CityShowcase

Minneapolis is the sister city to St. Paul, which grew up beside each other on opposite banks of the Mississippi River. These 2 cities are almost the same, but there are some differences such as most of the downtown area of Minneapolis is new and more eclectic than St. Paul's renovated historical buildings. The future site of Minneapolis was at St. Anthony(1848), a settlement built next to Minneapolis(1856). In 1872, these two areas were merged together to make the city of Minneapolis. The word Minneapolis comes from the Sioux word for minne, meaning water, and the Greek word for polis meaning city. In the Twin Cities metro area the population amounts to over 2 million people. One of the great things in both cities you can find large skyway systems to get around the cities. With this system, everything is indoors or not in the cold during the winter. Visit the Falls of St. Anthony, which give a lot of the city's power, the Minneapolis Planetarium, and the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome thats home to the Minnesota Vikings, University of Minnesota football teams, and the Minnesota Twins. In the downtown skyway area, look for the Norwest Center, the Gaviidae Common, a shopping mecca, the IDS Building, the Piper Jaffray Tower, the Lutheran Brotherhood Building, and the Foshay Tower that was the city's first skyscraper which provides an observation deck of the city. Museums in the area include the Minneapolis Institute of Arts displaying over 80,000 works of art, the American Swedish Institute, the Firefighters Memorial Museum, and the Historical Society Museum. Exploring the other sites such as the Minnesota Zoo with 1,700 animals, Historic Fort Snelling, and parks such as the Minnehaha Park containing Minnehaha Falls and the Wirth Park. Around the city you can enjoy the city's lakes, shopping centers,thearter, arts, sports, recreation fun, or just take a stroll on the Stone Arch Bridge, a restored railroad bridge for people to enjoy.

American Swedish Institute

2600 Park Avenue

Minneapolis, Minnesota

(612) 871-4907

http://www.americanswedishinst.org/

The institute exhibits an art collection, textiles, and furniture, pioneer items, and more.

Bell Museum of Natural History

10 Church Street S.E.

Minneapolis, Minnesota

(612) 624-7083

http://www.umn.edu/bellmuse/

The museum displays dioramas of Minnesota birds, plants, and mammals.

Brave New Workshop

3001 Hennepin Ave. S.

Minneapolis, Minnesota

(612) 377-8445

http://www.bravenewworkshop.com/

The Brave New Workshop (BNW), founded by Dudley Riggs in 1958, is the longest-running satirical theatre in the country. From sketch comedy and improv performances to corporate training and entertainment not to mention improv and actor's training classes at the Brave New Institute, the BNW is definitely worth a look!

Children's Theatre Company

2400 Third Ave. S.

Minneapolis, Minnesota

(612) 874-0500

http://www.childrenstheatre.org/

The Children's Theatre Company is recognized as the largest children's theatre in North America, as well as a major cultural and artistic resource in Minnesota.

Eloise Butler Wildflower and Bird Sanctuary

Theodore Wirth Pkwy.

Minneapolis, Minnesota

(612) 370-4903

This santuary covers 13.8 acres and contains a trail along where animals and plants can be seen.

Federick R. Weiseman Art Museum

333 E. River Rd.

Minneapolis, Minnesota

(612) 625-9494

http://www.weisman.umn.edu/

The art museum exhibits contemporary American art and changing exhibits.

Gateway Center

Hennepin and Washington aves.

Minneapolis, Minnesota

This is the district where pioneers left to settle the Northwest in the late 19th century.

Guthrie Theater, The

725 Vineland Place

Minneapolis, Minnesota

(612) 377-2224 or (877) 44STAGE

http://www.guthrietheater.net/

Sir Tyrone Guthrie established the Guthrie Theater in 1963, producing classic plays of the highest artistic quality and quickly becoming the area's premier resident theater. Today, under the artistic direction of Joe Dowling, that tradition continues as each year more than 400,000 theatergoers are delighted, intrigued, and entertained by performances at the Guthrie.

Jackpot Junction Casino Hotel

7739 Flying Cloud Drive

Minneapolis, Minnesota

(952) 942-9683

http://www.jackpotjunction.com/

Visit the casino hotel for lodging, gambling, food, and fun.

Lake Minnetonka

Use SR 7, west

Minneapolis, Minnesota

http://www.lakeminnetonka.com/

This natural lake provides fishing, boating and swimming.

Mall of America

60 East Broadway

Minneapolis, Minnesota

(952) 883-8800

http://www.mallofamerica.com/

This is the nation's largest mall including 78 acres of shopping and recreation.

Minneapolis Institute of Arts

2400 Third Avenue South

Minneapolis, Minnesota

(612) 870-3131 or (888) MIA-ARTS

http://www.artsmia.org/

Comprehensive online resources and visitor information from the upper-Midwest's premiere art museum, The Institute's permanent collections span 4000 years of art, culture, and history, including outstanding works in seven curatorial areas: African, Oceania, and The Americas; Asian Art; Decorative Arts and Sculpture; Paintings; Photography; Prints and Drawings; and Textiles. The Institute offers more than twenty changing exhibitions each year. General admission to the museum is always free of charge.

Minneapolis Planetarium

300 Nicollet Mall

Minneapolis, Minnesota

(612) 372-6543 or 630-6155

http://www.mplanetarium.org/planet_home.html

The planetarium offers family programs of astronomical topics.

Minneapolis Sculpture Garden

Walker Art Center

Minneapolis, Minnesota

(612) 370-3996 or 375-7585

http://www.walkerart.org/resources/res_msg_frame.html

The garden displays over 40 sculptures on its 11 acres.

Minneapolis Society of Fine Arts Park

Surrounds 24th, 26th, stevens and 3rd Ave. S.

Minneapolis, Minnesota

(612) 874-3700

The park covers over 17 acres including garden courtyards.

Minnehaha Park

Minnehaha Pkwy.

Minneapolis, Minnesota

The park houses the first frame house built west of the Mississippi River in Minneapolis.

Minnesota Children's Museum

10 West Seventh Street

Minneapolis, Minnesota

(651) 225-6000 or 225-6001

http://www.mcm.org/

Minnesota Children's Museum is at the heart of where fun meets learning. It's where kids can touch, climb, splash, crawl, push, pull, and press it all! Children ages 6 months through 10 years and their adult guests can explore six galleries packed with extraordinary hands-on adventures.

Minnesota Historical Society

345 W. Kellogg Blvd.

Minneapolis, Minnesota

(651) 296-6126

http://www.mnhs.org/

At the Minnesota Historical Society we've been collecting, preserving and telling Minnesota stories for 150 years.

Minnesota Landscape Arboretum

3675 Arboretum Drive

Minneapolis, Minnesota

(952) 443-1400

http://www.arboretum.umn.edu/

The arboretum is on 900 acres of gardens and contains some walking trails to enjoy some of nature's scenery.

Minnesota Museum of American Art

75 West Fifth Street

Minneapolis, Minnesota

(651) 292-4355

http://www.mtn.org/MMAA/

The art museum offers a permanent collection, collected over 40 years

Minnesota Zoo

13000 Zoo Blvd.

Minneapolis, Minnesota

(612) 432-9000

http://www.mnzoo.com/

This 485-acre zoo has over 2,000 animals in similated natural habitats.

Museum of Questionable Medical Devices

201 Main St. S.E.

Minneapolis, Minnesota

(612) 379-4046 or (763) 545-1113

http://www.mtn.org/quack/

Dubbed 'The Quackery Hall of Fame,' the museum is the world's largest display of what the human mind has devised to cure itself without the benefit of either scientific method or common sense.

Paradise Charter Cruises

P.O. Box 563

Minneapolis, Minnesota

(888) 559-8058 or (952) 474-8058

http://www.paradisechartercruises.com/

Paradise Charter Cruises of Lake Minnetonka provides private yacht charters on Lake Minnetonka for lunch, cocktail and dinner cruises. Just 20 minutes west of Minneapolis MN.

Science Museum of Minnesota

120 W Kellogg Boulevard

Minneapolis, Minnesota

(651) 221-9444

http://www.smm.org/

The Science Museum of Minnesota is the most popular museum in the Upper Midwest. It features dinosaurs, Omnitheater, school programs, Mississippi Riverfront parks, hands-on exhibits.

University of Minnesota

Between Larpenteur and Commonwealth Aves.

Minneapolis, Minnesota

(612) 625-0000 or (800) 752-0000

http://www.umn.edu/

The university offers guided tours and has a student population of 37,000.

Upper Lock

Portland Ave.

Minneapolis, Minnesota

The lock has a lift of nearly 50 feet, letting river traffic reach parts of the city.

Valleyfair Amusement Park

One Valleyfair Drive