No matter which of our interesting attractions you choose to visit, rest assured that your group will be greeted by the friendly faces of the people of Owatonna. Whether planning a day trip or a longer tour - Owatonna has the people and amenities to make sure your visit is a pleasant one!
Shop at Cabela's, World's Foremost Outfitter and the largest fishing, hunting and outdoor gear store in the Midwest. With three million visitors a year it is the second most popular tourist attraction in Minnesota.
Your group is sure to enjoy this 150,000 square foot mega-store. Cabela's also offers an educational center that celebrates the outdoors and the men and women who enjoy it and a park-like restaurant that brings the great outdoors, indoors.
Stroll through the Historic Downtown Retail District of specialty shops and boutiques offering antiques, crafts, shoes, clothing, and more.
Step back in time at the National Farmers' Bank by architect Louis Sulllivan. Now  operating as the Wells Fargo Bank, it is a National Historic Landmark and was commemorated on a United States postage stamp in 1981.
- Built from 1906-1908, with major restorations in 1997, the most famous of all Sullivan's banks.
- Electrically illuminated chandeliers weighing 2.25 tons each.
- Stained-glass filled arches, with gold-leaf fill.
Encounter a blend of architectural styles from the late 1800s to early 1900s during your Historic Walking Tour. Historic homes, schools, churches and other buildings are clustered downtown and the nearby residential areas. Additional architectural and historic points of interest are also noted in the Historic Walking Tour guide, available at the Owatonna Area Chamber of Commerce & Tourism.
Learn the story of Minnesota's orphans at the Minnesota State Orphanage Museum, the only state school orphanage in Minnesota's history. Guided tours may be scheduled with a guide who lived in the orphanage for $7.00/person.
And while you're visiting the West Hills complex enjoy the current exhibit at the Owatonna Arts Center.
Experience what life was like in Owatonna at the turn of the 20th Century at the
Village of Yesteryear. This fifteen structure setting is presented by the Steele County Historical Society and includes two log cabins, a railroad station and a caboose from Steele County dating back to the 1850's, a general store/post office, a fire station, a farm machinery building, a blacksmith shop, a country school, Dunnell mansion built in 1868, and the St. Wenceslaus of Moravia Church built in 1891. The buildings are furnished according to the time they were built, and are connected by a boardwalk. You should allow 1 1/2 hours for the tour, which costs $4.00/person.
Open May 1 - September 30
For more information and for assistance with group tours, contact the Owatonna Area Chamber of Commerce & Tourism at 800-423-6466, or stop by the 24-Hour Visitor Center at 320 Hoffman Drive
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320 Hoffman Drive - Owatonna, MN 55060