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Short answer: The Walker Art Center, at 725 Vineland Place, is open Wednesday and Friday to Sunday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Thursday 10 a.m. to 9 p.m., closed Monday and Tuesday; adults pay $18. The Minneapolis Sculpture Garden across the street is free and open daily 6 a.m. to midnight. The city’s lake beaches are open 6 a.m. to 10 p.m.
- $18Walker adult admission
- FreeSculpture Garden, daily
- 6 am-10 pmPark Board beach hours
- 12Beaches in the Minneapolis park system
How we checked: the Walker Art Center’s visit page and the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board’s pages for Bde Maka Ska, Lake Harriet, Cedar Lake and Lake of the Isles. All read on November 3, 2026. Hours, prices, rules and closures change, so check the named agency or business before you rely on them. Anything we could not read is marked Not confirmed where it appears. Beach water quality changes by the day; the Park Board’s water quality page is the only source that counts. Park Board rules below are quoted from its pages, not our advice. General guidance on this page is labelled as general guidance. This is not safety, medical or legal advice; where a safety or legal rule appears, the quoted words are the official source’s own.
Walker Art Center and Sculpture Garden, Per The Walker
- HoursWednesday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Thursday 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Friday to Sunday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Monday and Tuesday closed. Closed July 4, Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.
- AdmissionAdults $18, seniors 65+ $16, students with ID $12, active military and families $9. Free: EBT cardholders, children 18 and under, citizens and members of Tribal Nations, and Walker members.
- Sculpture Garden“The Minneapolis Sculpture Garden is free and open daily from 6 am to 12 midnight every day.”
- Address725 Vineland Place, Minneapolis, MN 55403, in the Lowry Hill neighborhood. Paid underground parking on site.
The Lakes, Per The Park Board
- Bde Maka Ska32nd Street Beach, 3200 E Bde Maka Ska Parkway. Beach hours 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily. An eatery at the Bde Maka Ska Pavilion; canoe, kayak, paddle board, pedal boat and bike rentals in season through Wheel Fun Rentals.
- Lake HarrietNorth Beach, 4180 East Lake Harriet Parkway. Beach hours 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. The Park Board lists lifeguards June 13 to August 23 daily 1 to 7 p.m. (no year given) and the restaurant Bread & Pickle near the Lake Harriet Band Shell.
- Cedar LakeEast Beach, 2000 Upton Ave. S. Beach hours 6 a.m. to 10 p.m.
- Lake of the IslesA fenced off-leash dog park at 2845 W Lake of the Isles Parkway; park hours 6 a.m. to midnight; street parking only.
- Beach rulesAmong the Park Board’s rules: “Do not enter the water when the air temperature is 65 degrees Fahrenheit or colder,” and children under 8 need an adult. Read the full list on each beach page.
Go Next
What We Could Not Confirm
- Current beach water quality or closuresSee the Park Board’s water quality page. Not confirmed
- Whether lifeguards or the pavilion eatery are open this season. Not confirmed
- Winter use of the lakesWe give no ice advice; see the ice answer for the DNR’s words. Not confirmed
- Uptown shopping and diningWe read no official list. Not confirmed
Sources Read
- Walker Art Center, Visit, read November 3, 2026
- Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board, Bde Maka Ska, read November 3, 2026
- Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board, Lake Harriet, read November 3, 2026
- Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board, Cedar Lake, read November 3, 2026
- Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board, Lake of the Isles, read November 3, 2026
Keep Planning
Cite this page: It's Minnesota, “Uptown and The Chain of Lakes: Walker, Sculpture Garden and Beaches”, itsminnesota.com/destinations/uptown-and-the-chain-of-lakes/ (updated ). By the It's Minnesota editorial team. Free to quote with attribution and a link to this page; data and tables are licensed CC BY 4.0.