Minneapolis: Attractions
Hennepin Avenue
The elongated Hennepin Avenue runs through several neighborhoods and is especially in the Downtown section the mile for entertainment and nightlife. The street is not only lined with shops, restaurants and bars, but also some important buildings and attractions.
The most famous and lively area of the Avenue is the Theater District. Of particular note are the four historic theater buildings, whose appearance shapes the district. The State Theater (No. 805) opened in 1921 and holds up to 2200 spectators for the concerts and performances taking place here. Slightly smaller stage shows take place at the Pantages Theater (# 710), which has a more modern facade but is even older in its basic substance. With 2,600 seats, the Orpheum Theater (# 910) is the largest venue. Here musicals are shown and in the lobby there are six interesting terracotta sculptures. The cultural offerings of this district are complemented by the Hennepin Center for the Arts, where numerous theatrical companies and groups of artists have found a home on eight floors and where there are several smaller stages. Opened in 1888 as a Masonic Temple, the building is now part of the adjacent Cowles Center for Dance and Performing Arts, set around the historic Shubert Theater. This theater building, built in 1910, is in the Guinness Book of Records since it was moved to its new location in a 12-day procedure during extensive refurbishment in the area in 1999, the heaviest building ever to have been relocated in this way.
Walker Art Center
Also located on Hennepin Avenue, the Walker Art Center, established in 1927, is considered one of the country’s most important modern art museums. In 2005, the museum complex received a modern architectural extension, giving it even more space for the museum’s large collection and the opportunity to depict art projects. In addition to the art exhibition, which includes a variety of media, the Walker Center also provides space for stagecraft and regularly presents film, dance or music performances. The arts center has a campus with a green area between the exhibition buildings.
1750 Hennepin Avenue
Minneapolis Sculpture Garden
In close proximity to the Walker Art Center is the Sculpture Garden, home to what is probably the most famous attraction in Minneapolis. The Spoonbridge and Cherry fountain by Claes Oldenburg, featuring an oversized spoon with a cherry on top, is the highlight of a collection of 40 sculptures in the 4.5-acre park. A bridge leads to the neighboring Loring Park, which is often used for outdoor events.
Basilica of Saint Mary
Not far from Loring Park is the Roman Catholic basilica, inaugurated in 1913 and named by the pope in 1926 as the first basilica in the United States. The church building features classic Baroque architecture and white granite exterior walls. The basilica often serves as a backdrop for events. In winter, an orchestra plays classical concerts here regularly, and every summer the Basilica Block Party takes place, a music festival that is growing in popularity year after year and whose proceeds go into the work of preserving the church.
1600 Hennepin Avenue
skyline
The Minneapolis skyline is a pretty impressive sight after a new construction boom in the early 21st century. There are currently 29 buildings with a height of over 100 meters in Minneapolis. The highest – and thus the highest in the state of Minnesota – is the IDS Center (80 8th Street), whose roof is at an altitude of 241 meters. On it is still an antenna, with which a total height of 280 meters is reached. Two other skyscrapers, the Capella Tower (225 6th Street) and the Wells Fargo Center (90 7th Street), but are only slightly lower with 237 and 236 meters. The IDS Center has 57 floors and was opened in 1972 after a three-year construction period. Unfortunately, the tallest of the buildings do not have public access to the city. You only get a good view in the 136 meter high Foshay Tower (821 Marquette Avenue), where there is an observation deck on the 30th floor.
Minneapolis City Hall
The Town Hall, which is also the courthouse for Hennepin County, is housed in a building constructed between 1891 and 1909 – which was significantly oversized at the time. The bell tower of the Town Hall, home to peregrine falcons for many years, houses a glockenspiel that can be heard every 15 minutes. In the entrance hall, visitors can admire a large sculpture called the “Father of Waters”, and occasionally there are exhibitions on special themes.
350th 5th Street
Northeast Minneapolis Arts District
The Minneapolis art scene is particularly concentrated in the Northeast neighborhood, across from downtown on the other side of the Mississippi River. Here are often housed in former industrial buildings, numerous art galleries, workshops and studios. One example is the Northrup King Building (1500 Jackson Street), where more than 100 artists have come. On the first Thursday of the month, many of the studios and galleries are open to visitors, as well as numerous other events. In other buildings similar offers can be found. The Association of Northeast-based artists hosts “Art-a-Whirl,” a kind of open house for several hundred studios and studios, on the third weekend of May each year. The artists’ quarter also includes the time-honored Ritz Theater on 13th Avenue, which hosts performances and community events.
Minneapolis Institute of Art
This publicly funded art museum offers free entry to a selection of some 80,000 exhibits from the collection and has been exhibiting art history for some 5000 years. The museum exists since 1883 and shows both paintings and crafts, textiles and photographs. The exhibition includes art from all over the world, including paintings by famous painters such as Matisse or El Greco.
2400 Third Avenue
American Swedish Institute
With the influence of the immigrants from Scandinavia on Minnesota and Minneapolis, this cultural center is in the district of Philips West. In addition to a museum with exhibits from Sweden and regular stage performances, the program also includes programs to strengthen the community and a restaurant serving typical Nordic cuisine. The institute is housed in a remarkable 1910 building built by the founder of a Swedish-language newspaper, a immigrant from Smaland, as a residence. In 1929, the family donated the house to the institute.
2600 Park Avenue
Mill City Museum
Minneapolis grew mainly to the city, because here the flour mills were built, in which the grain was processed by the vast fields of the Midwest. This cornerstone of the city’s history is dedicated to the Museum Complex, located on the banks of the Mississippi River on the site of a former mill. Consequently, the exhibition not only includes exhibits dealing with the work of the mills, but also those that document the history of the city. In addition, there are works of art made by artists from the region; In summer there are also open-air concerts on the premises.
Right next door is the Mills Ruins Park. Here were the remains of other former mills exposed and to the channels. with which water from the nearby Saint Anthony Falls had been brought to power the mills. In the middle of Downtown, this is a charming picture of the contrast between modern Minneapolis and its origins.
704 South 2nd Street
Related Posts
-
Milwaukee: Attractions Harley-Davidson Probably the most famous motorcycle brand in the world and she is not at home anywhere in the Wild West, but since…
-
Oklahoma City: Attractions Bricktown The Bricktown area, so called because of the bricks that traditionally used to make the buildings, is probably the…
-
Ostfriesland: worth seeing and tips for greetsiel
cutter > Greetsiel is one of the most popular excursion destinations on the North Sea coast. But what is there to see? And is a visit worthwhile? My…
-
Hanoi – the best tips for your trip
Hanoi: Tips for your trip Many Vietnam visitors are drawn to the hotspots in the south. But the north of the country has much to offer. And a detour to…