Most tours ask you to sit back and listen. The True Crime Tour asks you to deliberate. Riders board a vintage Minneapolis trolley and take on the role of the jury, working together to solve some of the most chilling crimes of the city’s past. If you are looking for a night out that feels more like a game than a lecture, and you like the idea of starting it inside a historic mansion, this is one to book.

What is the True Crime Tour at the Pillsbury Club?

The tour appears on the Club’s experiences and tours page as a “highly interactive tour as riders play the Jury and work together to solve some of the most chilling crimes of Minneapolis’ past.” Minneapolis Trolley Tours’ own True Crime Tour page adds that the trolley winds through the city’s eeriest crime scenes and notorious neighborhoods, and that riders piece together clues from real cases, including original crime scene reports and affidavits, from unsolved mysteries to scandalous trials. It describes the ride as a nighttime experience and lists it as starting at $45.

The pages do not name the individual cases, and we will not guess at them here. If you want to read about the stories behind Minneapolis crime history before you ride, our sister site’s post What True Crime Stories Really Happened in Minneapolis? is a good place to start, and the Minnesota Historical Society’s digital newspaper archive lets you read period coverage yourself.

How does the Pillsbury Club fit into the evening?

The Pillsbury Club is a private, members-only club, and its reservations page says access is reserved for members and for guests attending one of its experiences, Minneapolis Trolley Tours, or visiting through a partner property. Trolley riders do not need a separate reservation to use the Club before a tour. According to the Reservations page, every Minneapolis Trolley rider receives access to the Club beginning up to one hour before the scheduled departure time, and the hours page says the Club opens one hour before your tour.

That hour is worth using. The reservations page lists three ways to spend it:

• Explore the Minnesota Market, the Club’s curated shop of locally made goods.
• Have a drink in the Cocktail Lounge.
• Eat in the Dining Room. The page says no additional reservation is required to enjoy the Dining Room before your tour.

Arrive early, settle in, and then walk out to the trolley. Check your booking confirmation for the departure details for your specific tour, since the True Crime Tour page does not state the boarding point.

Why start a true crime night in a historic mansion?

The Charles S. Pillsbury Mansion has its own long list of stories, from an imported English interior to its years as a seminary, an advertising agency and a training center. We keep that history in our History Journal, so here we will just say that a night of mysteries feels right in a house that has seen this many chapters. If you want the architecture before the trolley, The Splendors is a good tour in words.

Is the True Crime Tour right for your group?

The tour page says it suits true crime podcast fans, history and storytelling lovers, mystery and investigation enthusiasts, small groups and couples, and visitors looking for darker history. It is built for working together, which makes it a good fit for a friend group or a date. If your group prefers a puzzle with a theme, our guide to murder mystery nights is a different kind of game, and our experience-picking guide compares the options.

How do you book?

Check availability and book the True Crime Tour through Minneapolis Trolley Tours, then use the Club’s Plan Your Visit page to prepare for your arrival. Come early, bring your best detective instincts, and be ready to deliver a verdict.

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