Minnesota’s Funniest Conspiracy Theories, Plus the Real Stories

It’s no secret that Minnesotans love a good tall tale.

A recent Reddit thread asked the folks from Minnesota to share their favorite outrageous, unsubstantiated conspiracy theories about the state. The responses did not disappoint!

Before we dive in, let’s get one thing straight – these are merely jokes and fantastical tales spun for amusement. There is no credible evidence behind any of these claims. They’re completely made up!

That said, here are some of the most hilarious and creative Minnesota conspiracy theories courtesy of the good people of Reddit:

a secret underground water park in the basement of the Mall of America

Number 1 on our list of wildly entertaining Minnesota conspiracy theories comes from Redditor u/perfectporridge:

“Secret water park in the basement of the Mall of America. You sometimes see affluent parents and kids wearing swimwear and carrying towels leaving that place. Has to be true. Nobody has proven it’s not.”

While us common folk are wandering the mall among the Rainforest Cafe and Lego Store, high-rolling families are being ushered through secret entrances down to an exclusive underground oasis. Lush tropical landscaping, winding lazy rivers, thrilling water slides – all tucked away from the prying eyes of us peasants.

Those sharply-dressed Mall of America security guards aren’t just keeping an eye out for shoplifters. No, they’re the gatekeepers ensuring only the creme de la creme gain access to the subterranean hideaway

Of course, the Mall vehemently denies such a facility exists. But they would, wouldn’t they? It’s all part of protecting the sanctity of their elite waters.

The real story: There’s no secret basement pool, but the conspiracy theorists are half right. The Mall of America’s owners are planning a real water park, Mystery Cove, right next to the mall. Plans call for about 143,000 square feet with a wave pool, lazy river, roughly 30 slides and rides, and a retractable roof. Bloomington approved the tax financing in late 2025, but a final agreement still needs city approval, and the target opening is 2029. Until then, those towel-toting families are probably coming from a hotel water park nearby, like Bloomington’s Great Wolf Lodge.

The 2010 Metrodome Roof Collapse Was an Inside Job

Number 2 comes from u/Sirhossington who thinks there was more to the Metrodome’s roof collapse than meets the eye.

“The Metrodome roof collapse was intentional. The Vikings wanted a new stadium and the stadium commission wanted more power, so they did not turn up the heat in the Metrodome knowing the roof would collapse from unmelted snow. That’s why there just happens to be a video of it. They knew it was going to happen.”

This one has all the makings of a classic conspiracy! A shady, backroom deal being struck between the Vikings owners and Metrodome officials?

“Let’s let that snow pile up real good this year!” one old-timer says with a wink. “Heck, we’ll even leave the heaters off! When that roof caves in from the weight, we’ll have ourselves the perfect excuse for a new stadium complex.”

Then they immediately made sure to have cameras rolling, so they could capture the dramatic moment for “posterity.”

Of course, the “official” explanation is much more boring. Just look at the Metrodome’s track record: the roof deflated or tore in 1981, 1982, 1983 and 1986, all before the big one. But where’s the fun in that, eh?

The real story: Around 5 a.m. on December 12, 2010, after a storm dumped about 17 inches of snow with fierce winds, the fabric roof tore and collapsed. The storm had also kept crews off the roof. Fox Sports cameras were already set up for that day’s Vikings–Giants game, which is why there’s such dramatic video. The game moved to Detroit’s Ford Field. The Metrodome came down in 2014, and U.S. Bank Stadium now stands on the site.

Malt-O-Meal plant makes more than just breakfast cereals

u/HarveyPeligro thinks there is more to Malt-O-Meal than what meets the eye.

“The Malt-O-Meal plant in Northfield makes more than just breakfast food and that’s why they stopped doing tours after 9/11.”

Oh geez, you just know there’s some super secret stuff happening behind those unassuming factory walls in that little town. While the world thinks they’re just churning out healthy, whole grain cereals, the real operation is way juicier than that!

Maybe they’ve got a side hustle cooking up experimental military rations. Or heck, they could be one of those front companies producing components for the Illuminati’s weather control machines.

The real story: Malt-O-Meal has been a Minnesota cereal maker for generations. Post Holdings bought the company, then called MOM Brands, in 2015 for about $1.15 billion. The Northfield plant is still one of its cereal plants, and no, there’s no evidence of anything stranger than Marshmallow Mateys coming out of it.

Either way, those Malt-O-Meal folks seem to be doing just fine keeping us all wonderfully nourished and blissfully unaware.

Kensington Runestone is Real

From u/struck21, “The Kensington Runestone. Whether you believe it or not, it’s always interesting.”

u/Annathiika said, “I made the mistake of bringing it up in casual conversation at work as a hoax to a guy who lives in Kensington and -the way he looked at me- oh my god I thought I was going to set ablaze.”

You know the story – in 1898 this crazy slab of engraved greywacke shows up on a Minnesota farm, seeming to be legit proof that Viking explorers made it to the land of lakes way back in 1362!

Of course, those darn East Coast ivy leaguers immediately tried to sweep it under the rug as a hoax.

Just think about it. One geologist’s 2003 analysis claimed the carvings were well over 200 years old! Yet those snobs still insist on burying the truth. You just know there’s a big conspiracy keeping the lid on this earth-shattering Norse-ican discovery.

The real story: Swedish immigrant Olof Ohman said he found the graywacke stone while clearing land on his farm near Kensington in 1898. Its runes describe Norse explorers in 1362. Most scholars consider it a hoax, and that 2003 analysis is hotly disputed, but the Minnesota Historical Society still calls it either evidence of Norse exploration or “Minnesota’s most brilliant and durable hoax.” 

See it yourself: The stone is at the Runestone Museum in downtown Alexandria. Summer hours (May–October) are Monday–Saturday, 10 a.m.–4:30 p.m. Admission is $12 for adults and $25 for a family, and kids under 5 are free. Then go say hi to Big Ole, the 28-foot Viking a few blocks away.

Lutefisk Is Actually Edible

You betcha this one’s gonna rattle some cages! According to a rogue group of lutefisk truthers, the entire “inedible gelatinous fishy nightmare” reputation is nothing but a decades-long smear campaign against the Nordic delicacy.

That’s right, according to these people, we’ve all been hoodwinked into believing lutefisk is a practical joke dreamed up by some ornery Vikings, when in reality it’s a totally normal, perfectly palatable dish.

Now I know what you’re thinkin’ – that quivery mass of fish jelly can’t possibly be edible! But according to folks like u/DaveG55337, when “done properly” lutefisk boasts a delightful texture akin to lobster tail and trumps even walleye.

Others like u/dumpyduluth have said “I’ve been here 27 years minus a few years while I was in the Navy, I’ve never seen the stuff and I’m convinced that it’s an elaborate prank like cow tipping.”

I gotta say, I personally have heard of the dish and can’t remember if I’ve even seen it on a menu. The sounds of the dish make my stomach churn.

I gotta say, I’ve definitely heard of the dish, but I can’t remember ever seeing it on a menu. Just the description makes my stomach churn. Maybe it’s all been anti-lutefisk propaganda to steer us toward walleye.

The real story: Lutefisk is very real. It’s dried cod that’s soaked in lye and then rehydrated, and you’ll mostly find it at church lutefisk-and-meatball dinners each fall and winter. If you want the full experience, head to Madison in western Minnesota, the self-proclaimed “Lutefisk Capital USA” since 1982. It’s home to Lou T. Fisk, a 25-foot fiberglass cod, and it hosts Norsefest every November, complete with a lutefisk-eating contest.

What is your favorite Minnesota Conspiracy Theory?

From the Mall of America having a secret underground water park to the Minnesota Vikings being cursed from winning the Super Bowl, these funny theories are all in good fun.

At the end of the day, conspiracy theories exist to entertain, not to be believed. Minnesotans clearly understand that and have a blast coming up with these far-fetched scenarios.