Spend the weekend exploring history around the state of Minnesota. The Minnesota Historical Society, or MNHS, lists the following events going on around the state Saturday:

Wild Edibles - Forest History Center, 2609 County Road 76, Grand Rapids, Minn.: 

Sip sumac lemonade, savor sauteed day lilies, nibble on a fresh fiddlehead and munch on acorns. Learn which common plants growing in northern Minnesota forests are edible and how to harvest them responsibly. Join a nature hike to learn where certain plants grow and the best time to pick them. Then head back to the visitor center where you'll learn how to prepare the items. There will be an opportunity to sample nature's delicacies and to learn the cook's recipes. The spring class will feature very different edibles from the fall class. 

  • Time: Noon to 3 p.m. 
  • Fee: $15 adults, $12 seniors and college students, $11 children ages 6 to 17; $5 MNHS members. 
  • Reservations: required; call 218-327-4482.

Butter Making Day - Historic Forestville 21899 County Road #118, Preston, Minn.: 

Butter has been used for more than 4,000 years. For many years, butter was only produced in the home. During the 19th century, many farm wives supplemented farm income by selling butter. They churned every day or so, or whenever enough cream had accumulated. Step back into 1899 and observe costumed guides as they complete the weekly task of butter churning. Nineteenth-century traditional techniques of churning will be showcased with opportunities for hands on participation. 

  • Phone: 507-765-2785 
  • Time: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. 
  • Fee: $7 adults, $6 seniors and college students, $5 children ages 6-17; free for children age 5 and under and MNHS members. State park vehicle permit required.  

Blacksmithing II (advanced) - Historic Fort Snelling 200 Tower Avenue, St. Paul: 

Individuals who have participated in the Blacksmithing I program are encouraged to join the skilled tradespeople the fort and further sharpen their blacksmithing skills. Students will work on an advanced smithing project to make a real working knife. Children ages 13-17 must be accompanied by an adult. 

  • Time: 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. 
  • Fee: $75/$70 for MNHS members. 
  • Reservations: required; call 612-726-1171 or buy tickets online.

Piano Concert by Don Irwin - James J. Hill House 240 Summit Ave., St. Paul:

Popular pianist Don Irwin returns to the Hill House for a summer concert in the two-story, skylit Art Gallery highlighting music from his latest CD. The 90-minute concert will be followed by a light reception and tours of the Hill House, included with admission. 

  • Time: 7:30 p.m. 
  • Fee: $27 / $25 MNHS members.
  • Reservations: recommended; call 651-489-5771.

The American Indian Travois - Jeffers Petroglyphs Historic Site 27160 County Road 2, Comfrey, Minn.: 

Discover the material culture and innovations that American Indians developed in order to survive on the prairie. Visitors will take part in a hands-on activity investigating reproduction items that would have been used in daily life and packed on a travois. The roles and responsibilities of various members of an American Indian family will be explored. Plus, guests can compete to see who can hitch up and pack their travois the quickest and race to a finish line. 

  • Phone: 507-628-5591 
  • Time: 2 to 5 p.m. 
  • Fee: $7 adults, $6 seniors and college students, $5 children ages 6-17; free for children age 5 and under and MNHS members.

Engineering the Falls Tour with History Player William de la Barre - Mill City Museum 704 South Second Street, Minneapolis:

Take a walking tour of St. Anthony Falls led by costumed history player William de la Barre, the Austrian engineer who spent half a century developing Minneapolis flour milling and waterpower. Participants will visit the Minneapolis Riverfront, the west-side milling district and the Stone Arch Bridge, and hear about the many ways the falls has changed over the years. The tour includes one mile of moderately paced walking on uneven surfaces. Please call ahead to make arrangements for guests with limited mobility. The tour will begin and end at Mill City Museum, where participants can visit the museum’s gallery, included in the price of the tour. Tours are held rain or shine.

  • Time: 1 p.m. 
  • Fee: $14 adults, $12 seniors and college students, $10 children ages 6-17 and MNHS members. Includes museum admission. 
  • Reservations: required; call 612-341-7555 or buy tickets online.

We Are Anishinaabe: Our Migration Journey - Mille Lacs Indian Museum and Trading Post 43411 Oodena Dr., Onamia, Minn.:

According to oral tradition, ancestors of the Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe moved westward from the Atlantic coast of North America. By the mid-1700s they had established themselves in the region around Mille Lacs Lake. Discover the origins of Ojibwe people in Minnesota in this 30-minute discussion and explore the stories, values and traditions that traveled with them and remain today. 

  • Phone: 320-532-3632 
  • Time: 1 and 2 p.m. 
  • Fee: $8 adults, $7 seniors and college students, $6 children ages 6-17; free for children age 5 and under and MNHS members. 

History Food Crawls: University Avenue, Frogtown and Rondo - Minnesota History Center 345 Kellogg Blvd W., St. Paul: 

Ride through the history, culture and cuisine of one of St. Paul’s most changeable districts, University Avenue. From a country road, streetcar line and urban highway, the avenue is now a light rail route that both divides and defines the district. Investigate Frogtown and the Hmongtown Marketplace and discover what was lost in Rondo, the city's historic African American neighborhood. Experience the beauty of St. Agnes Catholic Church, one of St. Paul’s architectural gems, and get to know the story of Pilgrim Baptist, home of Minnesota’s oldest black congregation. Along the way enjoy hearty samples from the neighborhood’s best purveyors of food. The two-and-a-half hour tour is on an air-conditioned bus and includes up to three blocks of moderately paced walking on uneven surfaces. Please call ahead to make arrangements for guests with limited mobility. Food samples are included in ticket price. 

  • Time: 1:30 p.m. to 4 p.m. 
  • Fee: $35/$30 for MNHS members. 
  • Reservations: required; call 651-259-3015 or buy tickets online.

Architecture Tour of the State Capitol - Minnesota State Capitol 75 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., St. Paul:

Take a 90-minute guided tour of one of the grandest and most architecturally significant public buildings in the United States. Along the way, learn about the Capitol's renowned architect, Cass Gilbert, and the building's Beaux-Arts style. The tour will include stops in the legislative chambers, rotunda, and a special rooftop visit to see stunning views of the city and a close-up look at the Quadriga (golden horses) weather permitting. Visitors can also see a cut-away drawing of the unique dome and photographs documenting the 1905 construction of the building. Books on the life and career of Cass Gilbert will be available for purchase at the information desk. 

  • Time: 11 a.m. 
  • Fee: $9 adults, $8 seniors and college students, $6 children ages 6 to 17; $2 discount for MNHS members. 
  • Reservations: required; call 651-296-2881 or buy tickets online.

Father's Day Weekend - Oliver H. Kelley Farm 15788 Kelley Farm Rd., Elk River, Minn.: 

This Father’s Day join the Kelley Farm staff as they work on typical 19th-century "fancy chores," such as building feed boxes, repairing equipment and fences, and caring for the livestock. Guests can also bake treats in the farm house and help water and weed in the garden. Fathers are admitted free when accompanied by a child. 

  • Phone: 763-441-6896 
  • Time: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday; noon to 5 p.m. Sunday.
  • Fee: $9 adults, $7 seniors and college students, $6 ages 6-17; free for ages 5 and under, fathers and MNHS members.