This abstract sculpture is located in the Ecolab Plaza in front of the Obson370 Building. It was…read moredesigned by Ron R.M. Fischer and subsequentially fabricated by American Structural Steel in 2000. It is made of durable stainless steel and acrylic and is in great shape. That was not always the case though. The piece suffered from severe rust until 2004. It was then treated to survive the brutal elements of St Paul. The plaza that it is located in is nice, but there are no benches or other seating available to hang out at. It is a wide open area that is lined with paver bricks. Fisher was inspired by the crystalline forms of Saint Paul's historic ice palaces and garden gateway. It is a massive piece that is the centerpiece of the plaza. The sphere is illuminated at night giving the viewer a different experience during the day versus the night. I will be honest, without any context, all I saw was a tall tower of a sculpture with a ball and some shading. I did however, still find it impressive. Fischer has hidden symbolism in the sculpture. The blue acrylic sphere symbolizes the water and the sky. And the sphere and the stainless-steel rings combination represent the infinity of time and space. Deep huh! Parking to get a closer look is relatively easy. There is metered street parking and commercial parking lots available within a reasonable walking distance. Anyway, as with most sculptures that I have visited and reviewed, this is not a very long stop. I was there less than 5 minutes. You may want to consider planning out additional stops at many of the other attractions or making this stop part of a larger itinerary to maximize your time and trip.

Some tasteful public art at 5th and Wabash. It's a metallic structure that makes you think…read morefuturistic. Worth the stroll if you're nearby.

This place is amazing. I've been here many times for events, to eat and to shop and I have never…read morebeen disappointed. You can even take the train lol. Please do yourself a favor and visit. I learned so much history and saw some cool art pieces.

Super clean and bright parking downstairs. Great value for downtown parking! Just a quick walk…read morefrom CHS Field, so I may park here for all CHS events going forward.

We stopped by yesterday in hopes of checking out the Somali museum downstairs; however it was…read moreclosed for the 4th of July. So we walked around the food court area, most of the stalls were closed. I appreciated the variety of eateries available. We spent time browsing the mini grocery area, where they sell various interesting items such as honey comb and Turkish delight. My friend bought dried chamomile flowers in bulk to make tea. It was only a quarter the price of buying chamomile tea bags! In the building were some interesting art sculptures. I really like mixed use spaces like this.

The epitome of a food hall ... the midtown global market has been in south Minneapolis for years…read more While it's awhile since my last visit it's definitely still a staple and offers something for everyone from around the globe. There are various food stalls, convenience like stores and sweets galore there is also a bar on the lake street entrance side. If you are ever in the area check it out!

This is the best Art gallery in Minneapolis. Every time we visit we have to go here. It's like a…read moremuseum. They quality of the artwork is amazing.

A great place to find one of a kind and unique hand made items. The craftsmanship is beautiful and…read morethe selection is diverse. There's an attached gallery, service is excellent, and its a great place to browse. Prices run a little high (but you are paying for the quality).

If you grew up in Minnesota, you have memories of coming here. Coming back decades later with my…read morekids did not disappoint! We travel full-time and go to tons of museums, and my kids said this is their favorite, hands-down! So many exhibits I remember and a bunch of new, more-relevant stuff as well. Omnitheater content was a bit aged, but it was free with our ASTC membership entry so that's okay. We loved that they had fun presentations throughout the museum sprinkled throughout the day. The Hot & Cold presentation was so much fun! I also loved that you could bring your sack lunch inside to eat. Three hours in, we still hadn't seen everything - since we have the ASTC membership, I didn't sweat it - we'll be back! [Coffee shop not too great for this seasoned sipper, but they don't lose points for that... just keep it in mind!]

We got a family membership as a gift last year (2024) and both of our kids love coming here…read more There are a variety of interactive activities for kids (and adults) of all ages. Our boys' favorite activity is the one you get to race against professional athletes, T-Rex or TC Bear! It's great that the Omnitheater shows are included in our membership.

This studio/gallery of American folk art is visually stunning. It showcases decades of work by…read moreAllen Christian, who was on hand and happy to answer all questions. When you visit, do take the time to discuss the art with him. Doing so will help you better appreciate his work. You could spend hours wandering around, or just visit on more than one occasion. The art is visually stunning, but when you pause and understand you can see the political meaning behind it. If you like American Folk Art or just want to experience something extraordinary stop by.

Stopped here during Doors Open '26. I've never really adventured out to this area but was curious…read moreto see what this place was. It's an art gallery full of random oddities. Looks like most of the materials are recycled or thrifted which was cool to see some retro signs or parts. Never ran into the owner/person running the place to ask questions but I'd definitely like to know more about how some of the pieces come together and how they source items. Also not sure if pieces were for sell or it was strictly for show. Cool nonetheless.

The staff was so kind, and my nephew loved all the animals, skulls, and reptiles. The ticket…read moreservice was excellent, and the layout made sense. My nephew and I spent over an hour there, and he had so many questions and wanted to go back!

An amazing small museum with a focus on education, space, and dinosaurs. They throw tons of fun…read moreevents and it's definitely worth a stop :)

I've done a few state capitol building tours in my day, and have seen the outside of several more,…read moreand this is hands down the biggest and most beautiful I have ever seen. My sister, son and I came in the middle of the day on a Wednesday in August. You don't need to sign up; anyone can wander in and go on a tour that they have scheduled throughout the day. It's even free, though they of course gladly accept donations. Being from NJ, I was struck by the midwestern friendliness of everyone in the building. Nearly everyone engaged me in friendly conversation the whole time. The tour was 45 minutes and was incredibly interesting. Learned all sorts of facts about the building and Minnesota in general. We were the first tour to be able to go on the roof in three months as they had just finished up renovations. If you're not on a tour, you're allowed to just wander the building at your own pace. Definitely a must see for those interested in history and architecture!

What a beautiful State Capitol! So rich in art, sculptures, history & knowledge! Amazing! It was…read morerecently renovated & they had many insight & antidote of the before & after. Really a beautiful property to tour if in town.

FLORA & FAUNA This…read morefabulous public zoo in Saint Paul is fun, multi-faceted, and FREE! When researching things to do in the Twin Cities, Como Park Zoo & Conservatory popped up on numerous "best of" lists, including best places to bring kids, best free attractions, and other recommended activities. The family and I came here in early June, and we had a lovely time. Parking is free but lots fill up quickly and street spots are on a first-come basis, so the longer you wait, the further you'll have to walk.  My advice is to get here early to avoid the gauntlet of busses filled with school groups, summer camps, and other families heading to the zoo. They suggest a voluntary donation of $5/kid and $8/adult; we chipped in $20 for our family of four.  By comparison, Brookfield Zoo in Illinois charges $30/adult and $21/kid....the 4 of us would have paid $100 PLUS parking.  The Shedd Aquarium in downtown Chicago is even pricier, so this was a welcome relief. We saw giraffes, a gorilla, polar bears, zebras, fishes, turtles, colorful dart frogs, a tiger, and lots more.  Within the zoo is a small amusement park with a handful of kiddie rides and a 'Galaxy' model roller coaster, as well as a splendid carousel outside the park that's $4/pp.  All rides are open seasonally from May-Sept. The sea lion show seemed mid.  They made a big deal of it (not to mention amassing a huge crowd) and all I saw were some volunteers trying to complete some goofy task faster than a sea lion would.  There was a lot of narration but very little actual activity from what I could tell.  yawn. We couldn't get anything to eat or drink outside of the visitor center cafe.  None of the snack stands were open (despite it being 11:45) and every pop machine was either unplugged, sold out, or all the plastic bottles were removed for environmental reasons.  Thank goodness we packed snacks for the kiddos. The conservatory was breathtaking: lush jungles with funky plants like the Ipecac tree, air potato, chocolate, cacti, and aloe.  We encountered a logjam of people near the fruit tree section with everyone stopping to admire fig, papaya, coffee, and sugarcane plants. The Marjorie McNeely Conservatory was home to a legendary 81" tall corpse flower named 'Frederick' in 2025.  These plants, considered some of the rarest and smelliest on earth, bloom once every few years and last for only 1-2 days.  Witnessing this in person takes incredible (lucky) timing or tremendous patience. 'Horace', their latest corpse flower, displayed his magnificent burgundy bloom from 6/7/26 to 6/9/26.  We missed it by less than a week!  These generate quite a crowd, with lines stretching for hours and people waiting outside to view (and smell) a once-in-a-lifetime botanical event. * TL;DR * A cool zoo, an even cooler conservatory, and the coolest part?  You don't even have to crack open your wallet. Spending a day at Como Park Zoo is perfect for those wishing to embark on budget-friendly adventures.  Pack a lunch, wear comfortable walking shoes, and get here around opening to take advantage of decent parking.  The animals appeared to be well taken care of, and the grounds were clean. The conservatory is stunning although the narrow pathways can get crowded during peak hours.  We loved our time spent here and would highly recommend Como Park Zoo & Conservatory for families or solo travelers seeking to kill a few hours in the Twin Cities.

Beautiful place. Easy to walk around. You gift your admission upon entry. Nice little cafe and…read morethe entrance has some amazing lily pads. It made for a wonderful stop in the late morning. They also have a carousel on property

The Reading Room is an excellent space for an intimate wedding. There were about 150 guests and the…read moreceremony took place in the front of the room, with elegant tables behind for the plated dinner reception. Waitstaff circulated with hors d'oeuvres as we waited in the receiving line, keeping everyone engaged. I loved the library theme, from the Save The Date library book cards to the tables identified by famous authors. We were seated at Dickens, our dinner preferences printed out on beautiful bookmarks. The three-story ceilings are reached by massive bookshelves with upstairs hallways for reaching those high books. The flowers were gorgeous and organic and the catered food was delicious from salad to dessert. It's not an inexpensive venue, but it is warm and intimate once you get here. We ran into detours, slow trains, and closed roads so we had our Uber let us out about a 1/4 mile away because we were about to be late. We literally made it in as the ceremony started. Road construction, closed roads, detours, and slow freight trains don't show up on your travel map!

A stunning interior historic space and building. If I were doing research here, I think I'd find it…read morevery enjoyable. Using it as a meeting space wasn't the greatest, since the speakers had power point presentations with lots of writing, and because the seating had to be deep and narrow, it was hard for those in the back. Sound also was splotchy, and the bathrooms are small and at the front, so you have to walk in front of everyone to reach them. As a stop to see something beautiful--it's a must if you're in this city.