Tours

Public Guided Tours

Discover the museum with the help of our trained tour guides. Free one-hour public tours are offered daily. Topics range from special exhibitions to treasures of Mia’s permanent collection. Feel free to join the tours at any point, and stay as long as you like.

  • May: Points of View Express yourself while viewing art from multiple perspectives.
  • June: The Search for Belonging Examine the challenges and rewards of belonging in a changing world.
  • July: Get Outside Cherish the long-awaited, light-filled days of summer with images of outdoor pastimes and pleasures.
  • August: State Fair-ish Explore themes related to The Great Minnesota Get-Together.
  • September: Slow Down and Look Look closely and deepen your understanding and appreciation of art.
  • October: Non-Conforming Art Open your mind to unexpected ways of interpreting works of art.
  • November: Arts of Native America Experience the role of tradition and innovation in superb works of Native American art.
  • December: Winterlights: Celebrating the Season Cultures around the world celebrate the return of light, bringing rebirth and renewal.

School Tours

Bring your class to Mia! School Groups may request a free guided or self-guided tour. Please submit an online tour request to assure availability for your group. Learn more about school tours.

Private Guided Tours

Private, guided tours of the permanent collection and special exhibitions are available for groups of 10 or more. We can custom design a tour for your group on almost any topic. For permanent collection, special topics, and special exhibition tours please call the Tour Office: (612) 870-3140. A tour of 15 people maximum per guide will be charged a fee of $150 for a permanent collection tour. Special exhibition admission fees vary by exhibition.

 

Summer Youth Book Tours

FREE tours for book lovers grades 3 and up!

Kids, bring your adult and drop in Wednesdays and Fridays at 1:00pm.

  • June Crenshaw, Katherine Appelgate
  • July The Girl Who Drank the Moon, Kelly Barnhill
  • August The War that Saved My Life, Mary Eisenhart

Tours last one hour. Connect the chapter books you love with artworks from Mia’s collection. Gain a better understanding of the story, the art, and even yourself!

These book tours are recommended for children in grades 3 and up, but all ages are welcome. Parents and guardians are encouraged to review the story content before the tour.

Adult Book Tours

Join lively discussions of art works related to popular books, facilitated by a museum guide.

FREE public tours: Tuesdays at 11:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m., Thursdays and Fridays at 6:30 p.m., and third Sundays of every month at 3 p.m. Drop in; no reservation necessary. Public tours are only available for the book listed for the current month.

  • June Doc by Mary Doria Russell
  • July Future Home of the Living God by Louise Erdrich
  • August Autumn by Ali Smith
  • September An Odyssey: A Father, a Son, and an Epic by Daniel Mendelsohn
  • October Sing, Unburied, Sing by Jesmyn Ward
  • November The Refugees by Viet Thanh Nguyen
  • December The Last Days of Night by Graham Moore

Private Book Club Tours

Your group selects the book, day, and time. We customize a tour especially for you. See the list below, or we will be happy to consider other possible selections.  Special rate: $75 for up to 20 people. Call (612) 870-3140 to reserve.

After the tour, receive a coupon for 20% off on food and beverages at Agra Culture at Mia.

Choose from our list of visitor favorites:

  • LaRose by Louise Erdrich
  • The Underground Railroad by Colson Whitehead
  • The Boys in the Boat: Nine Americans and Their Epic Quest for Gold at the 1936 Berlin Olympics by Daniel James Brown
  • Emma by Jane Austen
  • All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr
  • The Hare with Amber Eyes: A Hidden Inheritance by Edmund de Waal
  • Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet by Jamie Ford
  • Loving Frank by Nancy Horan
  • Luncheon of the Boating Party by Susan Vreeland
  • The Madonnas of Leningrad by Debra Dean
  • People of the Book by Geraldine Brooks
  • Tulip Fever by Deborah Moggach

Try it Tours

A Feast for the Eyes: Highlights of Mia’s World-class Collection

Ever been tempted to touch the art? Or play dress-up in the galleries? Want to hear tantalizing stories behind the objects?

This is your chance to experience a museum tour with a twist. Curated with an eye for intrigue and delight, Try It Tours serve up experiences you’ve never had in an art museum. Guides practiced in the art of storytelling bring the art to life in new ways, inspiring your sense of wonder and igniting your curiosity. We don’t want to give away the surprises—but be prepared for anything!

Group size: 15–30; $20 per person

To reserve this 90-minute experience for your group, call 612.870.3140 at least one month in advance.

For printable information about this tour: Try It Tour