Walker Art Center

About this Museum

The Walker Art Center was formally established in 1927. Its origins, however, date back to 1879, when lumber baron Thomas Barlow Walker exhibited his private collection of paintings in a single room in his Minneapolis, Minnesota home. Since then, it has developed into one of the five most-visited modern and contemporary art museums in the United States, specializing in visual, performing, and media arts.

Beyond its collection and exhibitions, the Walker is renowned as a multidisciplinary arts organization with a strong emphasis on audience engagement. Its programs are divided into Visual Arts, Performing Arts, New Media Initiatives, Film/Video, Education & Community Programs and Architecture/Design. Adjacent to the Walker stands the Minneapolis Sculpture Garden, one of the nation’s largest urban sculpture parks, and together they attract over 600,000 visitors each year.