ST. CLOUD – Families in central Minnesota had the opportunity to learn about construction with a vacation twist this weekend.

The Stearns History Museum, Morrison County Historical Society and Rethos: Places Reimagined teamed up for a class called Gingerbread Architecture: The Sweet Elements of Design on Saturday.

Curator of Exhibitions and Collections at the Stearns History Museum Eric cheever says the interactive workshop was designed to teach children basic building skills and terms through gingerbread houses.

I’ve got a little vocabulary list, so they’re going to learn some basic building terms, and they’re going to learn how to keep walls from falling, and what makes a strong joint, that sort of thing.

Cheever says the hope is also to inspire the next generation to preserve historic sites.

Rethos’ role is about sustainability. It is about preserving and maintaining old buildings in the future, rather than tearing them down and building new ones. And I think if we can just get kids interested in architecture and building, that’s even better.

The event was the second in the two-class series, with the first taking place at the Charles A. Weyerhaeuser Museum in Little Falls in November.

The three historic organizations host a variety of courses for children and adults each year.

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