Travel and Tourist Information

Arriving on Campus from the Airport (Minneapolis/St. Paul, MSP)

  • App-Based Ride Services: Lyft and Uber are available in Minneapolis.
  • Taxi: Cost is approximately $50 from the airport to the U of MN campus area.
  • Light-Rail Train or Bus: Cost is $2.50 one-way (rush hour); takes approximately 40 minutes.

Institute Location, Parking Information, and Directions

The CARLA summer institutes will be held on the East Bank of the University of Minnesota's Minneapolis campus. A campus area map is available online or as PDF.

  • Locations of in-person institutes are all on the East Bank of the University of Minnesota Minneapolis campus. Exact location will be shared via confirmation email to registered participants.
  • Driving: Directions to the University of Minnesota's East Bank campus are available online.
  • Parking: See the Parking and Transportation Services website for parking information.
    • The cheapest parking available is in the surface lots near the University's stadium for $6/day. See: Maroon Lot and Lot #37.
    • You can also park in the 4th Street Ramp or the Church Street Garage located near the summer institutes for a maximum cost of $15/per day.

Minneapolis Weather

June and July are typically quite pleasant in Minnesota. However, a word to the wise: dress in layers! The air conditioning in some of the buildings can get quite chilly, especially when it it is hot outside.

Check out the current conditions and forecast from the National Weather Service.
 

Things to do on campus

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Things to do on campus

University of Minnesota Events Calendar

A comprehensive listing of events sponsored by university colleges, departments, and student organizations. View the calendar here.

Coffman Memorial Union

U of MN, East Bank
300 Washington Ave. SE

Grab a bite to eat at the Minnesota Marketplace, lounge or study in a comfy chair by the fireplace, check out the 14-lane bowling alley and 12 billiard tables at Goldy’s Gameroom, see a movie in the Coffman Theater. Learn more here.

Frederick Weisman Art Museum

U of MN, East Bank
Washington Ave SE & E River Rd

The Frederick R. Weisman Art Museum is located on the Minneapolis campus of the University of Minnesota, on the east bank of the Mississippi River. Founded in 1934, the museum currently holds a permanent collection of over 20,000 objects; its programs serve the University community and the general public.

Hours:
Monday & Tuesday: Closed
Wednesday: 10:00 am–8:00 pm
Thursday & Friday: 10:00 am–5:00 pm
Weekends: 11:00 am–5:00 pm

Katherine E. Nash Gallery

U of MN, West Bank
Regis Center for Art

The Katherine E. Nash Gallery, located in the Regis Center for Art on the West Bank, has a variety of galleries for your viewing pleasure. With an ever changing selection of exhibitions, you won't want to miss what the Nash Gallery has to offer.

Hours:
Tuesday–Saturday: 11:00 am–5:00 pm
Sunday & Monday:  Closed

Northrop Auditorium

U of MN, East Bank
84 Church Street SE

The Northrop is a recently restored auditorium in the center of the East Bank campus that offers an wide range of dance, film, music, and theater performances.

University Theater & Dance

University of Minnesota - West Bank
4th St. S & 21st Ave. S
Rarig Center

University Theater & Dance offers a wide variety of mainstage, specialty, and studio productions.

Things to do off campus

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Things to do off campus

Museums

Minneapolis and St. Paul offer a wide range of museums focused on art, history, culture, and more. Be sure to check ahead of time to see hours and admission rates. Here are just a few ideas for you to consider:

Mill City Museum
Downtown Minneapolis near the Guthrie Theater
704 South 2nd St.

The Mill City Museum is devoted to telling the history of Minneapolis with a special focus on the milling industry that supported the growth of the city. The museum is an architectural showpiece, rising eight stories within the limestone ruins of the Washburn A Mill, a National Historic Landmark nestled on the riverfront.

Minneapolis Institute of Arts
South Minneapolis
2400 S. Third Ave

The Minneapolis Institute of Arts houses over 100,000 objects from diverse cultural traditions spanning 4,000 years of world history. The Institute is the only comprehensive fine arts museum serving the Twin Cities and the Upper Midwest and is recognized internationally as one of the great museums in America. With exhibitions changing all the time, from American photography to Degas, the exhibitions are unique, contemporary, and timeless.

Science Museum of Minnesota
Downtown St. Paul
120 W. Kellogg Boulevard (across from the RiverCentre)

The Science Museum of Minnesota is known worldwide for its interactive exhibits, dynamic traveling exhibitions, and IMAX films.

Walker Art Center
Minneapolis (on the SW edge of downtown)
725 Vineland Place (and Hennepin Avenue)

The Walker Art Center is one of the nation's primary resources for contemporary art. Focusing on the visual, performing, and media arts, the Walker takes a multidisciplinary approach to the creation, presentation, interpretation, collection, and preservation of the arts. The Walker's permanent collection of more than 13,000 works represents important artistic currents of the 20th century, in a range of styles from figurative to abstract.

Music, Dance, Theatre

Guthrie Theater
Downtown Minneapolis
818 S. 2nd Street

Under the direction of Sir Tyrone Guthrie, this theatre opened in 1963. The Guthrie has been home to plays of Shakespeare, Arthur Miller, Broadway, and the works of the Ancient Greeks. Today, the Guthrie, a nationally known theatre, continues its mission to celebrate the human spirit with world class plays and performances. The Guthrie boasts three stages, a full-service restaurant, pre-show dining, numerous bars and some of the best views of Minneapolis to be found in the city.

Hennepin Theatre District
Downtown Minneapolis

These historic theaters were built between 1916 and 1921 in Downtown Minneapolis. They showcase epic Broadway shows, concerts, and plays.

Ordway Center for the Performing Arts
Downtown Saint Paul
345 Washington Street

St. Paul's glittering Ordway Center for the Performing Arts, which overlooks Rice Park just north of the Mississippi River near the Landmark Center, serves as the Minnesota Orchestra's St. Paul home. The multi-purpose performance center opened in 1985 and is home to touring musicals, dance events, Planet Ordway presentations and its principal tenants: The Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra, Minnesota Opera, Schubert Club and the Minnesota Orchestra.

Southern Theater
Minneapolis "7 Corners" Near U of MN West Bank campus
1420 S Washington Ave - Minneapolis, MN

Another theater near the U, they offer unique plays throughout the year.

Theater in the Round
Minneapolis "7 Corners" near U of MN West Bank campus
245 Cedar Ave - Minneapolis, MN

Located near the University's West Bank, this theater features a unique design with arena style seating. It is the longest-running theatre in Minneapolis!
 

Shopping and more

Mall of America
Bloomington, MN
I-494 & Hwy 77

Home to more than 500 stores, 50 restaurants, a 14-screen movie theater, and an indoor amusement park. There's something for everyone at the Mall of America.

Need a ride? Try Metro Transit! For schedules and other routes available visit the Metro Transit web site at: www.metrotransit.org/default.aspx

Como Park Zoo and Conservatory
1225 Estabrook Drive
St. Paul,  MN

Como Park Zoo & Conservatory is free and open all year long.

Minneapolis Aquatennial
Minneapolis—various locations

The festival dates are July 24–27, 2024. Their schedule of events is packed with fun events around the city!

Movies and Music in the Park
Minneapolis Parks

The free series of concerts and movies runs from early June to late August.