What You Will Do
Welcome to Minneapolis, the home of Nerf Balls, the singer and songwriter Prince, and, yes, Zubaz pants. On this self-guided audio tour, you'll stroll along the Mississippi River. Along the way, you’ll hear about:
• The history of the milling industry in Minneapolis
• The massive Washburn A Mill explosion of 1878
• The 35W Bridge collapse of 2007
• The secret history of "Funkytown"
• An ugly mansion with 86 TVs
• Cougar attacks
• The untimely death of Tiny Tim
• The hiring of a hitman in St. Paul
• ”Untalented but adventurous” German artists, to quote the author Jonathan Raban
• How long it takes a single drop of water to travel down the Mississippi – and how long it takes a person to make the same journey
This walking tour can be enjoyed on location or even virtually at home with VoiceMap's Continuous Play function which disables the GPS playback.
PHOTO CREDITS: Meet Minneapolis
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Itinerary
Meeting Point
The tour starts at the Open Book Literary Center on Washington Ave. Before arrival, please install the VoiceMap mobile app and use the code provided on your confirmation ticket. This is a self-guided audio tour that you can start, pause, or restart at any time and complete at your own pace.
1
Open Book
The tour starts outside the Open Book Literary Center. Here you'll learn about how VoiceMap works, be introduced to the city and hear about the Open Book Literary Center, and all before the walk begins.
2
Guthrie Theater
You'll pass by the Guthrie Theatre and learn about its history and its role as one of Minnesota’s core cultural institutions.
3
Mill City Museum
The tour takes you past the Mill City Museum. As you walk, you'll learn a bit about the museum.
4
Mill Ruins Park
You'll walk past the Mill Ruins Park and while you walk, you'll hear a little about it.
5
Upper St. Anthony Lock and Dam
You'll walk past St Anthony Lock and Dam and hear a bit about it, how it was used and why it is permanently closed.
6
St. Anthony Falls
While you walk, you can see where St Anthony Falls would have been if the dam wasn't built. You'll also hear a bit about the falls.
7
Mississippi River
You'll walk past a section of the Mississippi River and learn a bit about it while you do so.
8
Nicollet Island
The tour ends in Nicollet Island at the Nicollet Island Pavilion. While you walk there, you'll learn a bit about Nicollet Island and who it was named after.
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