St Paul Tourist Attractions
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Minneapolis/St PaulMinneapolis and St Paul, the Twin Cities on the upper course of the Mississippi, together form the largest city in Minnesota, but yet are very different from one another.
Summit Avenue
The Cathedral of St Paul, a scale version of St Peter's in Rome, dominates the eastern part of Downtown. Here Summit Avenue begins, the largest and longest collection of Victorian buildings in the United States. Close to the cathedral stands James J. Hill House, built by the founder of the Great Northern Railroad. Summit Avenue runs 3 3/4 mi. down to the Mississippi; from that end of the street there is an impressive view of the river valley ravine.
Como Park Zoo and Conservatory
Como Park Conservatory in St Paul was built in 1915. It is a glass-domed botanical garden that features the Como Ordway Memorial Japanese Garden, the Enchanted Garden and the Frog Pond Landscape. The Zoo has natural habitats for cats, polar bears, sea lions, diving birds, apes, African antelopes and giraffes.
Cathedral of St Paul
The Classical Renaissance style Cathedral of St Paul began in 1906, with the first services held in 1915. The Shrine of Nations is of special interest.
Fort Snelling
Near the airport is Fort Snelling, which recalls the frontier days of around 1820.Fort Snelling in St Paul is a restored limestone fort which was the northernmost military outpost of the United States in the early 19th century. There are 17 buildings on the grounds, which include the commandant's house, barracks, a sutler's house and hospital.
Minnesota History Center
The Minnesota History Center and Museum, a short distance to the south of the State Capitol, are concerned with the history of the state.Exhibits include hands-on experiences and multimedia presentations including a 24-ton boxcar, 700 items from the Historical Society's collections organized around themes, and a time-line of Minnesota from glacial age to the present day.
City Hall and Courthouse
In the lobby of City Hall (1932) is a 36 ft high piece of sculpture by Carl Milles, weighing 60 tons, representing the Indian God of Peace.The St Paul City Hall and the Courthouse are an example of Art Deco architecture with each of the 18 floors finished in a different wood from around the world.
State Capitol
The marble dome of the State Capitol (1905) is a prominent feature of the district north-west of Downtown Minneapolis.The original furnishings and vivid colors of the restored Senate, House, Supreme Court and Rathskeller cafe are found throughout this historic site.
Landmark Center
The Landmark Center is housed in the finely restored old Federal Courts Building of 1902, which now contains restaurants, galleries, function rooms and the department of contemporary American art of the Minnesota Museum of Art.
Minnesota Museum of American Art (closed)
The Minnesota Museum of American Art in St Paul features contemporary American art with displays that include paintings, sculpture, photographs and drawings.
Museum of Musical Instruments
Exhibits at the Museum of Musical Instruments in St Paul include 100 pianofortes, harpsichords, clavichords and organs, spanning more than 425 years, with a focus on 19th century pianofortes; a collection of musical manuscripts; and an Indonesian Gamelan - an iron gamelan with hanging gongs, various pot gongs, and metal-bar instruments.
Alexander Ramsey House
Alexander Ramsey was the first governor of the Minnesota Territory. The Victorian home in St Paul was built in 1872 of native limestone and contains portraits, furnishings and personal belongings.
Gibbs Museum of Pioneer and Dakotah Life
The Gibbs Museum in St Paul depicts a prosperous farm of the late 1800s. Exhibits include a turn-of-the-20th-century farmhouse, farm animals, tools from 1850 and a Dakota tepee.
Goldstein Gallery
The Goldstein Gallery of Design in St Paul exhibits clothing, textiles, decorative and graphic arts, with an emphasis on objects of the late 19th and 20th centuries.
James J Hill House
James J Hill was the founder of the Great Northern Railroad. Completed in 1891, the red sandstone residence in St Paul presents guided tours, educational programs, neighborhood tours, lectures, concerts, dramatic programs, and art exhibitions.
Science Museum of Minnesota
The Science Museum of Minnesota in St Paul offers hands-on exhibits that allow visitors to touch a tornado, walk under a dinosaur, board a Mississippi River towboat, learn about the human body and participate in the Experiment Gallery.
Indian Mounds Park
The Indian Mounds Park commemorates and preserves six ancient Indian burial mounds, thought to be created by the Hopewell culture.
Phalen Park
Phalen Park, named for an early settler, was opened to the public in 1899. It offers a picnic area, beach, golf course, and an open-air amphitheater.
Holiday Lights in the Park
Holiday Lights in the Park is a drive through experience featuring a holiday light display of sculptures and animated figures.
Map of St Paul Attractions
Map - St. Paul
