Local Interests: About the Twin Cities

The University of Minnesota is located in the heart of the metropolitan twin cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul, a lively urban area of more than 2.5 million people. The Twin Cities have one of the most active and progressive artistic communities in the country. They are a center for new music, both popular and classical, radical and traditional visual arts, experimental theater, creative writing, and more. Local institutions supporting such activities include the Walker Art Center (with its internationally respected programs devoted to the advancement of visual, spatial, and performance arts), Guthrie Theater, Minneapolis Institute of Arts, St. Paul Chamber Orchestra, Minnesota Orchestra, Ordway Music Theatre, Minnesota Opera, and scores of other organizations devoted to music, theater, film, and other forms of art and performance. The University is well integrated physically, intellectually, and socially into the metropolitan community at large.

Recreational opportunities abound as well. Locally, there is an extensive metropolitan park system with 12,500 acres of woodland and 200 lakes in 152 parks; Minneapolis itself has 13 lakes, several with swimming beaches. The cities lie within easy access of prairie and wilderness. Throughout the region are abundant opportunities for swimming, canoeing, sailing, water skiing, hiking, cycling, camping, fishing, cross-country skiing, skating, and ice fishing. Voyageurs National Park and the Boundary Waters Canoe and Wilderness Area are within a five-hour drive. There are professional major league teams in football, baseball, hockey and basketball.

Local Interests: About the Twin Cities

Other Links of Interest

Visual Art

Film

Theatre

Music

Parks and Recreation

More on the Twin Cities