Jonathan E.
Yelp
Another great aspect of living in the Twin Cities area is the abundance of great art and architecture. The Museum of Russian art is a great example of both.
Located in a Spanish Mission style church (Mayflower) in Minneapolis just off of 35W, this is one of the most highly regarded Russian art museums in the country. The beautiful building is an unorthodox place for such a collection, but it really is the highlight of the experience. The main room has a high ceiling where you can see up to the pieces on the second level. There is also a lower level (it housed photography when I was there) for temporary exhibits, and a beautiful gift shop complete with complimentary hot beverages.
The art itself is impressive because Russian art tends to be vastly different from other places in Europe. The role of the strict goverment definitely plays a role in many of the pieces, as does industry, struggle, and hard work. It truly represents many aspects of Russian history. Some may not find such pieces as aesthetically pleasing, but it is equally as powerful.
I should mention a couple things for first time visitors... First, parking is free in the lot across the street. Secondly, if you are a student, you can get in free by showing your ID. And lastly, they have a strict NO PHOTOGRAPHY policy. The building is very photogenic and I would have loved to have shot in there, but sadly, it's not allowed.
Pros: Free parking lot, excellent art collection, beautiful building, student discount, gift shop, friendly staff
Cons: No photography, collection isnt very large in terms of the number of pieces