Minneapolis is a major city in Minnesota that forms "Twin Cities" with the neighboring state capital of St. Paul. Bisected by the Mississippi River, it's known for its parks and lakes. Minneapolis is also home to many cultural landmarks like the Walker Art Center, a contemporary art museum, and the adjacent Minneapolis Sculpture Garden, famed for Claes Oldenburg's "Spoonbridge and Cherry" sculpture.
The city's other notable art museums include the Minneapolis Institute of Art and the ultramodern University of Minnesota's Weisman Art Museum. In Downtown, the Mill City Museum recalls Minneapolis' industrial history on the grounds of a former mill, while the historic Guthrie Theater presents Shakespeare plays and contemporary productions. A scenic bike path and cross-country skiing trails wind past the city's main lakes, dubbed the Chain of Lakes. The neighborhoods of Uptown and North Loop draw visitors to their boutique shops, chic cafes and bars.
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Minnehaha Park is a city park in Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States, and home to Minnehaha Falls and the lower reaches of Minnehaha Creek. Officially named Minnehaha Regional Park, it is part of the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board system and lies within the Mississippi National River and Recreation Area, a unit of the National Park Service. The park was designed by landscape architect Horace W.S. Cleveland in 1883 as part of the Grand Rounds Scenic Byway system, and was part of the popular steamboat Upper Mississippi River "Fashionable Tour" in the 1800s. The park preserves historic sites that illustrate transportation, pioneering, and architectural themes. Preserved structures include the Minnehaha Princess Station, a Victorian train depot built in the 1870s; the John H. Stevens House, built in 1849 and moved to the park from its original location in 1896, utilizing horses and 10,000 school children; and the Longfellow House, a house built to resemble the Henry Wadsworth Longfellow's house in Cambridge, Massachusetts.
Home to more than 90,000 works of art representing 5,000 years of world history, the Minneapolis Institute of Art is a arts museum located in Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States. Its permanent collection includes world-famous works that embody the highest levels of artistic achievement, spanning about 20,000 years and representing the world’s diverse cultures across six continents. The museum 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. Mia is one of the largest arts educators in Minnesota. More than a half-million people visit the museum each year, and a hundred thousand more are reached through the museum’s Art Adventure program for elementary schoolchildren. The museum’s free general admission policy, public programs, classes for children and adults, and award-winning interactive media programs have helped to broaden and deepen this museum’s roots in the communities it serves.
Mill City Museum is a Minnesota Historical Society museum in Minneapolis. It opened in 2003 built in the ruins of the Washburn "A" Mill next to Mill Ruins Park on the banks of the Mississippi River. The museum focuses on the founding and growth of Minneapolis, especially flour milling and the other industries that used hydropower from Saint Anthony Falls. The mill complex, dating from the 1870s, is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It is part of the St. Anthony Falls Historic District and within the National Park Service's Mississippi National River and Recreation Area.
The Stone Arch Bridge is a former railroad bridge crossing the Mississippi River at Saint Anthony Falls in downtown Minneapolis, Minnesota. It is the only arched bridge made of stone on the entire Mississippi River. It is the second oldest bridge on the river next to Eads Bridge. The bridge was built to connect the railway system to the new Union Depot, which at that time was planned to be built between Hennepin Avenue and Nicollet Avenue. The bridge was completed in 1883, costing $650,000 at the time. 117 Portland Avenue is the general address of the historic complex. Located between the 3rd Avenue Bridge and the I-35W Saint Anthony Falls Bridge, the Stone Arch Bridge was built in 1883 by railroad tycoon James J. Hill for his Great Northern Railway, and accessed the former passenger station located about a mile to the west, on the west bank of the river. For a time, the bridge was dubbed "Hill's Folly" until the value of Hill's new bridge as a passenger rail link became evident. The structure is now used as a pedestrian and bicycle bridge.
Lake of the Isles is a lake in Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States, connected to Cedar Lake and Bde Maka Ska. In winter it is used for ice skating and hockey and serves as the location of a New Year's Eve celebration featuring roasted marshmallows and hot chocolate. The lake has an area of 109 acres, 2.86 miles of shoreline with a little under three miles of paved walking and biking paths, and a maximum depth of 31 feet. Lake of the Isles is known for its two wooded islands, its long north arm, and the surrounding stately houses of the Kenwood, Lowry Hill, and East Isles neighborhoods. The lake was named for small islands that used to exist in the lake, wetlands area, and was used from the earliest days of settlement of Minneapolis. At one time the lake contained four small islands, but two of them, near the south shore of the lake, were converted to parkland as the lake was developed and dredged to its current shape and size. The two remaining wooded islands, Mike's Island in the north and Raspberry Island, are protected wildlife refuges which contain virgin woods. Landing on either of the islands is prohibited, as marked by signs.
When to visit
Peak travel is summer (May–Sep), when the weather's warm. Grand Old Days (St. Paul, Jun) is a street festival with a parade, live music and food stands. Aquatennial (Jul), an annual celebration of the city's lakes and rivers, includes family-friendly events and a fireworks display. Winter (Dec–Feb) is frequently snowy. Overnight temperatures fall well below freezing. The City of Lakes Loppet (Feb) is an urban cross-country skiing festival, with races and participation.