Secrets of the City

I love the IDS Tower. I want to hug it and kiss it and feel its zogs. I’d also like to go look out from the top of it, but it’s closed and I can’t. Bastards.

Yes, yes – the UFO museum – I remember it well. I have the same problem – every time I bring it up, no one remembers it. When I was in grade school, one of my summer school classes made paper plate UFOs, and they were displayed in the UFO museum. I often think the memory was planted…..

My HS physics class had a project to determine the acceleration of the express elevator to the top floor using a bathroom scale. We had to take a polaroid of ourselves in the elevator with a scale to prove that we did the experiment. Great IDS memory. Later, I had a job with a window cube on the 32nd floor for several years – later I had an office in another tower on a window, but the cube with the window in the IDS was way cooler. One of my windows cracked, and it was great watching them replace that huge pane of glass. Sorry for the personal nostalgia trip – but I also love the IDS tower.

Speaking of trivia – my job was as a librarian for American Express (IDS), so I occasionally took calls asking questions about the tower (height, usually). Whenever the company switchboard got the calls they routed them to us, even though we no longer owned the building. That was fun.

Were you there when the guy jumped out the window at the Amex offices? yuck.

I was in the office, missed seeing it, thank goodness, friends who witnessed were horrified, and a bit pissed at the guy for the conversation that went on right before he jumped. we had a 3 floor spiral staircase (great views from it), he jumped from that area. OUr intern at the time was in the Crystal Court right after it happened, before roped off, and walked right by the body. Needless to day, she went home for the rest of the day.

Oh. My. God.

I totally forgot about the UFO museum. Wow.

It sounds like ‘the man’ shut the museum down because it was tellin secrets he didn’t want you to know.

I saw the UFO museum as a kid, probably several times! It was severely cool!!!

I rode past Hubert White the other morning and was thrilled to see this window display.

I too went on a field-trip there for the UFO museum. Great stuff. Bring it back!

I want to buy the IDS Tower and built a home on top so I can have the highest up residence in all of Minnesota. I will also re-open the top floor observation area. Unfortunately, I only have about $6,000.

My HS physics class had a project to determine the acceleration of the express elevator to the top floor using a bathroom scale.

Well…what was the acceleration?

Does anyone also remember the museum of medical…well, “oddities” at the Mayo in Rochester? Farm and industrial accidents photos and maniquins, weird shit in jars, mechanical body parts…I went there for an elementary school field trip, and I ain’t never been the same.

V. different from the medical oddities that was at Riverplace, now at Bandana Sq. (?), btw.

Where do these old museums go? Are they in someones garage?

Umm, that was a few years ago, I believe that the acceleration was around either 1.2 or 1.9 meters per second per second.

I’m still sad I never made it to the Mutter Museum in Philly.

Does anyone also remember the museum of medical…well, “oddities” at the Mayo in Rochester? Farm and industrial accidents photos and maniquins, weird shit in jars, mechanical body parts…I went there for an elementary school field trip, and I ain’t never been the same.

Ack, yes. The plastic models of farm accidents stick with me for a looooong time.

Ack, yes. The plastic models of farm accidents stick with me for a looooong time.

“stuck”

I remember it too. It’s not still there, is it?

I remember it too. It’s not still there, is it?

I was at the Mayo twice in the last 8 years, and looked for it both times. No longer at it’s old location; no idea where it is, or if it is…

God damn it. Why do they have to get rid of everything cool? I mean, sure, the questionable medical devices from the Museum of Questionable Medical devices are now at the science museum, but you used to be able to try them out! And don’t get me started on the mysteriously missing collection of terrifying antique dental items that used to be in Moos Tower!

You can still go to the top of the IDS tower! The restaurant at the top has a Sunday brunch but you don’t have to buy it. You can walk in and look out the windows if you wish.

And I too remember the UFO museum.

Is the restaurant still there? what is it called?

DML,

Windows On Minnesota is still a banquet location, but no longer a restaurant:

Link

I worked for a company that had a year-end-holiday party there sometime in the late ’90s. It was pretty cool.