Rainy day · Minneapolis · United States
8 things to do in Minneapolis when it rains
Indoor sights that make a wet day feel planned rather than lost.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: August Schwerdfeger, CC BY 4.0
Quick answer
Start with Minneapolis Institute of Art (Mia), Mall of America and Paisley Park. Together the 8 picks below take roughly 15–18 hours across 8 areas; 3 are free. May is usually the wettest month, with about 12 rainy days.
Key facts
- Places in this guide
- 8
- Free entry
- 3
- Time to see them all
- 15–18 hours
- Areas
- Whittier, Bloomington and Chanhassen
Minneapolis on a rainy day
Museum · Whittier
1.Minneapolis Institute of Art (Mia)
Pick up a map and head for the Asian galleries and period rooms, which most first-time visitors miss.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Art
- History
- Rainy day
- Iconic
Experience · Bloomington
2.Mall of America
Take the Blue Line light rail from downtown or the airport; it stops right at the mall's transit station.
- Time needed
- Half a day
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Kids
- Shopping
- Rainy day
- Iconic
Historic site · Chanhassen
3.Paisley Park
Allow about 40 minutes by car from downtown; there is no direct public transport, and phones must be secured during tours.
- Time needed
- 2 hours
- Cost
- Expensive
- History
- Iconic
- Rainy day
Gallery · Loring Park
4.Walker Art Center
Check the Walker's calendar for free-entry days and evenings, and combine a visit with the Sculpture Garden across the road.
- Time needed
- 2 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Art
- Rainy day
- Architecture
Museum · Mill District
5.Mill City Museum
Go up to the ninth-floor observation deck at the end for the best view of the falls and the Stone Arch Bridge.
- Time needed
- 2 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- History
- Kids
- Views
- Rainy day
Museum · Phillips
6.American Swedish Institute
Visit in December, when the mansion rooms are decorated for Nordic Christmas traditions.
- Time needed
- 1.5 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- History
- Architecture
- Food
- Rainy day
Architecture · Downtown
7.Minneapolis Skyway System
Use the skyway maps posted at junctions; on cold days it is the quickest way to cross downtown on foot.
- Time needed
- As needed
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Rainy day
- Architecture
Gallery · University of Minnesota
8.Weisman Art Museum
View the building from the Washington Avenue Bridge, where the steel facade catches the light over the river.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Art
- Architecture
- Rainy day
Grouped by area
| Area | Places | Time needed |
|---|---|---|
| Whittier | Minneapolis Institute of Art (Mia) | 2–3 hours |
| Bloomington | Mall of America | Half a day |
| Chanhassen | Paisley Park | 2 hours |
| Loring Park | Walker Art Center | 2 hours |
| Mill District | Mill City Museum | 2 hours |
| Phillips | American Swedish Institute | 1.5 hours |
| Downtown | Minneapolis Skyway System | As needed |
| University of Minnesota | Weisman Art Museum | 1 hour |
Booking and timing
Of these 8, 3 free, 4 mid-priced, 1 expensive. Book ahead for Paisley Park. The longest visit is Mall of America; 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 5 half-days
Grouped by area and kept to about four hours each, so you walk more than you ride.
- Half-day 1 (Whittier): Minneapolis Institute of Art (Mia), at least 2 hours.
- Half-day 2 (Bloomington): Mall of America, at least 3 hours.
- Half-day 3 (Chanhassen and Loring Park): Paisley Park → Walker Art Center, at least 4 hours.
- Half-day 4 (Mill District and Phillips): Mill City Museum → American Swedish Institute, at least 4 hours.
- Half-day 5 (Downtown and University of Minnesota): Minneapolis Skyway System → Weisman Art Museum, at least 3 hours.
The wettest months
- May: highs of 20°C (68°F), about 12 rainy days, moderate crowds. Trees leaf out and patios reopen; a pleasant month for walking and cycling, with some rain.
- June: highs of 26°C (79°F), about 12 rainy days, busy crowds. Long days with sunset after 9pm, lake beaches opening and frequent festivals; thunderstorms are common.
- April: highs of 13°C (55°F), about 10 rainy days, quiet crowds. Unpredictable: sunny days around 15°C alternate with cold snaps, and the lake paths reopen to crowds of walkers.
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
- St. Anthony Main and Marcy-Holmes — Cobblestone Main Street, river views and the University of Minnesota nearby
- Bloomington — Airport and Mall of America hotels on the Blue Line
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), Minneapolis Skyway System and Weisman Art Museum.