Current Exhibits

The City of Baseball Museum offers a trip through time that features distinct eras of baseball in St. Paul with a focus on the rich history of its storied hometown team:

St. Paul Sandlot:

The St. Paul Sandlot tells the story of a simpler time from the late 1800s to the early 1900s, both on the baseball diamond and in the city of Saint Paul.  In this space, patrons experience the sights and sounds of the time.  They will learn about the growth of Saint Paul, and with the cities growth, the growth of Saint Paul Baseball.  Including highlights of the Saint Paul Olympic Club and their diamond on Ninth & Olive, the St. Paul Red Caps, the St. Paul Blue Caps, and others.  They will be introduced to a young baseball man by the name of Comiskey who will shape the future of baseball, both in St. Paul and beyond. 

Black Pioneers:

The Black Pioneers details St. Paul as home to countless talented African American baseball players, yet few of them are known to fans today. During the many decades that Major League Baseball and its affiliates imposed a strict policy of segregation, Black ballplayers in Minnesota were relegated to a haphazard array of semi-pro leagues, barnstorming clubs, and loose organizations of all-Black teams—many of which are lost to history.  These ballplayers struggled to overcome racial indignities and the lack of recognition for their accomplishments due to the color of their skin. Their participation was denied due to racism, not their ability to play. What they experienced while playing baseball is a reflection of the troubled history of race relations in the United States. - Frank White, Minnesota Black Baseball Project and Alison Aten, MNHS Press

The Black Pioneers exhibit includes the extraordinary Toni Stone, of St. Paul's Rondo neighborhood fame, and the first of three women to play in the Negro Leagues.  Phil "Daddy" Reid and his St. Paul Colored Gophers club are profiled, including a throwback uniform display.

On The Map:

The On the Map feature is central to the City of Baseball Museum experience and helps tie all of the stories presented throughout the museum together.  It provides a visual representation of how those stories shaped the history of St. Paul baseball.  This map of St. Paul, set to true north, highlights the locations of all of Saint Paul’s ballparks, the childhood homes of Saint Paul legends, including Joe Mauer, David Winfield, Jack Morris, Toni Stone, Charles Schultz, F. Scott Fitzgerald and many more, while calling out other locations and landmarks that played a role in St. Paul’s rich baseball history.

River Rivals:

The River Rivals space represents the era during which the Twin Cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul took their sibling rivalry to the ballfield.  The history of the Streetcar Series, the rivalry between the St. Paul Saints and the Minneapolis Millers, includes stories of Hall of Fame caliber players, crosstown double-headers, and mythical games.  With names like Williams, Mays and Yastrzemski having played on the west side of the river and Durocher, Campanella, and Snider having played on the east, it was Minnie and Paul who ultimately brought the two cities together.  Yet the friendly rivalry continues.  

Heavy Hitters:

The Heavy Hitters “era” focuses on the Saints of the 20s, 30s, 40s, and 50s.  This feature tells the story of the Saints unique connection to the Murderers Row and the Boys of Summer.  It highlights greats that played against the Saints, for the Saints, and coached the Saints, during this golden age of baseball.  This era is anchored by a feature honoring the many players who wore the Saints uniform that went on to be enshrined in the Hall Of Fame. 

Comeback Kids:

The Comeback Kids section of the museum focuses on the modern-day Saints.  It tells the story of a partnership of visionaries that brought professional baseball back to Saint Paul after 32 long years withthout a team to call its own.  Today's Saints, a franchise built on second chances and dreams realized, from Kevin Millar to Jack Morris, Darryl Strawberry to J.D. Drew, Rey Ordoñez to Ila Borders (the first female Pitcher to win a men's professional baseball game).  The Comeback Kids era also highlights the team’s unique connections to pop culture and the fun that has been had both on and off the field since the “new” Saints came back in 1993.