Minnesota

B

Libraries

The numerous libraries and museums in Minneapolis and Saint Paul have made the Twin Cities a prominent cultural center in the Midwest. The largest collection among the state’s 142 public library systems is in Minneapolis. The systems annually circulate an average of 9.7 books per each state resident. Outstanding academic libraries include those of the private colleges and that of the University of Minnesota. The library and museum of the Minnesota Historical Society, the James J. Hill Reference Library, and the Minnesota State Law Library are in Saint Paul. The Mayo Clinic at Rochester has a fine medical research library.

C

Museums

Notable art galleries in Minneapolis are the Walker Art Center, the American Swedish Institute, the Frederick R. Weisman Art Museum, and the Minneapolis Institute of Arts. The University of Minnesota also maintains a museum of natural history in Minneapolis. Saint Paul is home to the Science Museum of Minnesota and the Minnesota Children’s Museum.

D

Communications

Minnesota’s first newspaper, the Minnesota Pioneer, was published by James M. Goodhue in 1849, first as a weekly and later as a daily. The state had 23 daily newspapers in 2002. The Minneapolis Star Tribune has the largest circulation. Commercial radio broadcasting began in 1922. In 2002 the state was served by 79 AM and 122 FM radio stations and by 23 commercial television stations.

E

Music and Theater

Numerous musical organizations and community theaters perform for Minnesota audiences. The Guthrie Theater, which opened in 1963, presents dramatic productions. There are numerous professional theaters in the state. The Minnesota Orchestra is regarded as one of the outstanding orchestras in the United States. The Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra also receives acclaim. A variety of sacred choral music is offered by the well-known Saint Olaf Choir.

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VI

Recreation and Places of Interest

Minnesota offers a variety of recreational facilities. Summer homes as well as tourist camps and resorts line the shores of the state’s countless lakes. There are excellent facilities for water sports. The Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness and Voyageurs National Park are adjacent areas near the Canadian border. They constitute the state’s largest wilderness area and provide numerous streams and lakes for campers, canoeists, and hunters.

Minnesota’s abundance of ice and snow provide ideal conditions for skiing, bobsledding, hockey, ice fishing, and iceboat races. Ski runs and skating rinks are numerous, especially around the Twin Cities, where snow-making equipment, floodlights for night skiing, and indoor skating rinks have been installed.

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