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Artwork for Curious Minnesota

Curious Minnesota

Minnesota Star Tribune
Minnesota
Minneapolis
Lake Superior
Minnesota Star Tribune
Minnesota State Fair
Nicollet Avenue
Gambling
Minus 60 Degrees
Star Tribune
Southdale
Tower, Minnesota
Twin Cities
St. Paul
Maplewood
Urban Planning
Ski Jumping
Cold War
February 2, 1996
Zombie Pub Crawl
Quonset Huts

What do you wonder about the people, places and culture of Minnesota? Listen to our community-driven reporting project, which invites listeners to ask questions that our newsroom researches and answers.

PublishesTwice monthlyEpisodes140Founded7 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
Society & CultureHistory

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Artwork for Curious Minnesota

Latest Episodes

Meat raffles are a beloved Minnesota bar tradition: Buy a ticket, watch the wheel spin, and maybe go home with steaks, brats or ground beef for dinner. But where did this unusual game of chance come from?

In this episode of Curious Minnesota, host E... more

Minnesota’s license plates proudly proclaim the state as the land of “10,000 lakes.” But some Wisconsinites insist their state has even more. So who’s right? In this Curious Minnesota episode, Erica Pearson dives into lake science, state pride and a ... more

YouTube

A small white shack near the entrance to Interstate 94 has puzzled Minneapolis commuters for years. It's boarded up, rarely noticed, and easy to dismiss as an abandoned shed.

But behind it lies a heartwarming city story.

After a Curious Minnesota l... more

YouTube

What happens when a fishing trip turns into a foraging question?

Recording live at the Minnesota Star Tribune’s Strib Unbound Festival, Curious Minnesota investigates whether the weeds growing in Minnesota lakes are actually edible. Inspired by a li... more

YouTube

Key Facts

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Find out how many people listen to this podcast per episode and each month.

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People also subscribe to these shows.

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Recent Guests

Alicia Eller
Reporter who researched and told the story of Arne Paulson's newsstand
Star Tribune
Episode: This mysterious tiny building in Minneapolis has a heartwarming backstory
Sam Thayer
Foremost expert on wild edible plants; author and educator
Episode: Can you eat the weeds in Minnesota lakes?
Linda Black Elk
Ethnobotanist, educator, and food sovereignty advocate
Episode: Can you eat the weeds in Minnesota lakes?
Alan Burgo
Chef, called himself the forager chef; James Beard Award winner
The Wild Harvest (TV show)
Episode: Can you eat the weeds in Minnesota lakes?
Maria Westerly
Local forager who teaches classes in foraging
Episode: Can you eat the weeds in Minnesota lakes?
Bob Timmons
Outdoors reporter for Star Tribune
Star Tribune
Episode: Will MN ever get a new state park?
Eleanor Hildebrandt
Reporter who investigated the mummies
Star Tribune / Minneapolis-focused reporting
Episode: Solving the mystery of downtown Minneapolis’ mummies
Kim Emory
Ice safety coordinator for the Department of Natural Resources
Minnesota DNR
Episode: What’s the science behind ice thickness and when is it safe to drive on a lake?
Brian Ney
Ice road plow operator
Lake of the Woods area
Episode: What’s the science behind ice thickness and when is it safe to drive on a lake?

Host

Erica Pearson
Host of Curious Minnesota; Star Tribune

Reviews

4.8 out of 5 stars from 298 ratings
  • Amish episode trite

    The episode about the Amish was trite. The big takeaway from the reporter is that they are not……all the same…they are…wait for it….individuals! Huh? Why in the world would anyone think they are all the same? I’d be offended if I were Amish. This also told us nothing about their lives. The inane interview questions did not help either.

    Apple Podcasts
    2
    9021155405
    United Statesa year ago
  • Fun and interesting local stories

    I’ve learned so much about Mn that I never would have without this show and the curious question askers!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    St. Paul Mom
    United Statesa year ago
  • Such a fun show… but it’s not over, is it?

    There’s so much to learn about our great state. Love the variety and approachable nature. Please say it isn’t over!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    SirPurgealot
    United States3 years ago
  • Learning a lot

    Thanks for the stories and the question you’re answering to help us understand Minnesota more.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Goranger22
    United States3 years ago
  • Great show on Minnesotan history

    There aren’t a ton of other shows on Minnesota history specifically, so really appreciate this one. Normally not a huge fan of the star tribune but they did good here. They usually elicit topics to cover from listeners which is pretty cool cuz they always end up being fascinating. And since this is a newspaper, they typically have good sources to provide input

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    consciousdave
    United States3 years ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

Listeners praise the accessible, bite-sized Minnesota history and the engaging host banter.
Some criticisms note uneven episode depth or a desire for more Indigenous perspectives in certain topics.
Many enjoy learning about local quirks and lesser-known Minnesota stories.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Apple Podcasts
#236
United States/History
Apple Podcasts
#178
Saudi Arabia/History

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Why Wisconsin (wrongly) claims to have more lakes than Minnesota
Q: What drew you to this particular question?
Growing up in Burnett County and seeing Minnesota's lakes shape regional identity sparked curiosity about how differently states count lakes and why the question matters for culture and tourism.
Solving the mystery of downtown Minneapolis’ mummies
Q: What led Eleanor Hildebrandt to take on this story?
Her fascination with library history and artifacts, plus access to preservation staff and archival letters, set the stage for uncovering how the mummies traveled from Egypt to Minnesota and through local institutions.
What happened after a Minnesota man found ancient bison bones?
Q: Paint a picture a little bit for us. What happened here?
The story outlines the discovery by Leroy Peterson in 1988, the excavation that followed, the artifact counts, and the interpretation of how 8,000-year-old people hunted and used bison in the river valley.
What happened after a Minnesota man found ancient bison bones?
Q: So what kinds of stories do you usually cover for us?
JP explains the broad coverage from Mankato to Worthington and the Southwest Minnesota focus, illustrating how Curious Minnesota picks questions from readers and pursues local history and culture.
Lake Superior’s most famous shipwrecks have dramatic tales to tell
Q: How common are shipwrecks today?
Shipwrecks just don't happen on Lake Superior anymore; the last significant one was the Edmund Fitzgerald.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

Listeners per Episode
Gender Skew
Location
Interests
Professions
Age Range
Household Income
Social Media Reach

Frequently Asked Questions About Curious Minnesota

What is Curious Minnesota about and what kind of topics does it cover?

A Minnesota-focused series exploring the people, places, and culture of the state through listener-driven reporting. Episodes span foraging and edible landscapes, state parks history, local archaeology, shipwrecks on the Great Lakes, Cold War curiosities, and iconic Minnesota landmarks, all grounded in archival research, expert guests, and on-the-ground reporting. The show tends to favor deeply local topics with historical context, human-interest angles, and practical takeaways, making it especially appealing to curious residents and policymakers alike. A notable strength is its ability to translate archival material into approachable stories and to weave community questions into substantive reporting, often featuring seasoned Minnesota rep... more

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Which podcasts are similar to Curious Minnesota?

These podcasts share a similar audience with Curious Minnesota:

1. Minnesota Today
2. Points North | Great Lakes. Great Stories.
3. StribSports Daily Delivery
4. The Daily
5. Stuff You Should Know

How many episodes of Curious Minnesota are there?

Curious Minnesota launched 7 years ago and published 140 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

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What guests have appeared on Curious Minnesota?

Recent guests on Curious Minnesota include:

1. Alicia Eller
2. Sam Thayer
3. Linda Black Elk
4. Alan Burgo
5. Maria Westerly
6. Bob Timmons
7. Eleanor Hildebrandt
8. Kim Emory

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

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