Prompts winter weather advisories as cold air moves in Friday night

MPR News helps you turn down the noise and build shared understanding. Turn up your support for this public resource and keep trusted journalism accessible to all. 

Turn Up Your Support

The approaching debut of the third season of Netflix hit "Stranger Things" has the Science Museum of Minnesota bringing out new apparel inspired by the show.

Stranger Things 3 | Official Final Trailer | Netflix


The early 1980s-themed science fiction and horror thriller featured one of the museum's brontosaurus hoodies in its second season, released in 2017.

Dustin Henderson, a central character in the show, appeared in a purple "thunder lizard" science museum sweatshirt and 

Demand for the apparel was so intense it crashed the museum's website shortly after the episode became available.

Science museum CEO on the 'Stranger Things' hoodie mania

Where'd Dustin get the Minnesota hoodie?

The museum brought back the hoodie and sold 18,000 of them online in the first two days. More than 40,000 have been sold since the "Stranger Things" appearance and revival.

The sales brought the museum a $500,000 windfall, according to Mimi Daly Larson, vice president of mission advancement at the museum.

Larson said the proceeds have gone to fund outreach programs across the state, including the purchase of a new van to transport program materials and staff. New sales will fund the same effort, Larson said.

There's no telling what the characters will be wearing in the latest run of the series, but Larson said the museum is upping its nostalgia game, complete with a retro Science Museum of Minnesota logo, and graphics featuring its all-time most popular dinosaurs — a Tyrannosaurus rex and a triceratops.

The original purple "Thunder Lizard" hoodie is 

The third season of "Stranger Things" is scheduled to be released July 4 on Netflix, the streaming services that produces the series. The Science Museum of Minnesota is also having a "Dino Fest" celebration July 13 in St. Paul.

Business and Economic News

NewsPartners

Tim Nelson

Author

Science Museum of Minnesota clothing sales soared in 2017 after one of its vintage hoodies was featured on the Netflix show "Stranger Things." With the latest season set for release, the museum hopes for another bounce.

Science Museum hopes 'Stranger Things' gets gear sales roaring again

Go Deeper.

Like this?