Best Museum Exhibits To See This Fall In Minnesota
Science Museum of Minnesota
120 W Kellogg Blvd
St. Paul, MN 55102
(651) 221-9444
smm.orgDates: Sept. 28 and Oct. 13, 2012
On Friday, Sept. 28, "Tornado Alley" opens at the Omnitheater. This eight-year masterwork of Discovery Channel storm chaser Sean Casey is a must see. Get need-to-know information on the most dreaded of Midwest weather from the largest tornado research project ever assembled. After enjoying "Tornado Alley," return to the Science Museum again in October. Opening Saturday, Oct. 13 is the "Lost Egypt" exhibit. At "Lost Egypt," you can walk inside an Egyptian tomb, see a real mummy and discover the science and technology of unlocking the secrets of an ancient civilization.
Minneapolis Institute of Arts
2400 3rd Ave S
Minneapolis, MN 55404
(612) 870-3000
artsmia.org
Dates: Oct. 28, 2012 through Jan. 20, 2013
"China's Terracotta Warriors" depicts the First Emperor's legacy in a once-in-a-lifetime showing of art from 13 Chinese institutions collaborating with the MIA, already a U.S. leader in Asian art. Qin Shihuang, or First Emperor, began planning his burial as early as his ascendance to the throne at age 13. Archaelogists discovered more than 7,000 pieces of warriors that were buried with the emperor to keep him safe in the afterlife. This exhibit "takes visitors on a journey from the birth and rise of the Qin Empire to the life and rule of the First Emperor, his quest for immortality, and his death, burial, and legacy."
Related: Best Museums in Minnesota
Walker Art Center and Sculpture Gardens
1750 Hennepin Ave
Minneapolis, MN 55403
(612) 375-7600
walkerart.orgDates: Nov. 10, 2012 through Feb. 17, 2013
Cindy Sherman, an American photographer and film director, is widely recognized as one of the most important and influential artists in contemporary art. Some of the most expensive photographs ever sold are captured by Sherman. The exhibit shows more than 170 of Sherman's photographs where she is usually the model, disguised in ways that can be both alarming and effective. Museum of Modern Art curators produced this retrospective of Sherman's oeuvre earlier this year—the first in a U.S. museum in 15 years.
Minnesota History Center
345 W Kellogg Blvd.
St. Paul, MN 55102
(651) 259-3000
minnesotahistorycenter.org
Dates: Nov. 23, 2012
You will have a hard time waiting for the Minnesota History Center to open its largest, most expansive exhibit ever created. "Then Now Wow" is about the history and the geography of the state made for kids, but nostalgia buffs will love it. Board a Twin Cities streetcar or a Soo Line boxcar and see different times and places go by. Go down a mine and push the plunger to blast rock. See Minnesota's early fur trade, Great Lakes shipping industry and the start of 3M. Finally, see a real keepsake from recent history—the emergency exit door from the school bus involved in the I-35W bridge collapse with signatures of all the children and adults who were on it.
Frederick R. Weisman Art Museum
333 E River Road
Minneapolis, MN 55455
(612) 625-9494
weisman.umn.eduDates: Sept. 18 through Dec. 30, 2012
The newly expanded Weisman showcases its first 40 years told through scrapbooks, photographs, correspondence and other printed historical documents. The Weisman doubled its space, launched a design contest for a new patio and created the new Target Studio last year. Now is the time to see it. From Sept. 18 through Dec. 30, 2012, the new Target Studio for Creative Collaboration features "Contextual Flux," recognizing nature as the source of design solutions to human problems. See sculptural forms created by artist Jason Hackenworth in experimental collaboration with UMN graduate and undergraduate students.
Related: Best Iconic Works of Art in the Twin Cities
Robin Johnson was born in Annandale, Minn. and graduated from the University of Minnesota where he studied Political Science, Business and Industrial Relations. A writer for Examiner.com, he also consults with a variety of organizations and individuals helping them develop and grow. His work can be found at Examiner.com.
