The Minneapolis Institute of Art, known locally as Mia, is among the biggest art museums in the country. Its collection covers about 5,000 years and six continents, from ancient artifacts to contemporary work, including paintings, sculpture, textiles, photography, prints and drawings. General admission is free, so it works for a short visit or a full afternoon. The Asian galleries on the second floor are a highlight, with jades, bronzes and ceramics, and the third floor holds decorative arts. The museum sits in the Whittier neighborhood, about a mile south of downtown.
What the collection covers
The museum holds more than 80,000 works from six continents, dating across roughly 5,000 years. Its departments are Arts of Africa and the Americas, Contemporary Art, Decorative Arts, Textiles and Sculpture, Asian Art, Paintings, Photography and New Media, and Prints and Drawings.
The older material includes ancient Egyptian objects, classical Greek and Roman works, and pre-Columbian artifacts from the Americas. The African collection includes terracotta shrine heads from Nigeria. European decorative arts and classical statuary sit alongside modern pieces, and the museum also displays an Egyptian mummy and a preserved Tibetan sand painting.
The building and its rooms
The institute was founded in 1883. Its Beaux-Arts building opened in 1915. The design is linked to Prairie style architecture and credited to Louis Sullivan and Frank Lloyd Wright. The rooms are open and connected, which suits large collections but can make the route hard to follow.
Period rooms recreate interiors from earlier times. The museum also has themed galleries and a display of vehicle design. Pick up the map at the start and follow the numbered galleries so you do not backtrack.
Asian art and the upper floors
The Asian galleries on the second floor hold jades, bronzes and ceramics, along with samurai armour and Chinese architectural elements. The Asian collection is one of the best in the United States.
Most of the art is on the second and third floors, and the decorative arts are on the third. The rotating exhibit Cambodian Art of the Divine included a sculpture of Vishnu, and it is worth checking what is on view before you go.
Visiting with children and planning the day
Family Day takes place on the second Sunday of each month. It includes hands-on art activities, storytelling, artist demonstrations, gallery hunts and self-guided tours. The museum also offers scavenger hunts online that can be adapted to a child's age. A young kids zone and a nursing area are on site.
Free one-hour guided tours are offered, and an audio guide is available. The cafe and restaurant on site are useful for a break, and the gift shop sells honey from beehives on the museum's roof. The MCAD library, next door, is free and open to the public and holds art and design books from around the world.
The entrance, restrooms, seating and parking lot are wheelchair accessible.
FAQ
Is there an entry fee?
General admission is free. Some special exhibits and events require tickets, so reserve them online or by phone ahead of time.
How long do you need?
Plan two to four hours. The collection is large, and the galleries are easy to miss without the map.
Is the museum good for kids?
Yes. There is a young kids zone, Family Day takes place on the second Sunday of each month, and scavenger hunts are available online.
Is the museum wheelchair accessible?
Yes. The entrance, restrooms, seating and parking lot are wheelchair accessible.
