Minneapolis Institute of Arts

An Absolute Gem – A Must-Visit in Minneapolis! 🌟

The Minneapolis Institute of Art (Mia) is truly a world-class museum with an incredible collection that spans centuries and cultures. I was amazed by the diversity, quality, and depth of the exhibits — and even more amazed that general admission is completely free, as far as I understood. There are paid special exhibitions, but the main galleries are open to all and absolutely worth the visit.

My personal favorite was the Japanese and Chinese porcelain collections. The elegance, detail, and history embedded in each piece are just breathtaking. The serene layout of the Asian art section creates a quiet, almost meditative atmosphere. Some of the Japanese ceramics and Chinese vases date back hundreds of years, yet the craftsmanship feels timeless. You can sense the spiritual and cultural significance behind each design, brushstroke, and curve. I spent the most time here and honestly could return just to revisit this part alone.

My sincere recommendation: break your visit into multiple days. Each floor is rich and overwhelming in the best way possible — trying to absorb it all in one day would not do it justice. Take your time. Let each culture, era, and room sink in.

The museum is clean, well-organized, and the staff is kind and helpful. Whether you’re into European classics, modern art, Native American works, or ancient sculpture — there’s something here that will speak to you.

Highly recommended for art lovers, travelers, and anyone looking for inspiration. Mia is a treasure.

It’s free and there is plenty of parking. This is a very large art museum that is spacious and has a vast array of art. The Asian collection is expansive and well done. The Impressionist collection was not large but major artists were represented and the Van Gogh was wonderful. You can easily spend the day there. The reproductions of period rooms were excellent and decorative arts filled many rooms. The cafe was small with self service but the sandwiches were very good. The food we really enjoyed it.

I was in Minneapolis for a long weekend from Chicago and decided to check out the Minneapolis Institute of Art (Mia) on a whim—and wow, I’m so glad I did. First off, it’s free, which is amazing considering how much there is to see inside and how much comparable museums charge.

The layout is beautiful and really easy to navigate. They’ve got a little bit of everything—classic European paintings, Asian art, African sculptures, even some really cool modern and contemporary pieces. I spent a solid few hours there and still feel like I only scratched the surface. The collection is vast and diverse.

One of my favorite parts was the period rooms. There’s something about stepping into a room that’s been set up like it’s from the 1700s that just makes history feel so much more real.

I also really appreciated how much medieval and renaissance art they had on the top floor. It was a great visit.

I really enjoyed the annual “Art in Bloom” event again this year! I think it was the best one I have seen. The MIA is a welcoming environment, and we talked to so many of the florists who were there to talk about their floral interpretation of pieces of art. It was just lovely! We also had a great little lunch in the mezzanine cafe. Perfect!

It is a blessing for Minneapolis to have the MIA. The best part is that admission is free. However, if you have some cash on hand, please consider donating to help keep it running. It will probably take you several hours to explore all three floors because there’s so much to see. If you love art, you’ll love it here. Occasionally, they host special exhibits that may require an admission fee, but the rest of the MIA remains free. There’s also a parking ramp next to the building in case you can’t find a spot on the street, it’s not cheap though.

I have visited many art museums throughout my adventures, but the Minneapolis Institute of Art owns a little piece of heart. The facility is incredible: spacious, beautiful, and well utilized. And then the art is truly sensational: aesthetically pleasing, a wide range of styles, and intellectually stimulating. A must visit if you are in the Twin Cities!!

Awesome museum of art with several collections from several cultures around the world. Great that it’s free, with donation option if you can contribute. Love the art studio that provides art supplies, where any kids and adults can join drawing, painting! Staffs are friendly.

Went with my sister to check out the Art in Bloom exhibit. It was very crowded and hard to find parking, we went around noon on a Saturday but found free parking a block or so away. We walked through many of the exhibits and enjoyed talking to the Florists about their pieces and the flowers they used. Definitely want to come back with my Niece sometime! It was a great way to spend a Saturday for free. Lots of places to take some really cool pictures too.