Lilli Putt Amusement Park 1349 Coon Rapids Boulevard, Coon Rapids, MN 55433, 763-755-1450, Lilli Putt Amusement Park offers fun for the whole family with go-carts, miniature golf, and bumper boats. more... 

Ard Godfrey House (circa 1849) 50 University Avenue Northeast, Minneapolis, MN 55413, Near St. Anthony Falls on the Riverfront, 612-870-8001, Furnished with period furnishings, the Greek Revival-style Ard Godfrey House is the oldest remaining wood frame house in Minneapolis. Tours are normally available from Memorial Day to the last weekend in September, or by special appointment. more... 

Foshay Tower (circa 1929) 821 Marquette Avenue, Minneapolis, MN 55402, 612-359-3030, Built as a tribute to the Washington Monument, the Art Deco-style, 447-foot Foshay Tower was the first skyscraper built west of the Mississippi and the tallest building in Minneapolis until 1971. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the Foshay Tower features African mahogany, Italian marble, terrazzo, ornamental bronze and wrought iron. 

Brooklyn Park Historical Farm (Eidem Homestead) 4345 101st Avenue, Brooklyn Park, MN 55443, 763-493-8333, The Brooklyn Park Historical Farm is a 10-acre living record of farm life in Minnesota during the years of 1890 to 1910. Owned by the Eidem family for 82 years, the Historical Farm recreates the physical surroundings in which the family lived their daily lives. Interpreters demonstrate the tasks of farming and household related activities using the tools and techniques that would have been used. The property contains a large farmhouse, barn, outbuildings, a chicken coop, windmill, period farm equipment, crop land, and animals. more... 

Lakewood Cemetery 3600 Hennepin Avenue, Minneapolis, MN 55408, 612-822-2171, One may embark upon self-guided walking tours through almost 150 years of local history at this cemetery by reading about the people who made Minneapolis what it is today. more...

Saint Anthony Falls Historic Site Renamed by Father Louis Hennepin after his patron saint, Saint Anthony of Padua; Saint Anthony Falls is the only waterfall on the Mississippi River and is known as the birthplace of Minneapolis. The Stone Arch Bridge provides fantastic views. 

Bakken Library and Museum of Electricity in Life (circa late 1920's) 3537 Zenith Avenue South, Minneapolis, MN 55416, Located on the West Side of Lake Calhoun, 612-926-3878, An independent, non-profit educational institution founded in 1975 by Earl E. Bakken, inventor of the first transistorized cardiac pacemaker; "the Bakken is a center for education and learning that furthers the understanding of the history, cultural context, and applications of electricity and magnetism in the life sciences and their benefits to contemporary society." Housed in a Tudor mansion, 15 minutes southwest of downtown Minneapolis, the Bakken features 11,000 rare books, bound journals and manuscripts and 2,500 18th, 19th, and early 20th century scientific instruments relating to the role of electricity in life.  more... 

American Swedish Institute (circa 1908) 2600 Park Avenue South, Minneapolis, MN 55407, 612-871-4907, Founded in 1929, this museum and cultural center celebrates the Swedish culture. Housed in the Turnblad Mansion, which is listed on the National Registry of Historical Places and is the only castle in the Twin Cities; the American Swedish Institute features 33 rooms of exhibits, including immigrant artifacts, Swedish glass, fine art, decorative arts and woodcarvings. Scandinavian gifts, jewelry, books and prints can be found at the on-site gift shop. more... 

American Wings Air Museum (AWAM) P.O. Box 49322, Blaine, MN, 763-786-4146, The American Wings Air Museum strives to find, restore and preserve the heritage of America's military support aircraft. Not only is the AWAM a working museum with various aircraft on display being actively restored or inspected, but visitors can also see pilot gear, models, memorabilia and displays from World War I to the Gulf War, military apparel and flags, a Wright Flyer replica, engines, a US Navy F-5E “Skoshi Tiger,” two aircraft cockpits and much more on display. more...

Bell Museum of Natural History 10 Church Street Southeast, Minneapolis, MN 55455, 612-624-7083, Situated on the Minneapolis campus of the University of Minnesota, "the James Ford Bell Museum of Natural History was established by state legislative mandate in 1872 to collect, preserve, skillfully prepare, display, and interpret the state's diverse animal and plant life for scholarly research and teaching and for public appreciation, enrichment, and enjoyment." This museum allows you to discover the natural world through a variety of exhibits, programs, dioramas, and more. Tours are offered. more... 

Ellingson Car Museum 20950 Rogers Drive, Rogers, MN 55374, 763-428-7337, Open year-round, seven days a week, the Ellingson Car Museum features over 100 vehicles, including cars, trucks and motorcycles, from the early 1920s through the muscle cars of the 1960s and 1970s. Other items of interest include historical videos, photographs, memorabilia, and a doll collection. more... 

Frederick R. Weisman Art Museum 333 East River Road, Minneapolis, MN 55455, 612-625-9494, Housed in a stainless steel and brick building designed by architect Frank Gehry, on the east bank of the University of Minnesota's Twin Cities campus, the Weisman Art Museum's collection features early 20th century American artists such as Georgia O'Keeffe and Marsden Hartley, as well as a selection of contemporary art. A teaching museum for the University of Minnesota and the community, the Weisman provides an array of programs and a changing schedule of exhibits. more... 

Hennepin History Museum 2303 3rd Avenue South, Minneapolis, MN 55404, 612-870-1329, An award-winning history museum situated in the 1919 George Christian House, this museum features changing exhibits depicting the history of Hennepin County and an extensive collection of clothing, furniture, toys, decorative arts and objects and photos from the Dakota and Ojibwa people.  more... 

Humphrey Forum, The 301 Nineteenth Avenue, Minneapolis, MN 55455, 612-624-5799, This museum of history, government and politics features an exhibit dedicated to the ideals, career and public life of Hubert Humphrey. more... 

Minneapolis College of Art and Design Gallery 2501 Stevens Avenue, Minneapolis, MN 55404, 612-874-3667, MCAD Gallery showcases and interprets contemporary art and design by local, regional and national artists and designers through diverse exhibitions and events throughout the year. more... 

Minneapolis Institute of Arts 2400 Third Avenue South, Minneapolis, MN 55404, Located 1 Mile South of Downtown Minneapolis, 612-870-3131, Minnesota's largest art educator, the Minneapolis Institute of Arts houses more than 80,000 objects from diverse cultural traditions spanning 5,000 years of world history which are found in seven curatorial areas: Africa, Oceania, and the Americas; architecture, design, decorative arts, craft, and sculpture; Asian art; paintings and modern sculpture; photographs; prints and drawings; and textiles. more... 

Minnesota Transportation Museum 193 Pennsylvania Avenue East (Office), St. Paul, MN 55130, 651-228-0263, The Minnesota Transportation Museum operates five sites over a 75 mile area: an operating streetcar line, interstate tourist railroad, a depot museum, the former Jackson Street Roundhouse, which serves as a maintenance base; and a 70-foot wood steamboat in operation, which connects with a second trolley line.  more... 

Northern Clay Center 2424 Franklin Avenue East, Minneapolis, MN 55406, 612-339-8007, A established, regionally based national ceramic arts organization, the Northern Clay Center features 10 exhibitions each year, which includes functional, sculptural, historical, industrial, architectural, and installations by contemporary regional, national and international ceramic artists, as well as historical and architectural ceramics; classes and workshops for all skill levels, studio space and grants for artists, and a sales gallery.  more... 

Original Baseball Hall of Fame of Minnesota 910 South Third Street, Minneapolis, MN 55415, 612-375-9707, Near the Metrodome in Minneapolis, the Original Baseball Hall of Fame Museum of Minnesota features exhibits of uniforms, baseball cards, World Series bats, autographed baseballs and photos, and clubhouse books. There is also an educational center where visitors can see how gloves and bats are made. more... 

Sosin & Sosin Gallery 1231 Washington Street Northeast, Minneapolis, MN 55413, 612-378-0581, The Sosin & Sosin Gallery showcases the work of Georgette Sosin and Henry Sosin. Georgette's mediums include sculptures, prints, and drawings. Henry's preferred media is pottery. more... 

Walker Art Center 1750 Hennepin Avenue, Minneapolis, MN 55403, Adjacent to the Minneapolis Sculpture Garden, 612-375-7600, The first public art gallery in the Upper Midwest, the Walker Art Center "is recognized internationally as a singular model of a multidisciplinary arts organization and as a national leader for its innovative approaches to audience engagement."  more... 

Wells Fargo History Museum 90 South 7th Street, Skyway Level, Minneapolis, MN 55479, 612-667-4210, Wells Fargo's mid-western heritage is depicted at this museum though various exhibits which include an original 1863 Concord Coach, a recreated 1900 town bank, coins, paper currency, gold nuggets, a Northwestern National Bank weatherball, sending messages by telegraphs, and delivering in Minnesota with the "cold proof" box. more...

Eloise Butler Wildflower Garden and Bird Sanctuary Theodore Wirth Parkway and Glenwood Avenue, Minneapolis, MN 55422, Located in Theodore Wirth Park, 612-370-4903, The oldest public wildflower garden in the United States, the 15-acre Eloise Butler Wildflower Garden and Bird Sanctuary features seasonal displays of native wildflowers and woodland, wetland and prairie areas. Each area creates a different habitat that fosters different types of plants, animals and birds. 49 interpretive stations for guided and self-guided tours can be found throughout. more... 

Lyndale Park Gardens & the Roberts Bird Sanctuary 4124 Roseway Road, Minneapolis, MN 55409, Located in Lyndale Park, 612-370-4838, Adjacent to Roseway Road on the northeast shore of Lake Harriet, the Lyndale Park Gardens & the Roberts Bird Sanctuary features four distinctive gardens: the Rose Garden, Annual/Perennial Garden, Peace (Rock) Garden, and the Perennial Trial Garden. The Thomas Sadler Roberts Bird Sanctuary is adjacent to the Peace Garden. more...

Minneapolis Sculpture Garden 726 Vineland Place, Minneapolis, MN 55403, Across from the Walker Art Center and Guthrie Theater, the 11-acre Minneapolis Sculpture Garden is a joint project of the Walker Art Center and the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board. More than 40 works are on permanent view, which include Frank Gehry's Standing Glass Fish, the Spoonbridge and Cherry Fountain by Claes Oldenburg and Coosje van Bruggen, Irene Hixon Whitney Footbridge designed by Siah Armajani, and the Alene Grossman Memorial Arbor. more... 

Minnesota Zoo 13000 Zoo Boulevard, Apple Valley, MN 55124, 952-431-9200 or 952-431-9500, 800 366-7811, Accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA), the Minnesota Zoo features more than 2,000 animals, with over 400 species being represented in their natural habitats.  more...

Minneapolis Planetarium & Space Discovery Center 81 South Ninth Street, Suite 200, Minneapolis, MN 55402, 612-370-9116, Enjoy a wonderful, entertaining, educational, and awe inspiring experience in which star shows recreate the heavens. TEMPORARILY CLOSED more...