Explore the Beauty and Charm of Grand Rapids, Minnesota.
Located in Minnesota, Grand Rapids is home to many exciting things and places to go. The area offers many outdoor activities, museums, and more.
Whether you’re a tourist or a local, there are many things to do and see in Grand Rapids. The city offers plenty of fun for people of all ages, so it’s no wonder it’s one of the best places to visit in the entire state!
This vibrant city is packed with impressive things to see and do, from art galleries and breweries to museums and a slew of outdoor activities. The city is full of fun things to do, and it’s easy to see why so many people love this town! Whether you’re visiting for the arts, exploring the outdoors, or simply relaxing at a local food and drink spot, there’s something for everyone.
Judy Garland Museum
The Judy Garland Museum features a restored childhood home of the child star who became the iconic actress and singer known for her role as Dorothy in The Wizard of Oz. The museum also has a gallery featuring artifacts, personal awards and effects, movie memorabilia, and the carriage she and her friends rode through the Emerald City in the film.
The museum sits on a commercial strip of Pokegama Avenue, adjacent to an adjacent children’s museum that houses an extensive array of interactive exhibits and gardens. Box stores and other businesses surround it, but it still retains the sense of being a genuine historical landmark in Grand Rapids.
The museum is racing against the clock to stop a piece of land they use for events from being sold. So they’re asking for the community’s help.
Forest History Center
The Forest History Center is an attraction that’s perfect for the whole family. Here you’ll discover the past, present and future relationship with Minnesota’s forests through interactive exhibits, tours, and environmental learning programs.
Start your visit at the interpretive center, where you’ll find a series of historical films, reenactments, and educational exhibits that explore logging, forestry, and the forests of Northern Minnesota. Then you’ll go on a guided tour of the logging camp.
You’ll also get to board the 1901 Log Drive Wanigan, a floating cook shack that depicts life along a river. Then you’ll take a seat on the porch of a 1930s Forest Service patrolman’s cabin or climb a 100-foot fire tower.
Explore an area rich in history at the Forest History Center. You’ll learn about the past, present and future relationship between Minnesota’s forests by exploring interactive exhibits, like a turn-of-the-century logging camp or a 100-foot fire tower.
Reif Performing Arts Center
The Reif Performing Arts Center is located on the northwest side of Grand Rapids and facilitates various artistic programs. Regularly scheduled events include live performances, cultural seminars, and community workshops.
The center attracts local, national, and international talent to its two theaters. It also hosts dozens of school arts events.
American Legion Memorial Park, adjacent to the center, is a natural space to enjoy throughout the year. During the winter, visitors enjoy the lighted cross-country skiing trails. They can also stop by the warming house beside the outdoor ice rinks.
The Reif Performing Arts Center in Grand Rapids, Minnesota, attracts local, national, and international talent to its two stages for live performances that range from tribute rock bands to contemporary dance. The Reif Center also hosts community workshops and cultural seminars, offering a children’s performing art series for schools during the school year.
Itasca County Historical Society
The Itasca County Historical Society is a place where you can learn more about Grand Rapids’ past. Its exhibits and collections tell the stories of the people who made it a thriving town.
The Forest History Center, located on County Road 76, offers visitors an opportunity to step back in time and learn about the history of northern Minnesota. Its renovated interpretive building features hands-on exhibits and displays.
In addition, it hosts the state’s only authentic turn-of-the-century logging camp. You can walk through the camp, visit the camp blacksmith, saw filer and clerk, and even board a moored river “wanigan,” a floating cook shack that the lumbermen used to transport their food.
Itasca County Historical Society is one of the top attractions in Grand Rapids, Minnesota. It features an impressive local history collection focusing on the Mississippi River.
A trip to Itasca County would not be complete without a visit to the Itasca County Historical Society Museum, which boasts compelling displays about the area’s long and rich history. The museum also houses the “River Room” exhibit, telling stories about Itasca County’s connection to the Mississippi River and its people.
MacRostie Art Center
As an arts center in the heart of Grand Rapids, the MacRostie Art Center (MAC) inspires a creative community. Its mission is to support local and regional artists, provide art education for people of all ages, and promote awareness of the arts in northern Minnesota.
The MAC is home to three gallery spaces, an art shop featuring the work of local and regional artists, four studio spaces for classes and workshops, an artist resource center, and a community gathering space.
Family Create Second Saturdays offer free family-orientated art activities with a different theme each month. The MAC also offers guided tours of the downtown area.