Central Branch of the Hennepin County Library
- Minneapolis’s Cesar Pelli-designed main library building sports a four-story atrium, the Library Commons, beneath a canopy roof that juts dramatically out over both Hennepin Avenue and downtown’s Nicollet Mall. The atrium brings daylight to the library’s furthest corners while the canopy roof creates the impression that the entire library may simply soar into the air. The Commons, as well as conference rooms and a 243-seat auditorium, are available for rent. www.hclib.org
Guthrie Theater
- If the Hennepin County Library’s architecture is gorgeous, the Guthrie Theater’s is simply jaw-dropping. From dozens of feet off the ground, the Guthrie’s two-level cantilevered lobby reaches 178 feet out toward the Mississippi River. To add further to the drama, the entire building is the color of a twilit sky at dusk, as befits the home of Minneapolis’s classical and experimental theater scenes. The building garnered architecture’s top honor, the Pritzker Prize, for architect Jean Nouvel, along with an armload of other awards. www.guthrietheater.org
James J. Hill House
- While Saint Paul’s Summit Avenue is renowned for its Victorian architecture, the Romanesque mansion of rail baron James J. Hill stands apart. A personal statement by Hill about his own success, this massive, 36,000-square-foot structure features 22 fireplaces, 16 crystal chandeliers, a 100-foot reception hall and its own skylit, two-story art gallery. www.mnhs.org/places/sites/jjhh
Orchestra Hall and Peavey Plaza
- Orchestra Hall is the home to the Minnesota Orchestra and keeps with the long tradition of innovative Upper Midwest architecture by the use of over 100 cubes on the walls and ceiling of its main chamber. While the cubes help deflect sound properly from the stage and around the hall, they also form a visually arresting “falling rock” pattern. Outside the Hall is Peavey Plaza, a publicly owned space that in the summer features a waterfall and reflecting pools and in winter features its own ice-skating rink. www.minnesotaorchestra.org
Weisman Art Museum
- The Weisman has engaged in its arts-education mission at the University of Minnesota since 1934, and the museum’s Frank Gehry-designed building gave that mission a significant boost when it opened in 1993. Now a Twin Cities landmark, this striking curved, brushed-steel structure echoes both Disney Hall in Los Angeles and the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao. www.weisman.umn.edu
Nicollet Island Pavilion
- If you can’t decide on whether to have a gathering in Minneapolis or St. Paul, split the difference and get everyone together on Nicollet Island on the Mississippi River that connects the two cities. The Minneapolis-owned Pavilion here is available year-round for cocktail parties, dinners for up to 600 and other events, and offers full audiovisual capabilities as well as catering through Mintahoe Hospitality Group. www.mintahoe.com
Mall of America
- While not in Minneapolis or Saint Paul proper, nearby Bloomington boasts one of the biggest attractions in the Midwest. This mammoth mall features more than 520 shops and major attractions such as the Underwater Adventures Aquarium, a 1.2 million gallon walk-through aquarium, and the Silicon Motor Speedway. The mall also annually hosts hundreds of events, is situated less than two miles from Minneapolis/St. Paul International Airport and is connected to downtown Minneapolis and the airport by light rail. www.mallofamerica.com