
21 Sep 3 Iconic Museums in Minneapolis, Minnesota
There are many great museums in Minneapolis, Minnesota, and I visited three of them while exploring the city on a trip with Marriott. During my weeklong trip exploring my own backyard, we made our way to the Walker Art Center & Minneapolis Sculpture Garden, Mill City Museum, and Foshay Tower Museum and Observation Deck. Of course, there are several other wonderful museums in the city, such as the Minneapolis Institute of Art, The Museum of Russian Art, Weisman Art Museum, American Swedish Institute, to name a few. But, for now, let’s dig a bit deeper into the three museums I visited on this trip. They are all located downtown and all three museums showcase a different side of Minneapolis. Each one has a different story to tell about the history and culture in Minneapolis.
Mill City Museum
The Mill City Museum is built in the ruins of an old flour mill in downtown Minneapolis, right on the shores of the Mississippi River. Because of the city’s rich milling history, Minneapolis was at one point known as the “Flour Milling Capital of the World.” In fact, the milling industry was one of the main contributors to the growth of the area’s population in the late 1800’s.
Throughout the mill’s history, there have been a couple of devastating events. In the late 1800’s, the building was destroyed during a flour dust explosion. This explosion destroyed not only the mill, but a portion of other businesses on the riverfront. It was devastating for the region, but a new mill was built in 1880. This new mill used to be the world’s largest flour mill, and it is said at one time the mill could grind enough flour to make around 12 million loaves of bread each day. That’s a lot of flour! The mill was shut down in 1965 after technology evolutions rendered the mill obsolete, and the second devastating event happened in 1991 when the building was destroyed by a fire.
The museum opened in 2003, and inside you will learn all about the region’s history, the building’s history and about the flour milling industry. Exhibits include a baking lab, a water lab, flour milling machinery, and several other exhibits showcasing various aspects of products, people and media relating to the milling industry.
One of the main attractions of the museum is the Flour Tower multimedia show where you take a seat inside of an old freight elevator. The elevator brings you to several floors and you get a peek into what the mill looked like during its flour milling days. The tour is narrated by the voices of those who used to work at the mill and it is a wonderful trip back in time. After the Flour Tower show, you will disembark on the 9th floor where you will have the opportunity to visit the rooftop observation deck. The observation deck offers views overlooking the Mississippi River, St. Anthony Falls and the historic Stone Arch Bridge.
In addition to the museum exhibits, visitors can attend Mill City Live concerts and a variety of other events in the outdoor ruin courtyard. Some of the other events offered are cooking demos, baking workshops, Mill City Oktoberfest, and An “Eventually” Christmas: Holidays at the Mill. No matter what time of the year it is, there is sure to be something interesting going on at the Mill City Museum and it’s definitely worth a stop to learn more about the history of Minneapolis.
Foshay Tower Museum and Observation Deck
The Foshay Tower Museum and Observation Deck is located on the top floors of the Foshay Tower inside of the W Hotel. This museum is a bit of a hidden gem, and it details the history of the first skyscraper built in Minnesota. The Foshay Tower was the tallest building in the city of Minneapolis from 1929-1971; the building has 32 floors and stands at a height of 447 ft. It was modeled after the Washington Monument and was also the first skyscraper built west of the Mississippi River.
The museum is located on the 30th floor and provides a look into the storied history of the building’s creation, as well as its creator, Wilbur Foshay. The building was completed right before the onset of the Great Depression, and after a grand dedication ceremony, checks started to bounce and trouble fell on Wilbur Foshay. You will find newspaper clippings, photographs, letters, memorabilia and an interactive video screen inside the museum detailing the events that transpired before, during and after the Great Depression.
Once you learn all about the history of the Foshay Tower and Minneapolis, make your way up to the observation deck for a look at the city. One of the things we love about the view from the observation deck is that it isn’t the tallest building in the city anymore. Because it’s not the tallest building, you get a unique vantage point of looking out at the surrounding buildings rather than looking down on them all.
Over the years, the building was mainly used as office space. That is until 2008, when the W Hotel opened inside of the tower. Now, in addition to this museum, the tower houses the sleek W Hotel, the Prohibition Bar, the Living Room Bar, Manny’s Steakhouse and the Key’s Café.
Walker Art Center & Minneapolis Sculpture Garden
While the other two museums on this list focus on the history of Minneapolis, the Walker Art Center takes on a more present-day vibe as a contemporary art center. The Walker Art Center is home to an acclaimed collection of contemporary visual, performing and media arts, as well as the adjacent Minneapolis Sculpture Garden. The programs and exhibitions at the museum “examine the questions that shape and inspire us as individuals, cultures, and communities” and they take a diverse and global approach to contemporary art.
Inside the museum you will find movie screenings, rotating exhibitions, and performances of music, dance and other arts in the theater. There is also a restaurant on site called Esker Grove which was a 2017 James Beard Foundation Semifinalist for Best New Restaurant.
During our visit, a couple of my favorite exhibitions were Katharina Fritsch: Multiples and Jimmie Durham: At the Center of the World, but there were several other great pieces on display as well.
The Minneapolis Sculpture Garden is adjacent to the Walker Art Center, and it just reopened again in 2017 after a remodel. The garden is free to visit and it showcases more than 40 works of art, and it even has an artist designed mini golf course on site.
The most iconic sculpture in the garden is the Spoonbridge and Cherry–it is a giant spoon with a huge cherry balancing on the tip. When you look at the sculpture from certain angles, it sits nicely in the foreground of the city skyline.
One of the new sculptures that everyone is talking about is the large blue rooster, Hahn/Cock.
All of the sculptures are spread throughout the spacious garden and it creates a beautiful respite from the busy city next door. The combination of the Walker Art Center and the Minneapolis Sculpture Garden gives you a nice and relaxing contemporary escape.
Have you been to any museums in Minneapolis? Which one would you like to visit most?
Special thanks to the Marriott and all the fine establishments in this post for hosting me on a fantastic week in Minneapolis. As always, all opinions are my own.

Julien Mordret
Posted at 17:14h, 23 SeptemberIt’s always nice to dive into the local history like this, and I have to admit that I didn’t even know what Minneapolis looks like. Seen from France where I live, it’s not really the first destination that comes to mind in the US! I learned new things, thanks for sharing!
Julien Mordret recently posted…How To Get Started With HDR Photography: 3 Methods Explained
Jenna Kvidt
Posted at 04:57h, 27 SeptemberGlad to show you around a little bit! 🙂 Lol, yeah, the midwest isn’t always the first spot that comes to peoples mind, but there’s a lot of great things in Minneapolis if you do ever have the chance to visit!
Jenna Kvidt recently posted…Ghosts, Zombies and Monsters: The Halloween Haunt at ValleySCARE
Pedro
Posted at 18:25h, 23 SeptemberI’m one of those people who have only been to Minneapolis airport during a Delta flight connection. The city looks amazing, so I’m hoping to be able to visit friends there next spring. Fingers crossed!
Pedro recently posted…#AlternativeRussia: Exploring the Russia World Cup Host Cities
Jenna Kvidt
Posted at 04:56h, 27 SeptemberHopefully you can get outside of the airport sometime! Lots of fun things to do and see if you have a long layover!
Jenna Kvidt recently posted…Ghosts, Zombies and Monsters: The Halloween Haunt at ValleySCARE
Jackie Sills-Dellegrazie
Posted at 20:45h, 23 SeptemberI had no idea Minneapolis has such a rich milling history. I love learning quirky history like that so I’d love to visit the museum to learn more. The baking workshops sound like a ton of fun! I’m also very much interested in history in and around the Great Depression. The story behind the Wilbur Foshay and the tower would be a great story.
Jenna Kvidt
Posted at 04:56h, 27 SeptemberI know–I didn’t realize the extent of the milling history either. So interesting to learn more about it! Hope you can check out both museums sometime!
Jenna Kvidt recently posted…Ghosts, Zombies and Monsters: The Halloween Haunt at ValleySCARE
Amanda Kendle
Posted at 20:51h, 23 SeptemberThese all look great! I always love these kind of local museums and my 7-year-old is obsessed with skyscrapers. Some day (we are in Western Australia) I plan to take him on “the great American road trip” and I’m sure I’ll remember to stop by Minneapolis now!
Jenna Kvidt
Posted at 04:55h, 27 SeptemberA great American road trip sounds like a wonderful idea to take with your kid sometime! What a fun adventure that would be!
Jenna Kvidt recently posted…Ghosts, Zombies and Monsters: The Halloween Haunt at ValleySCARE
Marion Halliday
Posted at 01:14h, 24 SeptemberA FLOUR DUST explosion? Whoever heard of such a thing?? It sounds like the Mill was doomed anyway with the fire coming later! I love the views from the Foshay Tower observation deck – great for photos as well as getting your bearings. And the Sculpture Park looks amazing – what is that round brick structure? It actually caught my eye more than the famous cherry and spoon!
Marion Halliday recently posted…See Australia Month by Month Part Two: July to December Travel Teasers!
Jenna Kvidt
Posted at 04:54h, 27 SeptemberRight?! Never knew that was a thing! And I know what you mean–the brick structure really caught my eye too! It’s called Black Vessel for a Saint by Theater Gates!
Jenna Kvidt recently posted…Ghosts, Zombies and Monsters: The Halloween Haunt at ValleySCARE
Anna Faustino
Posted at 02:11h, 24 SeptemberTwitter: adventurein_you
The Minneapolis Sculpture Garden is definitely a place I would love to visit. Okay, I confess, I’m a sucker for mini golf. But seriously, never knew there were so many things to see and do in Minneapolis!
Anna Faustino recently posted…Negombo Hotels: Jetwing Beach Review
Jenna Kvidt
Posted at 04:52h, 27 SeptemberLol! I am a sucker for mini golf too 🙂 And yeah, there are a lot of great things to do in Minneapolis–definitely a city with a lot of unexpected gems!
Jenna Kvidt recently posted…Ghosts, Zombies and Monsters: The Halloween Haunt at ValleySCARE
Jose Harvey
Posted at 20:52h, 24 SeptemberThese museums seem really awesome! I like seeing articles about not as on the beaten path cities and the flour museum seems amazing. It’s related to agriculture and I love everything about that. Hopefully, I’ll make it to Minneapolis one day!
Jenna Kvidt
Posted at 04:51h, 27 SeptemberHope you make it to Minneapolis and the Mill City Museum one day, too!
Jenna Kvidt recently posted…Ghosts, Zombies and Monsters: The Halloween Haunt at ValleySCARE
Anna Johnston
Posted at 17:26h, 25 SeptemberTwitter: annaJ31
I’m always a sucka for sculptures and artwork outside the museums and parks, they almost always make me stop and wonder about the artists motivation, so my choice would be the Walker Art Centre and Minneapolis Sculpture Garden. Great review of all the cultural stops in Minneapolis.
Anna Johnston recently posted…A Tip-Top Tour with Thundercat Whitsundays
Jenna Kvidt
Posted at 04:48h, 27 SeptemberThanks, Anna! Outside art and sculptures always intrigue me too–hope you can check it out sometime!
Jenna Kvidt recently posted…Ghosts, Zombies and Monsters: The Halloween Haunt at ValleySCARE
Adelina
Posted at 20:25h, 25 SeptemberThe sculpture garden looks like it would be a great way to relax and take in some art. And that giant Bisquick box! That’s awesome! Seeing that would almost be worth it alone (I love giant things, and tiny ones for that matter…)
Adelina recently posted…Surprises and First Impressions of India
Jenna Kvidt
Posted at 04:48h, 27 SeptemberYeah, the sculpture garden is the perfect spot for relaxing, especially on a sunny day! 🙂 And I know what you mean–I always love items that have a crazy size!
Jenna Kvidt recently posted…Ghosts, Zombies and Monsters: The Halloween Haunt at ValleySCARE
Mei
Posted at 03:27h, 26 SeptemberWe haven’t made it to Minneapolis yet, but would love to go there one day. Visiting museums will certainly be part of our program, since I’m an Archaeologist and also studied Art History,.. so we’ll probably do all three museums you’ve mentioned here! Thank you for sharing this!
Mei recently posted…Exploring Cambridge University with a prospective student
Jenna Kvidt
Posted at 04:46h, 27 SeptemberHope you can make it to Minneapolis sometime! Glad to hear you will check out all of the museums–they are all great options to see!
Jenna Kvidt recently posted…Ghosts, Zombies and Monsters: The Halloween Haunt at ValleySCARE
terra
Posted at 15:09h, 26 SeptemberThe Mill City Museum looks very, very cool. We’ve got an old mill in Richmond and I’ve always wondered what it looked like from the inside.
Jenna Kvidt
Posted at 04:45h, 27 SeptemberThat’s really cool! Is there a museum or anything inside of the mill in Richmond?
Jenna Kvidt recently posted…Ghosts, Zombies and Monsters: The Halloween Haunt at ValleySCARE