 | |
 | |
 | |
| Established | 2021 |
|---|---|
| Location | 126 N 1st Street, Minneapolis, Minnesota |
| Coordinates | 44°59′7.5″N93°16′7″W / 44.985417°N 93.26861°W |
| Type | History |
| Website | https://www.clocksandstuff.org |
The James J. Fiorentino Museum, also known as the James Fiorentino Cuckoo Clock Museum, is a museum in Minneapolis that houses a large, private collection of cuckoo clocks. [1]
The museum was founded by James Fiorentino, an inventor and owner of a garage door business, which became the building the museum now operates out of. Fiorentino, who died in 2017, wanted his collection of clocks and other antiques to be displayed in a free museum. [2]
Fiorentino lacked interest in the historical origins of the clocks. Not having ever traveled to Germany, he acquired all the clocks within a 200-mile radius from estate sales, auctions, and a Salvation Army around Minnesota. [3] Fiorentino was more captivated by the beauty of the woodworking on the cuckoo clocks and old phonographs rather than their sound.
The museum opened its doors to the public in fall 2021. It is located in the North Loop neighborhood of Minneapolis in a former industrial warehouse.
The museum is home to hundreds of cuckoo clocks, as well as other items such as phonographs and vintage musical instruments and geologic specimens. The cuckoo clocks in the museum come from all over the world and range in age from a few decades old to over a century. Fiorentino's collection of cuckoo clocks began in the 1970s, now showcasing over 300 of them in his museum. Primarily from the 19th century, with a few dating back to the 1820s, most clocks are traditional Black Forest cuckoos: dark-stained linden wood, native to a particular area east of the Rhine in Germany. [4]
Many of the clocks currently are non-functional. The staff is working to restore as many clocks as possible. [5] [3]
Saint Paul is the capital of the U.S. state of Minnesota and the county seat of Ramsey County. Situated on high bluffs overlooking a bend in the Mississippi River, Saint Paul is a regional business hub and the center of Minnesota's government. The Minnesota State Capitol and the state government offices all sit on a hill close to the city's downtown district. One of the oldest cities in Minnesota, Saint Paul has several historic neighborhoods and landmarks, such as the Summit Avenue Neighborhood, the James J. Hill House, and the Cathedral of Saint Paul. Like the adjacent city of Minneapolis, Saint Paul is known for its cold, snowy winters and humid summers.
Minneapolis–Saint Paul is a metropolitan area in the Upper Midwestern United States centered around the confluence of the Mississippi, Minnesota, and St. Croix rivers in the U.S. state of Minnesota. It is commonly known as the Twin Cities after the area's two largest cities, Minneapolis and Saint Paul. Minnesotans often refer to the two together simply as "The Cities". The area is Minnesota's economic, cultural, and political center.
A cuckoo clock is a type of clock, typically pendulum driven, that strikes the hours with a sound like a common cuckoo call and has an automated cuckoo bird that moves with each note. Some move their wings and open and close their beaks while leaning forwards, whereas others have only the bird's body leaning forward. The mechanism to produce the cuckoo call has been in use since the middle of the 18th century and has remained almost without variation.
The North Loop is a neighborhood in the Central community of Minneapolis.
Saint Paul Union Depot is a historic railroad station and intermodal transit hub in the Lowertown neighborhood of Saint Paul, Minnesota. It serves light rail, intercity rail, intercity bus, and local bus services.
Whittier is a neighborhood within the Powderhorn community in the U.S. city of Minneapolis, Minnesota, bounded by Franklin Avenue on the north, Interstate 35W on the east, Lake Street on the south, and Lyndale Avenue on the west. It is known for its many diverse restaurants, coffee shops and Asian markets, especially along Nicollet Avenue. The neighborhood is home to the Minneapolis Institute of Art, the Minneapolis College of Art and Design, and the Children's Theatre Company.
Minneapolis is officially defined by its city council as divided into 83 neighborhoods. The neighborhoods are historically grouped into 11 communities. Informally, there are city areas with colloquial labels. Residents may also group themselves by their city street suffixes: North, Northeast, South, and Southeast.
The Chicago Cultural Center, opened in 1897, is a Chicago Landmark building operated by Chicago's Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events. The Cultural Center houses the city's official reception venue, where the Mayor of Chicago has welcomed presidents, royalty, diplomats, and community leaders. It is located in the Loop, across Michigan Avenue from Millennium Park.
The Cooper neighborhood resides along the west shore of the Mississippi River in south Minneapolis. It is bound by 34th St. E. on the south, 38th Ave. S. on the west, 27th St. E. on the north, and the river gorge to the east. Bordering neighborhoods are Seward to the north, Longfellow to the west, and Howe to the south. St. Paul's Merriam Park neighborhood is just across the Mississippi River to the east.
Minneapolis is a city in and the county seat of Hennepin County, Minnesota, United States. With a population of 429,954, it is the state's most populous city as of the 2020 census. Located in the state's center near the eastern border, it occupies both banks of the Mississippi River and adjoins Saint Paul, the state capital of Minnesota. Minneapolis, Saint Paul, and the surrounding area are collectively known as the Twin Cities, a metropolitan area with 3.69 million residents. Minneapolis is built on an artesian aquifer on flat terrain and is known for cold, snowy winters and hot, humid summers. Nicknamed the "City of Lakes", Minneapolis is abundant in water, with thirteen lakes, wetlands, the Mississippi River, creeks, and waterfalls. The city's public park system is connected by the Grand Rounds National Scenic Byway.
Near North is one of six neighborhoods in the Near North community of Minneapolis. It is located in Ward 5, represented by city council member Jeremiah Ellison.
Downtown West is an official neighborhood in Minneapolis, part of the larger Central community. It is the heart of downtown Minneapolis, containing the bulk of high-rise office buildings in the city, and is what comes to mind when most Minneapolitans think of "downtown". The neighborhood is split between Wards 3 and 7 of the Minneapolis City Council, represented by Michael Rainville and Katie Cashman, respectively.
Downtown East is an official neighborhood in Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States. It is in Ward 3, currently represented by council member Michael Rainville.
Minneapolis, the largest city in Minnesota and the county seat of Hennepin County, operates under a Mayor–council government system. This article provides an overview of the structure and functions of Minneapolis's city government.
King Field is a neighborhood in the Southwest community in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Its boundaries are 36th Street to the north, Interstate 35W to the east, 46th Street to the south, and Lyndale Avenue to the west. King Field, within the King Field neighborhood is a park named after Martin Luther King Jr.
The Traffic Zone Center for Visual Art (TZCVA) is an artist cooperative located in the historic Warehouse District of downtown Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States. Founded in 1993, TZCVA was established to create an artist-owned and managed building that provides stable, safe, and affordable studio, teaching and exhibition space for mid-career visual artists. TZCVA is a partnership between Artspace Projects, Inc., a leading national non-profit real estate developer for the arts, and a cooperative of 23 artist-members.
Quatrefoil Library is a member-supported, 501(c)(3) non-profit library and community center for the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender community. It is located in Minneapolis, Minnesota, where it was founded by David Irwin and Dick Hewetson in 1983. It is the second LGBT lending library in the United States, and the oldest such library in the Upper Midwest. In the beginning, it was not only an educational resource center but also a safe space for LGBT people. The library houses over 15,000 books, 7,000 DVDs, a collection of first editions and rare books, and books in braille. It hosts poetry readings, panel discussions, book launches, and other events, open to all.
Luce Line Trail is a 74.9-mile (120.5 km), shared-use path in Minnesota, United States, that stretches from Cosmos to Minneapolis. The trail system was built after 1995 when the Luce Line Railroad was abandoned west of Interstate 494. The previous line extended 104 miles (167 km) to Gluek. The multi-use trail has varying surface features, though it is primarily made up of crushed limestone or aggregate base, and the section from Cosmos to Cedar Mills is undeveloped, as are the sections from just west of Hutchinson to Winsted and east of Plymouth. The trail is maintained by the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources west of Vicksburg Lane, where it is named Luce Line State Trail. East of Vicksburg Lane, it is maintained by the Three Rivers Park District and named Luce Line Regional Trail.
Loring Park is a park in the Loring Park neighborhood of Minneapolis, Minnesota.