Research Self-Help
We know that many researchers either cannot visit in person or prefer remote services. The following list of self-help resources may help you prepare for an appointment or conduct your research from a distance.
Birth certificates
- Search and order via MN People records search
- Minnesota birth records — help/about (includes information about pre-1900 birth records)
- Vital records research guide
Death certificates
- Search and order via MN People records search
- Minnesota death records — help/about (includes information about pre-1904 death records)
- Vital records research guide
Marriage records
- Vital records research guide
- Order through marriage record request research service
- Search Minnesota Official Marriage System (MOMS) and order from participating county records offices
Naturalization records
- Naturalization and immigration research guide
- Order through naturalization record and 1918 alien registration research services
- Search in and order from Iron Range Research Center
State institutional records (prison, orphanage, state hospital)
- State hospital, prison, and Owatonna State Public School Research Guides
- Normally available through research services (currently unavailable)
Legislative research
- Legislative history research guide
- Available through legislative document search request
- The MN Legislative Reference Library provides online access to some materials
- Some Minnesota House and Senate journals have been digitized and are available through Hathi Trust
Courts (including divorces)
- Court records research guide
- Search for and order will book records
- Case files are available through two different services:
Newspaper articles & obituaries
- MNHS Newspaper Collection: includes links to free newspaper searches
- MN Digital Newspaper Hub: search and view some pre-1923 Minnesota newspapers for free, includes Historic Minneapolis Tribune (1867-1922)
- Order through obituary and newspaper article research services
- Interlibrary Loan: contact your local library for info about borrowing MNHS materials on microfilm
Images, audio, or film
- Order images: see our Photographs: Research & ordering guide for more information on the process and links to the order forms (Note: many images in our Collections Online system can be ordered directly online. Click on the blue "buy" button to get started)
- Send search, use/licensing, and other questions to library.permissions@mnhs.org
- Photographs: Research & ordering and Photographs: Use permissions & licensing research guides
Donating to MNHS collections
Access to & copies of specific folders, items, books, or articles
- Order copies of articles or from books via our copy request (book or article) service
- Order copies of archival and manuscript materials via our copy request (folders from boxes) service
Updates (including info on library services & reopening plans)
- Library services page
- Library’s Facebook page
- Get direct email updates about the library by joining our email list
- Get info and updates on MNHS’s response to the COVID-19 health crisis
Other questions
If your question is not addressed above and you would like help from library staff, please contact us via email or phone. Please note that we are currently experiencing a high volume of reference and research inquiries.