What is the Guthrie Theater known for?

Set along the Mississippi River in downtown Minneapolis, the Guthrie Theater is one of the city’s most celebrated cultural landmarks. Known for its bold productions, community programming, and striking Jean Nouvel-designed building, the Guthrie is home to three performance spaces and an ever-changing lineup of theater, music, and special events.

From Shakespeare to modern masterpieces, this is where world-class storytelling takes the stage.

What to know before seeing a show at the Guthrie Theater

First time at the Guthrie? Here's what to keep in mind:

• Arrive early: Give yourself time to explore the building—trust us, it’s part of the experience.
• Dress code: There’s no dress code. Come as you are, or dress up for a night out—it’s totally your call.
• Accessibility: The Guthrie is fully accessible with wheelchair seating, assistive listening devices, elevators, and gender-inclusive restrooms.

Getting to the Guthrie: Parking, Transit, and Tips

The Guthrie is located at 818 South 2nd Street in downtown Minneapolis’s Mill District, along the Mississippi River. The theater is easily accessible by car and public transit. Located between two stellar Minneapolis destinations—Mill City Museum and Gold Medal Park—and a short walk from the Stone Arch Bridge and U.S. Bank Stadium, the Guthrie is truly in the heart of Downtown Minneapolis' cultural offerings.

Driving? Find the best parking near the theater!

• Riverfront Ramp on South 2nd Street across from the Guthrie (standard event rate is $15)
• Mill Quarter Municipal Ramp
• Metered street parking (Most meters near the Guthrie have a two-hour maximum). Download the City of Minneapolis mobile parking app to pay for metered street parking. If you have disability plates or a parking certificate, you may park for up to four hours at a metered space free of charge.

Find more ramps, better prices, reserve your spot and pay in advance today!

Transit instead? Choose from multiple highly accessible routes!
The Metro light rail Green Line and Blue Line both stop at the U.S. Bank Stadium station a few blocks away, and the 3, 7, and 22 buses running along Washington will bring you close to the Guthrie Theater. View Metro Transit's website for detailed route options and fares. Transportation may also be scheduled through Metro Mobility.

Where to Eat Before the Show

Make your evening even more memorable with dinner before the show—or drinks after.

• Owamni by the Sioux Chef: Located inside the Water Works Pavilion in Mill Ruins Park overlooking OwamniYomni—also known as St Anthony Falls—this nationally lauded restaurant highlights Indigenous cuisine without colonial ingredients like wheat flour, cane sugar, and dairy, as well as beef, chicken, and pork. Enjoy chef Sean Sherman’s fresh take on fine dining local game sausages made by the Indigenous food lab, native corn tacos with cedar braised bison, and roast sweet potato with Indigenous chili crisp.
• Kindee Thai Restaurant: Located across the street from the Guthrie, this modern Thai spot is a popular choice for ticket holders before a show. Expect Thai classics like curries and noodle dishes as well as Seafood Hot Pot, Coconut BBQ spareribs, and fresh salads. For more Thai options, head to Sawatdee a few blocks away. This mother-daughter-owned establishment was the first Thai restaurant in Minnesota when it opened in 1983.
• Day Block Brewing: Pizzas, house-brewed beers, and weekly live music events are the halmarks of this Industrial-chic neighborhood spot. The brewery traces its roots to 1883, but specializes in modern tastes like the Elote pizza with fire-roasted spiced corn and cumin-chili aioli, the Banh Mizza with Vietnamese pork and pickled slaw, and the Taco Truck with carnitas, salsa verde, and cotija cheese.
• Farmer’s Kitchen + Bar: The first and only restaurant wholly owned and operated by the Minnesota Farmers Union, this field-to-plate restaurant connects diners directly with local farmers, ranchers, bakers, fishers, and artisan food producers for a real taste of place. There’s a full coffee bar onsite, too!
• Umbra at the Canopy: This modern rustic-meets-industrial eatery celebrates Midwestern-meats-European flavors using local ingredients like Revier Cattle and produce from Iron Shoe and Comfrey Farms. The local focus extends to the bar, with house cocktails featuring Minnesota distilleries.
• Zen Box Izakaya: Serving up Japanese comfort food—think ramen, deep-fried dumplings, pork katsu sandwiches, and curries, Zen Box is a bustling destination for food lovers inside the Mill District City Club Apartments.

Guthrie Theater Building Highlights

The impressive midnight blue building is truly a worthy destination for all lovers of theater, architecture, and really great views. Don’t miss these building highlights, open to the public Tuesday through Sunday from 9 am to 9 pm, no reservations necessary.

• Gaze over the Mississippi in the Amber Room: Officially dubbed the Pohlad Lobby, this amber-hued glass room outside the Guthrie’s Dowling Studio on Level 9 is cantilevered 15 feet from the face of the building, offering a near 360-degree view of the area. Architect was inspired to create a room that feels like a permanently warm sunny day (which is a true miracle in the depths of a Minnesota winter).
• Take the “Endless Bridge” to Nowhere: The Endless Bridge—a cantilevered observation bridge that extends a whopping 178 feet from the north face of the building—is suspended 55 feet above West River Parkway, and is one of the Guthrie’s most notable architectural features. (The bridge may not be truly endless, but the views from the observation area at the end of the bridge certainly are.)
• Explore the Guthrie’s Past (and Present) on and through the Lobby Walls: Near the 700-seat McGuire Proscenium Stage and 1,100-seat Wurtele Thrust Stage, the lobby walls feature backlit images of past productions. Visitors can also get a rare look backstage thanks to a blue-tinted wall of glass from the Level Four lobby.
• Walk Around the Building at Night for More Views: The exterior walls of the Guthrie come to life at night with eight ghostly images from past productions, screen-printed on massive stainless steel panels. The images, ranging in size from several feet to several stories, recall historic Guthrie productions from 1963’s "Hamlet" to 2003’s “Othello.”

Fun Things to Do Around the Guthrie Theater

Gold Medal Park is the perfect place to stretch your legs before or after a show at the Guthrie. The serene 7.5-acre park designed by landscape architect Tom Oslund features a mound with a spiral walkway, several monumental sculptures, benches that glow with blue LED lights, and incredible views of the Mississippi. For more engaging outdoor exploration, head to the new Water Works Park and Mill Ruins Park.

The Mill City Museum, located next door to the Guthrie, is a family-friendly way to explore Minneapolis’s industrial past. Located in the ruins of what was once the world’s largest flour mill, the museum explores how Minneapolis became the “Flour Milling Capital of the World” and was referred to as “Mill City” for nearly 50 years. You’ll be able to experience 19th-century flour milling machines, check out the Baking Lab, design your own cereal box, and ride a giant elevator through eight levels of the building to travel back in time with historic film, photographs, and special effects.

The Mill City Farmers Market takes over the space between the Guthrie and the Mill City Museum on Saturdays (weekly from May through September, and on select Saturdays through the winter) with a vibrant assortment of fresh produce and artisan foods, plus restaurant vendors, crafts, and live entertainment, rain or shine.

The historic, pedestrian-only Stone Arch Bridge stretches 2100 feet across the Mississippi River, and is a very popular photo spot for locals and visitors alike. Made of native granite and limestone, the bridge spans the river below St. Anthony Falls with 23 arches. Enjoy the bridge by bike, Segway, or stroll at your own pace as you enjoy some of the most spectacular views of the city skyline anywhere in Minneapolis.

Across the river from the Guthrie—accessible by foot via the Stone Arch Bridge—you’ll find the charming Northeast Minneapolis neighborhood of St. Anthony Main. Featuring cobblestone roads, a historic movie theater, Water Power Park, a park with winding footpaths and bridges overlooking the Mississippi, and excellent restaurants that make the most of the area’s tree-lined streets with patios in the warmer months.

Make a night of it at a Downtown Minneapolis Hotel

• Aloft Minneapolis is located across the street from the theater, and offers exclusive rates when you mention the Guthrie.
• Radisson RED is located three blocks from the theater and is home to OUIBar + KTCHN.The historic
• Renaissance Minneapolis Hotel, The Depot has been housing visitors since 1899 a half mile from the Guthrie.