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Visit the Minnesota monuments

This summer, come to Minneapolis to see threeGreat Gatsby," the Jazz Age novel by St. Paul
grand openings that promise to change thenative F. Scott Fitzgerald; the play opens
city's architectural and cultural landscape.July 21. For more information, go to
The nationally renowned Guthrie Theater iswww.guthrietheater.org.
opening its new theater overlooking the
city's birthplace on the Mississippi. TheMinneapolis Institute of Arts On June 11, the
Minneapolis Institute of Arts is opening aMinneapolis Institute of Arts (MIA), in a
spacious three-story wing to better displayneighborhood just south of downtown, will
what is already one of the nation's mostopen a $50 million wing designed by American
extraordinary  collections.architect Michael Graves. The new
113,000-square-foot addition and associated
And the Minneapolis Public Library will open49,000 square feet of renovated space will
its new Central Library. Most tourists won'tadd 34 new galleries, increasing display
set out on a library tour, but they may wantspace in the region's premier art museum by
to see how the Cesar Pelli-designed building40  percent.
will transform the northern end of
Minneapolis'  famed  Nicollet  Mall downtown."It means a tremendous amount to the museum
proper," says Robert Jacobsen, senior curator
Guthrie Theater on the River The Guthrieof Asian art and liaison with architects and
Theater will close the doors of its facilitybuilders on the project. "We're definitely
near Loring Park after the March 4 May 7going to jazz it up with larger and livelier
production of "Hamlet," the same play thatexhibits." The new wing features a circular
launched  the  theater  in  1963.three-story atrium with a Venetian plaster
dome. A maple-paneled reception hall on the
But the Guthrie won't close for long. Inthird floor overlooks the sculpture garden.
June, the theater reopens in the new GuthrieAlso on the top story are the expanded
Theater on the River-a $125 million,Modernism galleries and 10 new galleries for
250,000-square-foot theater at 818 Second20th-century  and  contemporary  paintings.
Street overlooking the Mississippi River.
There will be an Open House on Sunday, JuneSecond-floor galleries will hold 20th-century
25  with  entertainment  on all three stages.art, art of Native America and Oceania, works
of Minnesota artists, and craft collections.
From the cantilevered lobby jutting towardThe wing's ground floor houses a new art
the river, theatergoers will look below tolibrary, a prints and drawings study center,
the graceful stone-arch bridge and upstreama photography study center, and a
to St. Anthony Falls. Next door is themulti-purpose  classroom.
Minnesota Historical Society's Mill City
Museum. Along the riverbanks lie the city'sThe addition allows the MIA to more
Mill Ruins Park, walking paths and bikedramatically display its Asian art
trails.collection, representing 17 cultures over
5,000 years. The Chinese collection, already
The new theater was designed by Frenchone of the most extensive in the country,
architect Jean Nouvel, his first project inwill now have a gallery for each of China's
North America. The new Guthrie borrows itsthree major philosophies, Confucianism,
massive outline from the surrounding mill andTaoism, and Buddhism. Other new galleries
elevator buildings. The building's indigowill fill with ancient Chinese bronzes,
cladding will fade into the twilight atjades, and ceramics, as well as gold and
evening performance time so that thesilver, lacquer, textiles, and paintings,
building, despite its bulk, will seem tosculpture and calligraphy. Six new galleries
disappear, leaving the warm lights of theare devoted to the museum's Japanese art
lobby shining through generous windows tocollection, spanning the last 25 centuries.
create a warm beacon floating on the riverThe MIA has brought more than 1,000 pieces
bluff.out  of  storage  to  fill  the  new  space.
"The views of the river valley are amazing,"Expanded special exhibition space "gives us a
says Tom Proehl, managing director of thelarge enough gallery that we can now attract
Guthrie. "Nouvel's design completely minglesthe largest traveling exhibits," says
the old industrial age with new architectureJacobsen. "We can attract shows that
in a very careful way. It truly fits in onpreviously were only seen in New York or
the riverfront." The new facility, he saysLondon." For example, the MIA will show three
"will bring all of the Guthrie's functionsspecial grand reopening exhibitions, all
together for the first time in many, manyrunning from June 11 into early fall: * "The
years." The Guthrie long ago outgrew itsSurreal Calder exhibit explores the origins
original building as its season expanded fromof 20th-century surrealist artist Alexander
four plays to a dozen, attended by more thanCalder  in the context of his contemporaries.
400,000. The original theater was known for
its trademark thrust stage-great for* "Treasures on Paper displays the Herschel
Shakespeare but not suited for more intimateV. Jones Collection of nearly 200 of the
and  contemporary  works.world's most famous engravings, lithographs
and  woodcuts,  made  over  five  centuries.
The new facility will have a 1,100-seat
thrust theater, much like the old facility,* "The Harrison Photography Collection
but with improvements to sightlines andincludes nearly 100 photos of 20th-century
additional legroom. In addition, the newluminaries such as Henri Cartier-Bresson and
Guthrie will have a 700-seat prosceniumDorothea  Lange.
theater. A 250-seat studio will provide a
space  for  experimental  productions."This is one of the biggest museums in the
country that has remained free." Says
With the new facility, the Guthrie will beJacobsen, "This will be the greatest show in
able to nearly triple the number of plays,town." For more information, go to
concerts and other presentations during itswww.artsmia.org,  or  call  612-870-3131.
season. New amenities for playgoers will
include a bookstore, bars and a restaurant. AThe museum is located at 2400 Third Avenue
skyway will link the theater building to aSouth.
convenient  parking  ramp.
The city's third opening this year will
The Druid Theatre Company of Galway willtransform the northern end of the downtown.
provide the first performances at the newOn May 20 the new 357,000-square-foot,
Guthrie June 27-July 1 when it presentsfive-story Minneapolis Central Library opens
"DruidSynge," productions of all six plays byat 300 Nicollet Mall. The new building,
John Millington Synge, one of Ireland'sdesigned by American architect Cesar Pelli,
greatest  writers.will include a public commons, retail space,
as well as the largest collection of any
The first Guthrie production in the newpublic library in Minnesota
theater will be a stage adaptation of "The



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