8 ART-INFUSED LOCATIONS TO STOKE YOUR CREATIVITY
A weekend full of art galleries and museums will inspire your inner artist.
Image by TJ Turner/Minnesota Monthly
The Twin Cities houses as many museums as Minnesota hoards lakes—okay, maybe not that many, but there are plenty to go around. Anchored by world-class institutions like the Walker Art Center, Minneapolis Institute of Art and Science Museum of Minnesota, the metro’s art and museum scene is a treasure chest full of diversity and talent. This weekend itinerary takes you to some of the best and includes artful eateries to satisfy your appetite.
Image by Jeremy Nelson/Minnesota Monthly
Saturday
Day one is filled with heavy hitters. The Walker Art Center and Minneapolis Institute of Art are weaved together with visits to Angel Food Bakery and Betty Danger’s Country Club.
9 a.m. In order to kick this weekend of creativity off right, breakfast at downtown Minneapolis’ Angel Food Bakery is the perfect start. Their Samoa—based on the popular Girl Scout cookie—and maple bacon donuts are just a couple of their delicious pastries that will leave your taste buds begging for more.
10 a.m. Ranking among the five most-visited modern art museums in the U.S., the Walker Art Center focuses on visual, performing and media arts of our time. When you’re done flexing your creativity, head up to the terrace to flex your putting skills at Skyline Mini Golf through September.
1:30 p.m. Lunch at the Walker Café & Bar is the perfect way to end your time at the Walker Art Center. Their soups, salads and hot and cold sandwiches will provide the fuel you need to view your way through the mammoth-sized collection of art at the next stop.
2:30 p.m. The last museum stop of the day is the diverse Minneapolis Institute of Art. This beacon of artistic expression in the Twin Cities features more than 89,000 pieces of art from six continents, and spans close to 20,000 years. Highlights of the collection include ancient sculptures from Asian cultures and 18th century furniture.
5:30 p.m. To cap off this day of imagination, dinner at Betty Danger’s Country Club only seems right. Uniqueness is taken to a new level, literally, on the Danger—their fancy name for a Ferris wheel. Visitors are encouraged to ride this “Mechanical Tree” while sipping on Ivy League-themed cocktails before a round of mini-golf on their eight-and-a-half-hole (the half is important) course filled with Betty’s misbehaving imaginary pets.
Image by TJ Turner/Minnesota Monthly
Sunday
Day two features stops at the Minnesota History Center and Science Museum of Minnesota, and creative fare at Victor’s 1959 Cafe and Psycho Suzi’s Motor Lounge.
9:30 a.m. Victor’s 1959 Café’s authentic Cuban fare is as delicious as their walls and furniture are colorful, and will get those creative juices flowing.
Noon: The Minnesota History Center has been called the finest building constructed in Minnesota since the State Capitol. Their wide-ranging collection of artifacts, books, photographs and exhibitions will help you brush up on Minnesota’s storied past or learn something new.
3 p.m. It’s time to let your imagination and sense of wonder run wild at the Science Museum of Minnesota. Catch a flick in the Omnitheater to bring the world’s greatest treasures and mysteries to you on a colossal 90-foot dome screen. Plus, their exhibitions are chock full of interactive activities that will challenge your critical thinking abilities and release your inner child.
6 p.m. We saved one of the most unique spots in the Twin Cities for last. Psycho Suzi’s Motor Lounge on the banks of the Mississippi River provides a waterside retreat with a taste for kitschy decor, tiki bars and a passion for good times. Their island-themed cocktails and grub are a great way to end this imaginative weekend.
Image by Todd Buchanan/Greenspring Media
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