history.
“Fungi Web of Life,” through April 13, 2025. The film unravels how plants and animals would not exist without mushrooms, molds, yeasts and toadstools.
“Secrets of the Sea,” through April 14, 2025. From the smallest krill to the largest whales, explore how ocean ecosystems depend on biodiversity and a surprising level of animal cooperation.
“Stellar Tours: A Star is Born,” Wednesday-Sunday. Follow the life cycle of a star through this live digital telescope show.
Omnitheater tickets are $9.95. Free for children ages 3 and under. Museum tickets are $29.95 for adults and $19.95 for ages 4-17.
Xcel Center
199 W. Kellogg Blvd.
St. Paul
651-726-8240
xcelenergycenter.com
Trans-Siberian Orchestra presents the rock opera “The Lost Christmas Eve,” 3 and 7:30 p.m., Saturday, Dec. 21. Alone on Christmas Eve, a bitter old businessman wandered New York City. Once a rising star, he’d traded love, family, and joy for a life of solitude and regret. The tragic loss of his wife hardened his heart, pushing him away from his infant son and into decades of isolation. Then, a chance encounter with a mysterious girl led him to a life-altering phone call. His son, who he abandoned decades ago, was alive, a gentle soul caring for troubled newborns in a maternity ward. After seeking him out, the son gives a silent and forgiving gaze to his long-lost father. As they sit together, comforting innocent infants, a new reunited life together begins. From $64.
