Find Arts & Culture in Central Minnesota
By Minnesota Heartland
You Betcha mural, Brainerd / @hellenjsilveira
Central Minnesota is teeming with cultural and artistic opportunities. Feast your eyes on vibrant murals throughout the region. Brainerd, Perham, Hutchinson, Sauk Centre and Fergus Falls all have these treasures around the corner, peeking from an alley, on the side of an historic building or along river bridges. Hutchinson created a self-guided Sculpture Stroll to showcase the town's 13 permanent sculptures, two historic murals and nine rotating sculptures. Sauk Centre also offers a guided mural tour, which is a great way to see the community. Turtles get top billing in Perham where 210 turtles were painted by residents and visitors.
A glass sculpture on display in Fergus Falls
The talent of local and regional artists is showcased throughout local galleries as well. The Kaddatz Galleries in Fergus Falls feature the work of noted wood block artist, Charles Beck. In Brainerd, The Crossing Arts Alliance gallery and The Franklin Arts Center are favorite spots. And for those visitors who want to create the art, check out the makerspace in Sauk Centre or Torri's Tangles to Treasure in Fergus Falls for a chance to do your own weaving with fiber artists.
Native American pow wow regalia on display at the Mille Lacs Indian Museum
History and culture come alive in creative and memorable ways. The heritage of the Mille Lacs band of Ojibwa is shared through Pow Wows and the local Indian Museum and Trading Post. In Otter Tail Lakes Country the Otter Tail Museum tells the stories of early settlers to this tallgrass prairie region of Minnesota.
Two museums in Alexandria are open and ready for visitors. The Legacy of the Lakes Museum celebrates Minnesota lakes history and displays rare boats, and the Runestone Museum houses the famous Kensington Runestone, a relic that states Viking explorers visited Minnesota 100 years before the voyages of Columbus!
The Paramount is a multi-function arts hub that includes the restored theater, an art gallery and visual arts studios