Adopted in 2024, Minnesota’s flag is a dark blue shape echoing the state’s outline, set against a light blue field and carrying a single white eight-pointed star. The star is the North Star of the state motto, L’Étoile du Nord, and the light blue stands for the state’s lakes and rivers. It replaced a crowded seal-on-blue design with one of the simplest flags in the country.
Dark blue field shaped like Minnesota at the hoist, bearing a white eight-pointed star, beside a light blue field.
Ratio: 3:5
Flag at a Glance
- Designer
- Andrew Prekker, refined by the State Emblems Redesign Commission
- Ratio
- 3:5
- Text on flag
- No
- Animals
- None listed
- Design type
- Modern geometric symbolic flag
- Complexity
- 2/10
- Readability
- 9/10
- Seal-based design
- No
Colors used
Flag Symbolism
North Star
Represents Minnesota’s motto ‘L’Étoile du Nord’ (Star of the North).
Dark Blue Shape
Echoes the outline of the state and the night sky.
Light Blue
Represents Minnesota’s lakes and rivers.
What Makes This Flag Unique
A lot of state flags share common themes. This one stands out for a few reasons:
- One of the newest U.S. state flags
- One of few state flags adopted through a formal redesign commission
- Deliberately avoids seal imagery and text
Praised and Criticised
Common praise
- Clean and modern design
- Strong symbolism without text
- High visibility and scalability
- Clear break from seal-based tradition
Common criticism
- Too abstract for some viewers
- Lacks traditional imagery
- Design feels corporate to critics
Modern Discussion
Redesign debate: No
Notable proposals
- Final design selected by the Minnesota State Emblems Redesign Commission
For Teachers & Students
Classroom-ready prompts, printables, and citation info for studying the Minnesota state flag.
Subjects
Learning objectives
- Explain significance of Minnesota’s motto ‘Star of the North.’
- Compare old cluttered design with 2024 simplified version.
Print this
Printable classroom handouts for this flag page.
Cite this page
Copy and paste a ready-made citation.
MLA
APA
Note: Citation formats can vary by school. These are common classroom defaults.
Seal Deep Dive
North Star
A white eight-pointed star set on the dark blue shape near the hoist.
Attributes: Eight-pointed star, White star
Meaning: Minnesota as the North Star State, representing guidance, hope, and direction
Color Fields
Two fields of blue forming a modern geometric layout.
Attributes: Light blue main field, Dark blue hoist shape echoing Minnesota’s outline
Meaning: Sky and water (light blue) contrasted with stability and depth (dark blue)
Historical Timeline
Minnesota admitted as 32nd state.
Simplified redesign officially adopted.
Fascinating Facts
Minnesota is nicknamed the Land of 10,000 Lakes.
The 2024 redesign simplified the flag for easier recognition.
The design features a bold, abstract star shape.
Blue tones represent Minnesota’s lakes, rivers, and sky.
The star symbolizes unity and guidance.
The asymmetrical shape creates a distinct silhouette.
The redesign moved away from a seal-on-blue format.
The new flag was selected through a public redesign process.
State Information
- Population
- 5,706,494
- Area
- 86,936
- Founded
- May 11, 1858
