FAQs

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Facebook: Doors Open Minneapolis

Instagram: @doorsopenmpls

X: @doorsopenmpls

Use #dompls when sharing your Doors Open adventures on social media!

1. Follow @doorsopenminneapolis on Instagram

2. Attend Doors Open Minneapolis May 18 – 19

3. Take an interior or exterior photo of a participating venue (No photos with people in them!)

4. Post your photo to Instagram by midnight May 26 using the hashtag #dompls

Doors Open Minneapolis is happening Saturday May 18 and Sunday May 19, 10:00 am – 5:00 pm both days. This event takes place at over 100 different venues across the city.

See the map and list of participating venues on the Doors Open Venues webpage.

The average person visits around 4 venues per day. But as far as we know, the record number of venues visited in one weekend is 22! Visit however many feels right to you. Pay special attention to which venues are open which days – some venues are only open on Saturday or Sunday. Each venue states which days they are open on the website and in the guide.

Expect to spend approximately 15 – 25 minutes at each venue. Some venue experiences may take longer, and we try to note that under a venue’s description so that visitors can plan ahead.

Start anywhere! You can peruse our venue list and map to plan your route beforehand, or fly by the seat of your pants and pick a venue at random. There is no specific order you need to follow – it's your adventure!

Thanks to our friends at Metro Transit, all bus and train rides are FREE Saturday May 18 and Sunday May 19 between the hours of 9:00 am and 6:00 pm. You will need to download a free transit pass to avoid transit fees. A link to download your free pass will be provided soon.

We are working with the City of Minneapolis to open free and reduced cost parking ramps across the city. Check the website and digital map for updates.

Many Doors Open attendees also bike from venue to venue! Explore Minneapolis bike routes HERE.

There are a few current and former residences participating in Doors Open! They include:

• American Swedish Institute (Swan Turnblad Mansion)

• Ard Godfrey House

• Bolder Options

• Gale Mansion

• Groveland Gallery

• Milwaukee Avenue Historic District (exterior only)

• Purcell-Cutts House

• Theodore Wirth Home

Many participating venues have public restrooms available during the weekend. Check under each venue listing on the Venues webpage and in the printed guide to see which venues have public restrooms available.

• Big Animal Production Studio

• Cancer & Cardiovascular Research Building

• Carl Kroening Nature Center

• Center of Belonging

• City of Lakes Community Land Trust

• City of Minneapolis Eastside Maintenance Facillity

• Danish American Center

• Diamond Lake Lutheran Church

• Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis

• First Unitarian Society of Minneapolis

• Gustavus Adolphus Lutheran Church

• Hennepin Healthcare Teddy Bear Clinic

• Highpoint Center for Printmaking

• The Historic Coliseum Building

• Huntington Bank Stadium

• The Lift Garage

• The Loring Greenway

• Manhole & CCTV Inspection

• Midtown Global Market

• Minneapolis Animal Care and Control

 • Minneapolis City Hall & Hennepin County Courthouse

• Minneapolis Fire Station 1

• Minneapolis Traffic Management Center

• Minnesota African American Heritage Museum and Gallery

• Mother Saint James African Methodist Episcopal Church

• Mpls Downtown Improvement District

• Orchestra Hall

• Plymouth Avenue Art Studio

• Westminster Presbyterian Church

Some venues are ADA compliant, and some are not. Check under each venue listing on the Venues webpage and in the printed guide to see which venues are:

“Fully accessible” - wheelchair accessible spaces, entrances, and restrooms

“Partially accessible” - not 100% wheelchair accessible, often require stairs

“Not accessible” - not recommended for visitors with mobility constraints

Please call 651-293-9047 with questions regarding the accessibility features of specific venues.

Ensuring that Doors Open is a welcoming event to all is a huge priority. For now, our programming and services are only offered in English, but we hope to expand our offerings beyond English soon!

Believe it or not, the first documented Doors Open event occurred in Paris in the 1980’s. Milwaukee, Chicago, Buffalo, Omaha, Boston, and several other cities all host similar Doors Open events, though they are all operated by different organizations.

The first Doors Open Minneapolis happened in May of 2019. At that time, it was its own nonprofit run by Founder and Executive Director Scott Mayer. After a very successful inaugural event, it went on hiatus due to the global pandemic. In Fall of 2022, Rethos acquired the event and produced it for the first time in May of 2023. Scott Mayer joined the Rethos Board of Directors and provided guidance throughout the planning process. In 2023, Doors Open Minneapolis had 87 participating venues, over 550 volunteers, and over 14,000 people in attendance!

There are multiple ways to support Doors Open!

• Volunteer – Doors Open is a huge production, and we can’t do it without our amazing volunteers! We are seeking the help of more than 600 volunteers during Doors Open weekend, May 18 and 19. Volunteers get a t-shirt and a VIP pass that lets them skip the lines at popular venues! Learn more and sign up here!

• Donate – Doors Open is a free event operated by historic preservation non-profit Rethos. This event is entirely sponsor- and crowd-funded. Every dollar helps us continue to provide this citywide event to the public! Learn more and donate here.

• Attend – Get out and explore our city during Doors Open weekend! Take advantage of free public transit, local restaurant and retailer discounts, enter the photo contest, and more!

Volunteer during Doors Open weekend, May 18 and/or 19! Volunteers get a t-shirt and a VIP pass that lets them skip the lines at popular venues. Learn more and sign up here!

Perhaps our most-asked question! Doors Open Minneapolis is still very much in its early years, and only time will tell where and how it expands! Whatever happens, we will be sure to keep fans and friends of Doors Open in the loop.

The coloring book and individual coloring pages will be located at various venues across the city, including:

Meet Minneapolis Visitor Center (your best chance of getting one!)

Metro Transit Blue Line Operations

Huntington Bank Stadium

Historic Coliseum Building

Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis

Center of Belonging

Minneapolis Animal Care & Control

Hennepin County Government Center

Open Book

W Minneapolis – The Foshay

Lakewood Cemetery

Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder

Ford Center

Architectural Antiques

Hennepin Avenue United Methodist Church

Minneapolis City Hall & Hennepin County Courthouse

Plymouth Avenue Art Studio

Pillsbury Urban Farm

Midtown Global Market

Ard Godfrey House

The following venues offer ticketed tours where you must pre-register to attend:

Architectural Antiques

Cancer & Cardiovascular Research Building Lab Tours – Partake in games and other activities on site without pre-registering, but pre-register if you’d like to tour their laboratories.

Hennepin Healthcare Teddy Bear Clinic – Walk-ins are welcome, but registration is appreciated.

Orfield Laboratories

Target Plaza Lights