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Weisman Art Museum

333 E River Road, Minneapolis, MN 55455 · Minneapolis, MN

Why you should go…

Frank Gehry gave the University of Minnesota this crumpled stainless-steel landmark in 1993, its curved facets catching sunsets over the Mississippi from the East Bank bluff. Inside, skylit galleries draw from a 20,000-plus-work collection strong in early American modernism, Marsden Hartley and Alfred Maurer among them, plus a renowned group of traditional Korean furniture. A Gehry-designed 2011 expansion added more gallery space, and admission is always free. Pair a visit with a riverfront walk across the nearby pedestrian bridge.

  • #art
  • #gehry
  • #architecture
  • #free
  • #campus

Good to know

General museums guidance

Habits that pay off across this whole category, not rules for this one venue. Always check the official site for the specifics.

  • Check the special exhibition separately

    Touring shows usually carry their own ticket and their own opening hours, listed apart from general admission.

  • Look for the free window

    Many museums run community days, member evenings, or discounted late openings. It is worth a look before you pay full price.

  • Travel light through the door

    Large bags and backpacks often have to go to a coat check, and lines for it move slowly at opening.

  • Weekday mornings beat weekend afternoons

    School groups clear out by early afternoon midweek, while weekends stay busy from late morning on.

What's around here?

The closest stops to Weisman Art Museum, ordered by straight-line distance. A few more like it, plus some different kinds of fun so you can build a full day.

  • Theatre & Events
    Iconic

    Guthrie Theater

    $25–$50

    World-class theater on the riverfront, wander its cantilevered Endless Bridge for free Mississippi views.

    0.9 mi awaySwitch it up: Theatre & Events

  • Sightseeing
    Iconic

    Stone Arch Bridge

    Free

    James J. Hill's 1883 stone rail bridge, now a beloved walk-and-bike crossing over St. Anthony Falls, freshly restored and fully reopened in 2025.

    0.9 mi awaySwitch it up: Sightseeing

  • Museums
    History Buff

    Mill City Museum

    Under $25

    A museum built into the ruins of the world's largest flour mill, with an 8-story elevator show and rooftop river views.

    1.0 mi awayMore like this

  • Museums
    Local Gem

    American Swedish Institute

    Under $25

    A turreted 1908 castle-mansion turned Nordic culture hub, with craft workshops, exhibitions, and the celebrated New Nordic café FIKA.

    1.8 mi awayMore like this

  • Nightlife
    Iconic

    First Avenue

    $25–$50

    The legendary club where Prince filmed Purple Rain, still the Twin Cities' beating heart of live music.

    1.9 mi awaySwitch it up: Nightlife

  • Museums
    Rainy-Day Pick

    Minneapolis Institute of Art

    Free

    One of America's great free art museums, 90,000 works spanning 5,000 years, from Monet to samurai armor.

    2.0 mi awayMore like this