>> Cathy: YES, WE WILL BE AT THE FAIR THE FIRST FRIDAY OF THE FAIR AT THE MPR BOOTH.

COME OUT AND SEE US.

WE'RE GOING TO TALK NEXT ABOUT A NEW EXHIBIT THAT'S OPENED AT THE MINNESOTA HISTORY CENTER, IT OPENED LAST MONTH, SHOWCASING St. PAUL NATIVE AND PEANUTS CREATOR CHARLES SCHULZ.

ANNIE JOHNSON IS THE MUSEUM MANAGER AT THE MINNESOTA HISTORY CENTER.

I THINK THAT IS YOUR FIRST TIME ON "ALMANAC."

WELCOME.

>> THANK YOU, I'M GLAD TO BE HERE.

>> Cathy: YEAH.

SO THIS EXHIBIT CAME FROM CALIFORNIA, RIGHT?

WHERE CHARLES SCHULZ MOVED TO, LIVED THERE AND DIED THERE, RIGHT?

>> YES.

THE CHARLES M. SCHULZ MUSEUM IS LOCATED IN SANTA ROSA, CALIFORNIA.

AND THEY HAVE TRAVELING EXHIBITS.

AND WE SAW THIS ON THE LIFE AND ART OF CHARLES M. SCHULZ WAS ONE OF THEIR EXHIBITS AND THOUGHT, WHAT A FANTASTIC THING TO BRING HERE TO MINNESOTA, TO St. PAUL, AND WE KNEW THAT WE HAD SO MANY THINGS IN OUR COLLECTIONS AND SO MANY ADDITIONAL MINNESOTA STORIES THAT WE COULD ADD TO THE EXHIBIT TO REALLY ENHANCE IT.

>> Eric: WHAT ARE SOME OF THOSE?

GIVE US A LITTLE BIT OF BACKGROUND OF SCHULZ IN MINNESOTA.

>> SURE.

SO, CHARLES SCHULZ WAS BORN, ACTUALLY, IN MINNEAPOLIS, BUT LIVED MOSTLY IN St. PAUL, LIVED IN MINNESOTA FOR ALMOST HALF OF HIS LIFE.

AND THERE IS INFORMATION ON HIS EARLY YEARS, SO HIS FATHER OWNED A BARBER SHOP IN St. PAUL, ONE OF THEM WAS NEAR WHERE O'GARA'S USED TO BE.

HIS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL HE WENT TO, THERE'S A GREAT MAP IN THE EXHIBIT THAT SHOWS MANY OF THE LOCATIONS ASSOCIATED WITH SCHULZ AND HIS FAMILY.

WE HAVE SECTIONS ON PEANUTS ON PARADE, THAT FANTASTIC, YOU KNOW, FIVE YEARS IN THE TURN OF THE CENTURY, WHERE WE HAD PEANUTS STATUES LOCATED AROUND St. PAUL, AS WELL AS CAMP SNOOPY AT THE MALL OF AMERICA.

>> Cathy: OH, WOW.

I'M ASSUMING, LOOKING AT THIS EXHIBIT, THAT I'M BETTING MHS MUST HAVE SOME OR MANY SCHULZ ARTIFACTS THAT ARE PART OF THIS EXHIBIT OR AM I WRONG ABOUT THAT?

>> YES, WE DEFINITELY HAVE THINGS THAT ARE IN THE EXHIBIT, INCLUDING A LARGE COLLECTION OF ITEMS FROM THE REAL CHARLIE BROWN, SCHULZ NAMED SEVERAL CHARACTERS AFTER PEOPLE HE KNEW ERE IN THE TWIN CITIES.

SO THE REAL CHARLIE BROWN DONATED OY -- A LOT OF HIS ITEMS TO THE HISTORICAL SOCIETY SO THEY'RE ON DISPLAY.

>> Eric: THERE'S A LOUNGE AS PART OF THE EXHIBIT?

>> YES, A LOUNGE AREA.

THERE'S A GREAT TRACING TABLE, YOU CAN TRY YOUR HAND AT CREATING YOUR OWN COMIC STRIP, THERE'S AN AREA TO DO THAT.

THERE'S AN AREA WITH BOOKS, COMPLETE COPPIC STRIP BOOKS, CHILDREN'S BOOKS, PUZZLES, SO FAMILIES CAN SIT AND STAY FOR A HILE AND REAL DIVE INTO THE UNIVERSE THAT SCHULZ CREATED.

>> Eric: WAS IT HARD INTEGRATING WHAT YOU HAD AND WHAT THE MUSEUM HAS OR WAS THERE ANY ARGUMENT ABOUT WHAT'S GOING TO GO IN OR WAS THAT PRETTY SMOOTH COLLABORATION?

>> IT WAS PRETTY SMOOTH.

THE EXHIBIT THAT CAME FROM CALIFORNIA IS JUST PANELS, IT'S JUST TEXT PANELS, SO WE KNEW THAT WE COULD REALLY ADD THE STUFF.

SO THAT'S EVERYTHING THAT'S ON DISPLAY S FROM OUR COLLECTION OR FROM LOCAL COLLECTORS.

IT'S FANTASTIC, WE HAVE A LOCAL COLLECTOR ON OUR STAFF AT THE HISTORY CENTER.

SO SHE WAS ABLE TO LOAN US A LOT OF HER CHECKS THAT'S ON DISPLAY IN THE EXHIBIT.

>> Cathy: WHAT'S BEEN THE REACTION SO FAR?

WHAT HAVE YOU EARD?

>> IT'S BEEN FANTASTIC.

PEOPLE ARE LOVING IT.

ATTENDANCE HAS BEEN HUGE, ESPECIALLY POST-COVID, YOU KNOW, ANYTHING TO DO TO HELP MUSEUM ATTENDANCE RECOVER IS WONDERFUL.

AND PEOPLE ARE JUST REALLY HAVING FUN.

AND I THINK THEY'RE LEARNING THINGS HEY DIDN'T KNOW ABOUT CHARLES SCHULZ.

AND, YOU KNOW, MEMORIES ARE COMING UP.

I KNOW, FOR ME, I GREW UP HERE IN THE TWIN CITIES, AND WHEN THE MALL OF AMERICA OPENED AND WALKING IN AND SEEING THE GIANT SNOOPY, MY SENIOR PROGRAM WAS AT CAMP SNOOP ISNOOPY, WAS FUN AND IT BROUGHT BACK A LOT OF MEMORIES.

SO I THINK A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE HAVING THOSE EXPERIENCES.

>> Eric: IT WILL BE HERE UNTIL JUNE OF 2024?

>> CORRECT.

SO PEOPLE HAVE TIME TO COME OUT AND SEE IT ONCE OR TWICE OR MORE.

>> Eric: CAN'T WAIT TO GO.

THANKS, ANNIE.

>> Cathy: THANK YOU SO MUCH.