Benton County Historical Society to close for major renovations

The Benton County Historical Society and Museum in Sauk Rapids will temporarily close starting Monday, October 19, to complete renovations and install new exhibit spaces. The facility is scheduled to reopen on December 6.

Executive Director Lacey Fontaine announced that the second level of the building has been fully renovated. The reopening will feature four new exhibits: a dedicated military space honoring Benton County veterans, a children’s room showcasing historical clothing and toys, a room dedicated to the 1886 cyclone, and a rotating decades room. The decades room will initially focus on the founding of Benton County, including settler and indigenous history, before rotating to different eras every few years.

The museum aims to have the exhibits ready for the Sauk Rapids Jingle & Mingle event. During the closure, the society will continue to accommodate research requests via email.