Minnesota Marine Art Museum
Winona, MN
Founded in 2006 along the Upper Mississippi River, the Minnesota Marine Art Museum (MMAM) is a regional anchor for visual arts programming that explores the world’s relationship to water. With six galleries, vibrant public gardens, and deep community roots, MMAM presents exhibitions, lectures, and education initiatives shaped by themes of ecology, equity, and place. Its evolving mission embraces contemporary interpretations of marine art, bringing together traditional collections with artists addressing the climate crisis, Indigenous knowledge systems, and local watersheds. As a visual arts institution rooted in a rural setting, MMAM is modeling how museums can integrate climate action across operations, community engagement, and cultural stewardship.
The museum is now undertaking a rooftop solar installation as the next step in its strategic commitment to clean energy, following a 2022 LED retrofit supported by FCI. The Clean Water and Climate Rooftop Solar Array will install 285 bifacial panels atop the museum’s newest roof structures, producing 201,000 kWh annually—enough to reduce MMAM’s energy use by 65 percent. The project will be led by Solar Bear, the nation’s first Indigenous-owned solar company, and supported by the newly created Curator of Clean Water and Climate, a role designed to connect MMAM’s sustainability goals to its curatorial and educational work. This work aligns with MMAM’s goal of achieving net zero by 2030 and 2025 programming theme, “Rising Tides,” which informs a yearlong series of exhibitions and community events focused on water, climate, and resilience.
Milestones
Install 165.3kW rooftop solar array producing 201,000 kWh/year
Reduce energy use by 65 percent and avoid 172 metric tons of CO₂ annually
Partner with Indigenous-led Solar Bear for design and construction
Launched dedicated climate-focused curator role in March 2025
Develop educational programming connecting art, climate, and clean energy
Align project with 2025 institutional theme “Rising Tides”
Header: The Minnesota Marine Art Museum exterior facade with spring plants in the foreground. Above: Visitors look at art inside a museum with 2D art hanging on the wall of Edward Burtynsky photographs. A ship model in the gallery. Photographs: Minnesota Marine Art Museum.