Twin Cities Tour Guide

Grab your brushes and palette! Put on your smock and beret!  We’re off to the Minneapolis Institute of Arts! 

Minneapolis and St. Paul have a vibrant and thriving arts community that celebrates talented local artists as well as nationally and internationally reknowned artists. One of the largest organizations within the Twin Cities arts community is the Minneapolis Institute of the Arts, located at 2400 3rd Ave. S. just a mile south of downtown (map). The M.I.A., which is free and open to the public six days a week, is housed in a sprawling building which combines beautiful classical features with streamlined modern elements: 

The classically styled central building (1915) is flanked modern additions in 1974 (left) and 2006 (right). (Photo courtesy of MeetMinneapolis)

Behold… the Amazing Technicolor Art Museum (Photo courtesy of LeAnn Crowe)

This M.I.A. has a collection of over 80,000 pieces including paintings, sculptures, artifacts, and some things you might not normally think of as art:

Very few museums allow you to actually park in the galleries. The M.I.A. is not one of them. This 1948 Tatra T87 Sedan is actually part of the M.I.A.’s entertaining collection of modern and contemporary artifacts. (Photo courtesy of Honey Bunny)

The Experience

I have visited the M.I.A. four times in the last two years. Somehow, even though I know the M.I.A. is an enormous place, every time I’ve gone there I’ve found myself thinking that the museum was bigger than I remembered it. Upon entering the lobby, a long, tall, and narrow space with walls of windows on either end, it impossible to tell just how large the M.I.A. actually is:

The M.I.A.’s small, modern lobby belies the vast, classically inspired gallery spaces within the museum. (Photo courtesy of Trista B.)

I always grab a map at the desk in the lobby before I head into the galleries. This is especially important if there is a specific exhibit or gallery you want to see (you may even need to ask for directions to a gallery). The galleries are on the second and third floors.

The second floor features galleries housing art and artifacts from the following geographic regions/historical eras:

• Asia – emphasis on China and Japan, also includes Himalayan kingdoms, Southeast Asia & Islamic art.
• Americas
• Pacific Islands
• Africa
• Ancient Art – emphasis on classical Greece and Rome
• Textiles
• Modern and Contemporary – The Tatra Sedan (take note car buffs), unique furniture and household accessories (Art Deco Etc.). Half of this fun gallery is on the third floor).
• Special Exhibitions – Currently on the groundbreaking architecture of Eero Saarinen, who designed the Gateway Arch in St. Louis and TWA terminal in New York among other notable buildings.

The Doryphoros is one of the highlights of the Ancient Art gallery. (Photo courtesy of Jerry)

The M.I.A. has an extensive collection of Asian art, sculptures and textiles. (Photo courtesy of Jerry)

The third floor features art and artifacts from these geographic regions/historical regions:

• Modern and Contemporary – If you bring kids to the M.I.A. make sure to check out this gallery.
• Photographs
• Europe 1200 – 1600 A.D.
• Europe and America 1600 – 1900 A.D. – impressionism, folk art, decorative arts and period rooms (read “Masterpieces” section for more), Prairie School design and architecture, prints and drawings.

Family Fun

The Minneapolis Institute of Arts offers an array of fun, educational programs for adults and children, giving participants the opportunity to learn about, experience, and create art in a variety of media.

The “Masterpieces” (Highlights) of the Minneapolis Institute of the Arts:

1. The Price is Right – Museum admission (and parking) is FREE for everyone … always!
2. Huge Collections - There is sure to be art that will appeal to everyone in the M.I.A.’s vast collection.
3. Not Just Paintings - In addition to typical art museum fare of paintings and sculpture, the M.I.A. is full of textiles, artifacts (suits of armor, Native American shields, etc), and even furniture, household objects, and of course cars. These other artifacts inspire me to see the art all around me in my everyday life.
4. Period Rooms - Don’t miss the recreated/restored period rooms on the second and third floors. Walk through a recreated Charleston, SC drawing room circa 1792, or the Grand Salon of a French luxury hotel circa 1735, among many, many others. These are a must for anyone with an interest in design, architecture, or history. Here’s some more info.

The elegant Grand Salon from the Hôtel Gaillard de La Bouëxière c. 1735. (Photo Courtesy of Lori Erickson)

The “Eyesores” (Lowlights of the Minneapolis Institute of the Arts):

1. Lost in the Laybrinth – The museum is an extensive maze of galleries, most of which do not have windows. This means it can be very easy to lose track of yourself (and the time). Make sure you take a map, a timepiece, and don’t be afraid to ask a museum employee for directions within the galleries.
2. Secret Service? - The countless museum guards made me a little uneasy as they eyed my every movement and sometimes followed me from one gallery to another. It’s good to have security, but several of the M.I.A.’s guards, clad in suits, and equipped with walkie-talkies and stern faces, seemed unapproachable and suspicious of everyone in the galleries. 
3. Look Ma, No Hands! - Very few things in the museum are hands-on, meaning that many kids, and even some adults, may get bored long before they have seen all there is to see (I bet the M.I.A.. could single- handedly keep the that company makes those “Please do not touch” signs in the black). There are interactive computer stations throughout the museum which are kind of fun, but other than that, there’s not much to do with your hands.
4. Small Special Exhibits Gallery – I was really excited to see the Eero Saarinen exhibit, but was disappointed by how small the special exhibit gallery containing it was. It was still neat to see, I just wish there had been more room for more models, blueprints, etc.

Just ‘Cause it’s Art Doesn’t Mean You Have to Be Starving:

There is food available at several venues in and around the M.I.A.

Don’t forget about the Performing Arts:

Come visit the M.I.A. for free and take in a wonderful show at the adjacent Children’s Theater Company.

If You Go:

The museum is located 2400 3rd Ave S. (map). Hours are 10am – 5pm Tues. – Sat. (open until 9pm Thurs.), and 11am – 5pm Sunday. Closed Mondays. There is a free parking ramp adjacent to the museum. Here is some info on parking and driving directions to the M.I.A.

The museum is also accessible by bus.

And now its time to put the finishing touches on this artistic post. See you next time! Thanks for reading!

Coming Soon… the Walker Art Center!