Minnesota’s museums and sculpture parks boast amazing, diverse collections of art, featuring works created thousands of years ago to today’s contemporary talents. From renowned Twin Cities institutions to lesser-known gems throughout greater Minnesota, fine art shines across the state. Plan your next day trip or weekend getaway around these must-visit museums.
Photography provided by Weisman Art Museum
Minneapolis-St. Paul
In South Minneapolis, the Minneapolis Institute of Art is the Twin Cities’ encyclopedic museum, housing more than 80,000 objects spanning 5,000 years of world history. Called Mia for short, this impressive attraction is regularly ranked among the top comprehensive art museums in the country. Daily admission is free, with special exhibits available to peruse for an additional fee.
Housed in a refurbished church and funeral home in South Minneapolis’s Windom neighborhood, the Museum of Russian Art is the only museum in North America dedicated to the preservation and presentation of Russian art and artifacts. Its dynamic rotation of exhibitions provides a gateway to understanding Russia’s heritage and history through the masterworks of some of the country’s greatest artists.
The Walker Art Center in Lowry Hill is internationally renowned for its contemporary art collection, exhibits, films, performances and programs with leading art world–figures. While there, be sure to explore the Minneapolis Sculpture Garden, one of the largest urban sculpture parks in the country showcasing work from renowned artists like Theaster Gates and James Turrell.
Situated on the University of Minnesota campus, the Weisman Art Museum is known for its Frank Gehry–designed building as well as exhibits running the gamut from modernist American paintings and ceramics to design and photography. The Goldstein Museum of Design features exhibits at both the St. Paul and Minneapolis campus galleries, showcasing works from its collection of more than 29,000 objects, which includes ceramics, textiles and designer fashions.
Photography provided by Explore Minnesota / Minnesota Marine Art Museum
Southern Minnesota
Located on the Mississippi River in Winona, the Minnesota Marine Art Museum boasts six galleries of world-class art. This fine art destination features incredible works from a range of artistic movements, including impressionism, Hudson River School paintings, marine art and folk art, along with traveling exhibit programming meant to inspire through water.
The Wanda Gág House in New Ulm is the childhood home of noted children’s author and illustrator Wanda Gág, who is best known for her book Millions of Cats. The house features illustrations, lithographs, tomes and other artwork by Gág.
In Rochester, the Rochester Art Center is a can’t-miss stop for art enthusiasts. It presents contemporary exhibitions of regional, national and international artists in an architecturally stunning building downtown.
Photography provided by Tweed Museum of Art
Northeast Minnesota
The Tweed Museum of Art at the University of Minnesota-Duluth has a diverse offering that represents artists from the region, the nation and around the world. It’s home to a one-of-a-kind portfolio of “Mountie” paintings and illustrations commissioned by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police Force. In addition to its permanent collections, the Tweed features special temporary exhibitions.
One stop photography buffs won’t want to miss is the Brandenburg Gallery in Ely. The gallery houses hundreds of images and videos by Minnesota native and National Geographic photographer Jim Brandenburg, many of which depict stunning wilderness scenes.
Central Minnesota
Artist Francis Lee Jaques, holds a unique place in art and museum history. His large-scale landscape and wildlife paintings are exquisite, gracing dioramas at New York City’s American Museum of Natural History and Minneapolis’s Bell Museum of Natural History. Today, tourists exploring the artist’s hometown can discover his original art and other exhibits at the Jaques Art Center, housed in a former Carnegie Library in Aitkin.
Visitors to St. John’s University in Collegeville can tour the campus and stop at the Hill Museum & Manuscript Library to see print exhibits and rare books, including selected folios of the Saint John’s Bible. While there, a stop at the Marcel Breuer–designed Saint John’s Abbey is a must.
Photography provided by Nemeth Art Center
Northwest Minnesota
Rourke Art Gallery + Museum in Moorhead has a collection of more than 3,000 contemporary drawings, paintings, prints, photographs and sculptures from African, Native American, pre-Columbian and Hispanic cultures. The collection includes works by artists with a significant connection to the local region, such as Cameron Booth and James Rosenquist, and works by artists of international renown, including Andy Warhol, Joan Miró and Roy Lichtenstein.
The Nemeth Art Center in Park Rapids is a must-visit, displaying selections of the Gabor Nemeth collection of European paintings from the 15th to 19th centuries. Nemeth, a Hungarian art restorer, brought the paintings to the United States after World War II, which are now shown in his adopted summer home for guests to enjoy.
