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 (as of 8/1/2025 index search services are available, but extended records searches are not)
- If you have a legal deadline (e.g. benefits application, court hearing, etc.) please contact us directly and we will do our best to help.
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, criminal cases, civil cases, probate)
- 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 yellow "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)
Other questions
If your question is not addressed above and you would like help from library staff, please contact us via email or phone. We always have a high volume of reference and research inquiries, so please communicate any deadlines or legal/emergency needs.