MINNEAPOLIS INSTITUTE OF ART

The Minneapolis Institute of Art, located on the university campus, is internationally renowned and welcomes more than 500,000 visitors a year. Founded in 1883 by a handful of residents who wanted to bring the arts to their city, the museum now houses nearly 100,000 objects spanning five thousand years. The museum opened its doors to the public in 1915. The building was originally designed by McKim, Mead & White; a new wing was built in 1974 by Japanese architect Kenzo Tange, and more recently in 2006, the Michael Graves wing was opened. The permanent collections include Asian and African art, and art from Oceania and the Americas. The collection is rich in paintings (Greco, Van Gogh, Rembrandt, Poussin), photographs, drawings, jewelry, decorative arts, fabrics. The museum holds many objects from the Prairie period. One can admire decorative objects by Frank Lloyd Wright, Louis Sullivan, George Maher, Purcell and Elmslie. This collection has been completed by the acquisition of William Gray's house, the Purcell House: don't miss a visit to this masterpiece of Prairie period architecture, which has belonged to the museum since its renovation in 1990. Reservations are not required. Free one-hour guided tours are offered daily at 1:00 pm. The theme of the tours changes monthly, so check the website for details.