History · Minneapolis · United States
7 historic sites to see in Minneapolis
The places that tell the story of how the city came to be.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Runner1928, CC BY-SA 4.0
Quick answer
Start with Minneapolis Institute of Art (Mia), Stone Arch Bridge and St. Anthony Falls and First Avenue. Together the 7 picks below take roughly 11–13 hours across 6 areas; 3 are free.
Key facts
- Places in this guide
- 7
- Free entry
- 3
- Time to see them all
- 11–13 hours
- Areas
- Whittier, Mill District and Downtown
Historic sites in Minneapolis
Museum · Whittier
1.Minneapolis Institute of Art (Mia)
The neoclassical building faces Washburn Fair Oaks Park, south of downtown.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Art
- History
- Rainy day
- Iconic
Landmark · Mill District
2.Stone Arch Bridge and St. Anthony Falls
Hill's curving granite and limestone viaduct of 1883 is now a pedestrian and cycle bridge across the Mississippi, with views of St. Anthony Falls, the lock and dam and the downtown skyline. Interpretive signs along the St. Anthony Falls Heritage Trail explain the mill ruins on both banks.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Iconic
- Views
- History
- Photo spot
Experience · Downtown
3.First Avenue
The black exterior is covered in silver stars bearing the names of acts who have played there, and the smaller 7th St Entry stage is next door.
- Time needed
- An evening
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- After dark
- Iconic
- History
Historic site · Chanhassen
4.Paisley Park
His ashes are kept in an urn in the atrium.
- Time needed
- 2 hours
- Cost
- Expensive
- History
- Iconic
- Rainy day
Museum · Mill District
5.Mill City Museum
The Flour Tower ride lifts you through eight storeys of mill history in a freight elevator, ending at a rooftop deck over St. Anthony Falls.
- Time needed
- 2 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- History
- Kids
- Views
- Rainy day
Museum · Phillips
6.American Swedish Institute
A modern wing holds the Fika café, known for Nordic open-faced sandwiches and pastries.
- Time needed
- 1.5 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- History
- Architecture
- Food
- Rainy day
Religious site · Loring Park
7.Basilica of Saint Mary
It faces the Sculpture Garden across the interstate.
- Time needed
- 30–45 minutes
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Architecture
- History
Grouped by area
| Area | Places | Time needed |
|---|---|---|
| Whittier | Minneapolis Institute of Art (Mia) | 2–3 hours |
| Mill District | Stone Arch Bridge and St. Anthony Falls and Mill City Museum | 1 hour + 2 hours |
| Downtown | First Avenue | An evening |
| Chanhassen | Paisley Park | 2 hours |
| Phillips | American Swedish Institute | 1.5 hours |
| Loring Park | Basilica of Saint Mary | 30–45 minutes |
Booking and timing
Of these 7, 3 free, 3 mid-priced, 1 expensive. Book ahead for Paisley Park. The longest visit is Minneapolis Institute of Art (Mia); group the rest by area to save travel time.
- Paisley Park: Tours run on a limited schedule; book online in advance.
How to fit them into 3 half-days
Grouped by area and kept to about four hours each, so you walk more than you ride.
- Half-day 1 (Whittier and Mill District): Minneapolis Institute of Art (Mia) → Stone Arch Bridge and St. Anthony Falls, at least 3 hours.
- Half-day 2 (Mill District and Downtown): Mill City Museum → First Avenue, at least 4 hours.
- Half-day 3 (Chanhassen, Phillips and Loring Park): Paisley Park → American Swedish Institute → Basilica of Saint Mary, at least 4 hours.
The quietest months for queues
- February: highs of -3°C (27°F), about 7 rainy days, very quiet crowds. Still deep winter, but with lengthening days; frozen lakes host skating, cross-country skiing and ice fishing.
- January: highs of -6°C (21°F), about 9 rainy days, very quiet crowds. The coldest month, with snow on the ground and wind chills well below −20°C on some days; use the skyways and indoor attractions.
- November: highs of 5°C (41°F), about 8 rainy days, quiet crowds. Cold and grey, with the first lasting snow often arriving late in the month; theatres and museums are the focus.
The neighbourhoods they are in
- Downtown — Office towers, theatres on Hennepin Avenue and the enclosed skyway network
- Mill District — Riverfront mill ruins, the Guthrie and the Stone Arch Bridge
- Loring Park — A small lake park between downtown and the Walker Art Center
More of Minneapolis
All things to do in Minneapolis · Where to stay · When to go.
Questions travellers ask
+Where should I start in Minneapolis?
Minneapolis Institute of Art (Mia). Mia's free collection of around 90,000 objects spans 5,000 years, from Chinese jade and a reconstructed Japanese teahouse to Rembrandt's Lucretia, Van Gogh's Olive Trees and period rooms from Europe and America.
+Which of these are free in Minneapolis?
Minneapolis Institute of Art (Mia), Stone Arch Bridge and St. Anthony Falls and Basilica of Saint Mary.