Why would anyone want to spend the weekend after Thanksgiving shopping? I mean, I know plenty of people for whom bargain hunting in the wee hours is something of a post-feast family tradition, but I don’t get it.

For me, an afternoon at the museum is an ideal way to punctuate a lazy holiday weekend with my near and dear — it’s an inexpensive sort of family outing that has multi-generational appeal, with the wholesome promise of some painless edification to boot.

If you’re like me, looking to avoid the madding crowds this Thanksgiving weekend and take in a bit of culture instead, I’ve a couple of off-the-beaten-track suggestions for you.

Of course, the Science Museum and Children’s Museum, both in downtown, are perennial favorites for bringing together aunties, uncles, cousins and grandparents. But they’re obvious choices, too, and on a holiday weekend sure to be packed. Why not hit the Minnesota History Center instead? Its new exhibit, “1968”, is a sprawling, multimedia time capsule of that turbulent year, filled with artifacts, information, video and photography elucidating pivotal moments in the Civil Rights Movement, the Vietnam War, pop culture and social politics. There are family events going on Saturday afternoon, so there’ll be some activities to keep the kids busy. Be sure to stop by the “tornado room,” in the history center’s standing “Weather Permitting” exhibit before you leave; “Get to the Basement” recreates the tremors, sounds and sights of the Fridley tornado of 1965, and I haven’t met a kid yet who isn’t thrilled by it.

Another of our family’s favorite spots, the Twin City Model Railroad Museum, will launch its beloved “Night Trains” holiday exhibit this weekend. Every Saturday night, from this coming weekend through February, the museum will dim the lights, inviting visitors to see the tiny “town” of Mattlin all decked out for a long winter’s night. The model railroad’s intricately crafted village is blanketed with snow and lit by twinkling holiday lights and the warm shine of little street lamps; its vintage passenger cars are all aglow, and the festive “Christmas train” — festooned with hundreds of lights — is once again rolling down the tracks. It’s utterly charming, whether you’re an avid train enthusiast or not.

Minnesota History Center’s “1968” exhibit will be on view through February 20, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Tues.; 10 a.m. to  5 p.m. Wed. through Sat.; noon to 5 p.m. on Sun.; 345 W. Kellogg Blvd., St. Paul, Minn. Admission is $10 for adults, $5 for kids, $8 for seniors/college students. Find more information on the website: http://www.minnesotahistorycenter.org/ Twin City Model Railroad Museum’s “Night Trains” event takes place each Saturday evening from 6 to 9 p.m., from Nov. 26 to Feb. 26, 1021 Bandana Blvd., Suite 222, St. Paul, Minn. Admission is $8 ($25 for families, children under 5 get in free). Find more information on the website: www.tcmrm.org/.