MN Historical Society director leaves behind legacy of change in retirement

Steve Elliott is retiring as CEO of the Minnesota Historical Society in June after more than seven years on the job.

Elliott bas been praised for prioritizing diversity and inclusion in the organization's work, especially around Native American history. He created a director of Native American Initiatives at MNHS, and the Minnesota History Center will open a dedicated gallery about Native American history and culture in 2019.

He has also presided over some controversies, including a dust-up with Gov. Mark Dayton about a large painting in the state Capitol.

MNHS also lost its authority over the state's preservation office last year. A planned major overhaul of the historic site at Fort Snelling drew criticism from some, and a response from MNHS.

Elliott sat down with guest host Marianne Combs to talk about the highlights of his tenure leading the 168-year-old institution and the challenges of presenting history from multiple perspectives.

Correction (Feb. 2, 2018): An earlier version of this story misspelled Elliott's last name. The story has been updated with the correct spelling.

To hear their conversation use the audio player above.