Attractions in Minneapolis

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.