Our goal is to inspire the next generation of Northwoods stewards through the legacy of Dorothy Molter. The following educational resources are provided with the hope they will do just that.

Speaker Services & Programs

Need a speaker with an inspiring story for your next event? Want to offer a fun party activity? Presentations (virtual and in-person) on the life of Dorothy Molter and/or root beer making events are available year-round. Presentations can be formatted to fit the needs of your organization and audience, and include additional topics such as the Boundary Waters, Northwoods ecology, and wilderness living.

Dorothy’s story is perfect for all ages and can be told at:

  • Club meetings
  • Breakfast/Lunch/Dinner events
  • Conferences
  • Conventions
  • Corporate retreats
  • Special events & birthdays
  • Root beer float socials or parties using Dorothy’s Isle of Pines Root Beer

Speaker Program fee: $25 per hour presentation plus travel expenses (time to travel, cost of travel, lodging, meals, etc.); Discounts available for programs in the Ely Area.
Root Beer Float or Root Beer Making Party fee: Per person fee based on type of program interest and audience type, call/email for a quote! 218 365 4451   info@rootbeerlady.com
Duration: One hour minimum
Minimum equipment requirement: Access to electricity and a projector screen

Whether you are preparing to visit the Museum (with our Ed Guide), would like to have a private, audio tour, or just can’t make it to the Museum in person, we now have a virtual tour available!

The Dorothy Molter Museum’s tour can be accessed on a web browser or via a free downloadable app for Android and iPhone. Features of this platform have been optimized for use on mobile devices and can be used during your visit as an alternate tour guide with imagery and an audio option to listen while you explore!

The Dorothy Molter Education Guide was created to help formal and informal educators inspire youth at 4th-6th grade learning levels.

This 16-page guide is flexible so that it may be used in the classroom/homeschool room as a stand-alone unit, as a pre-visit activity guide or a post-visit review.

If you are doing this activity remotely, we have an additional supplement page to help visualize Dorothy’s life on Knife Lake without visiting the Dorothy Molter Museum in person. Let us know if you have suggestions!

Dorothy had very little experience in the Northwoods before moving to Isle of Pines. Birdwatching helped her become familiar with her wilderness surroundings and its inhabitants, and became one of her favorite hobbies.

These coloring pages are excerpts from the Dorothy Molter Coloring Book produced by the Dorothy Molter Museum. The full coloring book may be purchased for $4.95.

Although our natural resources were managed and protected differently during Dorothy’s life, she still had a strong appreciation and respect for nature. Over time, we continue to discover new ways to preserve the wilderness integrity of our wild spaces for future generations to enjoy. Leave No Trace Center for Outdoor Ethics has created a variety of educational resources to help educators share the philosophy of being a good Northwoods steward with youth.

Logo for LNT.org website

Dorothy was always concerned with the physical well-being of others and gave freely of her medical knowledge to all who came her way.  As a way to give back to the community that supported Dorothy, the Dorothy Molter Memorial Foundation (Dorothy Molter Museum) will award one scholarship per year up to $1,000.00 from the Wilderness First Responders’ Fund. This scholarship is funded by contributions made from staff, board, volunteers, members and guests of the Dorothy Molter Museum. Scholarship availability will be promoted to Ely Area residents interested in enhancing their medical expertise in the following ways:

• Certification in nursing, emergency medical services, wilderness medical services
• Recertification/renewal of training


External Educational Resources

The Minnesota Historical Society is offering their online education curriculum Northern Lights: The Stories of Minnesota’s Past resources for FREE. This collection of digital tools including video is broken into chapters corresponding with different eras in the history of our state.

The Minnesota Digital Library (MDL) supports discovery and education through access to unique digital collections shared by cultural heritage organizations from across the state of Minnesota. Contributors include libraries, historical societies, museums, and archives. Access to other similar organizations/collections are also available through the MDL such as the Electronic Library for Minnesota and the Digital Public Library of America.

Personal histories have helped the museum gather and learn more about the life of Dorothy through the lens of others’ experiences. Have you ever considered writing your own personal history? If not, perhaps now is an opportunity to start!

Learn more in the article linked through the button.

*The Dorothy Molter Museum does not endorse, subscribe to or benefit from any of the listed external resources. They are provided purely for additional resources to our valued supporters. 

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