A Book Bonanza in Minneapolis!

Posted on by The Wandering Art Historian

Did you know that Minnesota is one of the most literate states in the U.S.? My recent visit to Minneapolis proved that point in spades as resident and visiting book lovers alike have ample literary opportunities all over the city… and not just in bookstores! My recent visit to the City of Lakes coincided with Independent Bookstore Day 2025 and it was quite the celebration!

I picked up my Indie Bookstore Day passport at Strive Bookstore and was delighted to see 37 indie bookstores included! Thanks go to Rain Taxi Review of Books for producing the 2025 passport.

For more on Rain Taxi Review of Books, please visit…

Rain Taxi Review of Books

I also picked up my free roadmap of Midwest Indie Bookstores courtesy of the Midwest Independent Booksellers Association. I LOVE the cartoon drawings of all the bookstores!

For more on MIBA, please visit…

https://www.midwestbooksellers.org/

As I mentioned, my first stop was Strive Publishing & Bookstore. Both a publishing company and a bookstore, Strive is dedicated to building a community in which ALL voices are heard. They are in the process of moving to a new location, but you can always find them online and on Instagram.

For more on Strive Publishing & Bookstore, please visit…

https://strivepubandco.com/

Follow Strive Bookstore on Instagram…

https://www.instagram.com/strive_bookstore/

My second stop was to Open Book, an amazing center that houses multiple organizations devoted to reading, writing, and the book arts. Milkweed Editions and Milkweed Books is another publisher/bookstore combo that focuses on literary fiction, nonfiction, and poetry.

For more on Milkweed Editions, please visit…

https://milkweed.org/

Follow Milkweed Bookstore on Instagram…

https://www.instagram.com/milkweed_books/

For more on Open Book, please visit…

https://openbookmn.org/

In addition to Milkweed Books, Open Book is also home to the Minnesota Center for Book Arts. Offering an assortment of creative classes, an art gallery, and a library, the MCBA is a mecca for anyone who wants to try their hand at bookmaking and other literary arts.

The MCBA also boasts an incredible shop where you can find all sorts of bookmaking supplies, stickers, note cards, tote bags, and bookish gifts. They feature multiple local artists and the single best offering of zines I have ever encountered!

For more on the Minnesota Center for Book Arts, please visit…

https://mnbookarts.org/

For more on The Shop at the MCBA, please visit…

https://mnbookarts.org/shop

While out wandering the Skyway, I stumbled upon this glorious building, a true beacon of light on a soggy day. It’s the Minneapolis Central location of the Hennepin County Library and it does not disappoint! A piano room, art gallery, and teen tech center are all on site and the collection not only includes books, but also 15,000+ vinyl records and a special listening room.

For more on the Minneapolis Central Library, please visit…

https://www.hclib.org/about/locations/minneapolis-central

Bookish travelers will also LOVE the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport which boasts 7 bookstores including Words and a second Open Book location.

Minneapolis really is a bibliophile’s dream. Besides all the places mentioned in this post, I found amazing book selections at the Walker Art Center, the Guthrie Theater, and at the Mill City Museum. It was a challenge not to buy books every day! I’m so looking forward to a return visit.

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The Wandering Art Historian's avatar
I am writer and artist with a degree in art history who loves to talk to people about art. I have spent the last seven years building up The Wandering Art Historian “brand” as a way to connect with people who want to learn more about art. I give lectures and presentations and teach classes and host book club discussions with a creative or artistic connection. I also write about local artists, events, museums, and exhibitions to promote the arts in Central Florida. In 2021, I had a creative crisis. I struggled with authenticity in the art making process. I decided to make myself vulnerable and find out what a real, genuine Adrienne H. Lee artwork would look like. The process was challenging and emotional and revelatory. I learned that if necessity is the mother of invention, then authenticity is the mother of reinvention. I reinvented myself and learned an entirely new medium. The resulting artwork surprised me, and it will surprise you, too. Some people wish for a fairytale ending. For me, the fairy tale is only the beginning.