For the past 8 weeks Chris and I have been volunteering as mentors in the Third Way Network’s Circle to Success program. In the program we work one-on-one with a low income family to help them learn new techniques to become financially secure and work their way towards home ownership. As we have worked on budgeting (and along with the fact that Maren & Laura have organized a group of ladies to find inexpensive but fun things to do) I started thinking that it would be great to have a list of free or cheap things to do around Minneapolis.
There are plenty of free outdoor activities in the Minneapolis area during the summer and Maren had a great list to get me started. I also came across the Money Life Network’s series “Frugal things to do when you’re in…” which has a Minneapolis post which was great!
Anyway, I decided that this list could be shared with my family and friends because who isn’t interested in an inexpensive night out, right?!?! For a PDF of the list, click here. If you do not have adobe installed, click here for the free download. (NOTE: The reference to attached pages is not included in the pdf. Those calendars can be accessed via this post.) Otherwise below you can find the list with the appropriate links to find more information about each one.
If you have any ideas to add to the list please submit a comment for everyone’s benefit!
Here are some ideas for activities that are family friendly, free and FUN!
1. Museum Adventure Pass: You can get tickets at any Hennepin County Library to any of these 18 places.
a. American Swedish Institute (4 passes)
b. Bell Museum of Natural History (4 passes)
c. Como Park Zoo and Conservatory (4 passes)
d. Minneapolis Institute of Arts (4 passes)
e. Minnesota Museum of American Art (4 passes)
f. The Landing – Minnesota River Heritage Park (4 passes)
g. The Museum of Russian Art (4 passes)
h. Weisman Art Museum (4 passes)
i. Bakken Museum (2 passes)
j. Hennepin History Museum (2 passes)
k. Historic Fort Snelling (2 passes)
l. Minnesota History Center (2 passes)
m. Minnesota Landscape Arboretum (2 passes)
n. Minnesota Zoo (2 passes)
o. Sirens, Signals and Whistles Pass (2 passes)
ii. Minnesota Transportation Museum
iii. Twin City Model Railroad Museum
p. The Works: A Technology Discovery Center (2 passes)
q. TRACES Museum Center for History and Culture (2 passes)
r. Walker Art Center (2 passes)
2. Spend time at a Minneapolis Library: Read, attend story time or other activities.
3. Rent movies from the library
4. Walker Art Center*: The museum normally costs $10 for adults, but is free to all every Thursday evening (5–9 pm) and on the first Saturday of each month (10 am–5 pm).
5. Sculpture Garden*
6. Minneapolis Institute of Arts*
8. Wading pools (they’re all over)
9. Como Zoo (and conservatory)*
11. Minnehaha Falls
12. Lyndale Park Rose Gardens at Lake Harriet: Also, right across the street is a beautiful Japanese Gardens
13. State Capitol: Free tours every hour.
14. Traces Museum – Center for History and Culture*
15. Bell Museum of Natural History*: Free admission on Sundays.
16. Minnesota Children’s Museum: Free admission on the third Sunday of the month.
17. Minnesota Landscape Arboretum*: Free admission all day Thursday in the winter. Free Thursday evenings from 4:30 pm until 8 pm (or sunset) in the summer. Also, free family events and music on Thursday evenings in the summer. Summer is April 25 thru October 31.
18. River Rats water ski show: Weekly show Thursday at 7pm through August 28, 2008
a. Location: Just south of the Broadway Bridge on the west bank of the Mississippi River (about halfway between the Broadway Bridge and Plymouth Avenue Bridge near 17th Avenue on West River Road)
19. Minneapolis Parks Concert Series
21. Centennial Lakes Entertainment
* These are part of the Museum Adventure pass so you can go free anytime during the week if you get that pass.
Museums Resource: http://minneapolis.about.com/od/artsentertainmen1/a/freemuseums.htm
Music Resource: http://minneapolis.about.com/od/eventsfestivals/a/freemusic2008.htm
These are not free, but are a good deal if you’re looking for something else to do!
1. $2 movies at the Hopkins theater on Tuesday
2. $2 matinee (all day Tuesday) movies at Riverview
3. St. Paul Saints tickets start at $5 for adults, $4 for children
4. MN Lynx tickets start at $10
So…get out there & enjoy Minneapolis!