Murals That Make You Picture-Perfect in Minneapolis

If you visited Minneapolis, then you’ve probably stumbled upon one of their murals. With the city’s huge art scene, many locals and tourists can easily enjoy local artwork as they casually walk by downtown. My love for capturing travel photos made me intrigued with checking out some in person during Labor Day weekend! I’m so thankful to have Kristen, a longtime Instagram friend and print designer for Target’s A New Day, alongside with me as we explored the city together. At the end of the day, I truly believe I’ve seen the top murals that will make you picture-perfect in Minneapolis. If you want to see where they’re located, the brief backstory behind each mural, and my tips with how to get the Instagram-worthy shot, keep reading!  

CUTEST MURALS IN MINNEAPOLIS

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For the Times They are A-Changin’ Mural

Location: 15 S 5th St, Minneapolis, MN 55402

When I first saw this mural, I was immediately drawn to the colors and the beautiful message written saying, “The Times They Are A-Changin’.” Although I’ve studied music in college, I was unfamiliar with Bob Dylan’s music. It wasn’t until I listened to that song when I got back to my hotel where I truly understood the significance of the mural and the amount of influence Bob Dylan had with the city. The bold, kaleidoscope design of the mural can easily be spotted in downtown.

The mural is located in the parking lot side of the 15th Building and can be easily reached from the Light Rail when you stop at the Warehouse/Hennepin Ave station. With the mural being 5 stories high, be prepared to take landscape-style shots in order to take photos of the entire mural in it! I recommend visiting during the weekends in the early morning to capture a shot with an empty lot.

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The Stars Mural

Location: 701 N 1st Ave, Minneapolis, MN 55403

If you want to feel like a rockstar, then I highly suggest taking a stroll down First Avenue. First Avenue has a popular music venue that many legendary rock bands and artists have performed. Artists include Prince, Billy Idol, Ice Cube, Joan Jett and the Blackhearts, etc. While I was taking photos, an employee from First Avenue saw me as he was leaving the building and immediately asked me if I was from Minneapolis. When I responded no, he said, “Well, you have to take a photo next to Prince’s star. Let me show you.” With our conversation, I learned that each star is labeled by an artist who performed at the venue and is determined by a secret committee that choses an artist who they see fit to earn a “star.” It made me wish I could see a show there one day!

First Avenue is also a short 5-10 minute walking distance from the Warehouse/Hennepin Ave station at the Light Rail. The venue has plenty of walls with stars that you can simply choose a small area to take photos. If you want to take photos next to a star of a particular artist, you can check out “The Stars” list here.

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“Baby I’m a Star” Mural

Location: 930 Hennepin Ave Minneapolis, MN 55403

Want to see a mural that speaks for itself? The pop art mural created by Greg Gossel is worth checking out! I love the vintage vibe of the mural and the talking bubble that says, “Take a Picture Sweetie…I Ain’t Got Time to Waste…Baby I’m a Star!” The animation work is such a fun, eye-catching artwork to view in the middle of downtown. When researching about the mural, I learned that the pop art mural was to depict the “high energy” and “hip” scene of Minneapolis. Greg Gossel definitely nailed it!

If you keep walking downtown Hennepin Ave (past the “Times A-Changin” mural), then you’ll be able to spot this mural to the right side of the street. This mural is also located in the parking lot of the building, so I also recommend coming by during the mornings to take a photo. For photo ideas, it would be so cute to take a photo with your camera as your prop! Snap away!

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“The Music Wall” Mural

Location: 94 S 10th St, Minneapolis, MN 55403

Ever wondered what the most difficult piano solo piece sounded like? It’s painted at the former Schmitt Music Building in Minneapolis! The piece is written by French composer Maurice Ravel called “Gaspard de la Nuit” and it’s probably one of the most beautiful, angelic pieces I’ve heard of. This mural is considered a historical landmark as Schmitt decided to hold his business in downtown Minneapolis. He decided to create a mural during the 1970’s to beautify the building. Without the social media era, this mural became viral for many people, especially musicians. It was an honor to take a photo here!

To easily get to this mural with public transportation, take a stop at the Nicollet Mall Station from the Light Rail. From there, you’ll walk 5 blocks down S Marquette Ave to find the Music Wall along S 10th St. Because this mural is located in a parking lot, I’ll suggest arriving early in the morning during weekends to take photos at ease! P.S. If you want to capture the most music notes in camera frame, take photos in the middle section of the building.

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Colorful Flower Mural

Location: 1426 W Lake St Minneapolis, MN 55408

Don’t miss out on this whimsical flower mural if you’re in Uptown Minneapolis! This mural has all the charm and pizzazz for any color enthusiast to snap a photo. Although this mural is mysterious to me in regards to the reasoning for it’s artwork, I still adore the bright, bold colors and cute design. The mural has two sections: the colorful flower side and the blue, musical note side. Scroll to my last photo to see the other part of this mural!

To reach this mural, I would personally take a Lyft or Uber to this location, which costed me less than $10 for a one-way ride. It’s located close by a FedEx store and lots of eateries. The mural is against a driveway area, so make sure to be cautious when taking photos to avoid getting into accidents. Solid color outfits and/or printed props can make this mural shot extra fun!

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Got a favorite mural out of the ones I’ve featured? Let me know in the comments below! Again, special thanks to Kristen for taking my photos while I was in Minneapolis! If you find this blog post helpful, make sure to share this with your friends and family. Until next time!