10 Top Rated Things to Do in Minneapolis, Minnesota
Photograph by Mikael Häggström, via Wikimedia Commons
Minnehaha Park
#1 in Best Top 10 Places to Visit in Minneapolis
Minnehaha Park known as Minnehaha Regional Park is popular for Minnehaha Falls and Minnehaha Creek. The city park is home to several sculptures: Hiawatha and Minnehaha, The Chief Little Crow Mask, and The Gunnar Wennerberg statue. The park also preserves historic sites and structures including Minnehaha Princess Station, John H. Stevens House, and the Longfellow House. Minnehaha Falls is the main attraction of the park attracting more than 850,000 visitors each year. Park features biking path, fountain, disc golf course, garden, playground, volleyball court, wading pool, and picnic area.
Photograph by McGhiever, via Wikimedia Commons
Minneapolis Institute of Art
#2 in Best Top 10 Places to Visit in Minneapolis
Minneapolis Institute of Art (Mia) is one of the largest art museums in the United States with more than 90,000 works of art representing 5,000 years of world history. Permanent collection has seven curatorial areas: Arts of Africa & the Americas; Contemporary Art; Decorative Arts, Textiles & Sculpture; Asian Art; Paintings; Photography and New Media; and Prints and Drawings. Admission to the museum is free.
Photograph by McGhiever, via Wikimedia Commons
Walker Art Center
#3 in Best Top 10 Places to Visit in Minneapolis
Walker Art Center located in the Lowry Hill is a 8-story buildings with 10 art galleries. The museum's permanent collection includes over 13,000 modern and contemporary art pieces including books, costumes, drawings, media works, paintings, photography, prints, and sculpture. Together with the adjacent Minneapolis Sculpture Garden and the Cowles Conservatory, it is one of the most visited contemporary art museums in the United States.
Photograph by Mulad, via Wikimedia Commons
Weisman Art Museum
#4 in Best Top 10 Places to Visit in Minneapolis
Frederick R. Weisman Art Museum (WAM) is located on the University of Minnesota campus. Permanent collection of the museum includes over 25,000 works of art in the areas of American modernism, ceramics, and Korean furniture. WAM features major exhibitions each year.
Photograph by Appraiser, via Wikimedia Commons
Guthrie Theater
#5 in Best Top 10 Places to Visit in Minneapolis
Guthrie Theater is located along the Mississippi River in downtown Minneapolis. It is a popular theater performance and production center. The facility houses three theaters: 1100 seating Wurtele Thrust Stage, 700 seat McGuire Proscenium Stage, and 199 seat Dowling Studio. It also includes production facilities, classrooms, restaurants and public lobbies. Outside wall of the building display mural of photographs from past plays.
Photograph by quaziefoto, via Wikimedia Commons
Mill City Museum
#6 in Best Top 10 Places to Visit in Minneapolis
Mill City Museum built within the ruins of the Washburn A Mill. Once the largest flour mill in the world, The mill is a National Historic Landmark. Collection of the museum includes 19th century flour milling machines, vintage advertising, and huge dinner table. Eight levels of the building offers glimpse of the old mill while the voices of the former workers share their stories. Things to see include Flour Tower, 19 Minutes film, Baking Lab, Water Lab, Observation deck, and Ruin Courtyard.
Photograph by Eswanner, via Wikimedia Commons
Chain of Lakes
#7 in Best Top 10 Places to Visit in Minneapolis
The city's Chain of Lakes consisting of five lakes: Brownie Lake, Cedar Lake, Lake of the Isles, Bde Maka Ska, and Lake Harriet. Shorelines of lakes connected by trails offer path for walking, running, and biking. Recreation activities along the lakes include swimming, fishing, boating, picnicking, and ice skating. The Chain of Lakes is one of seven byway districts along the Grand Rounds National Scenic Byway. Walkway for pedestrians runs parallel along the 52 mile route of the Grand Rounds National Scenic Byway.
Photograph by McGhiever, via Wikimedia Commons
Minneapolis Sculpture Garden
#8 in Best Top 10 Places to Visit in Minneapolis
Minneapolis Sculpture Garden located near Walker Art Center is one of the largest sculpture gardens in the United States. The 11 acre park is home to more than 40 outdoor sculptures. It showcases works from the Walker Art Center's collections of modern and contemporary art. The garden features Spoonbridge and Cherry fountain which is centerpiece of the garden and Irene Hixon Whitney Bridge. Admission to the garden is free and it is open from 6 am to 12 midnight every day.
Photograph by McGhiever, via Wikimedia Commons
American Swedish Institute
#9 in Best Top 10 Places to Visit in Minneapolis
American Swedish Institute (ASI) is a museum and cultural center dedicated to the preservation and study of the historic role Sweden and Swedish Americans have played in US culture and history. The museum is known for the distinctive Turnblad Mansion, the Nelson Cultural Center, ASI's Museum Store and FIKA Cafe. ASI offers Sweden and the Nordic region exhibitions and innovative programming.
Photograph by Farragutful, via Wikimedia Commons
Mall of America
#10 in Best Top 10 Places to Visit in Minneapolis
Mall of America (MOA) is a popular shopping mall and family fun attraction located in Bloomington. It is the seventh largest shopping mall in the world. Mall visitors include people from Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa, Nebraska, the Dakotas, Illinois, Ohio and Canada. The mall includes more than 530 stores along three levels. It also includes Nickelodeon Universe an indoor theme park in the center of the mall. The theme park features roller coasters, miniature golfing and family fun rides. Sea Life Minnesota Aquarium is another indoor attraction where visitors can travel through a 300-foot-long curved tunnel through 14 feet of water to view over 4,500 sea creatures including sharks, turtles, and stingrays.
Minneapolis Museums
Minneapolis Parks
- Minnehaha Park
- Minneapolis Sculpture Garden