Whittier
Best known for containing the Minneapolis Institute of Art and the Minnesota College of Art and Design, Whittier has a reputation as a neighborhood marked by transience: students filtering in and out with the academic years, the ebb and flow of young professionals commuting downtown. But this reputation disguises the rich and multigenerational history of the neighborhood. Along Nicollet, family restaurants like Quang have anchored the neighborhood for decades; and the multiple schools across the neighborhood draw children of all ages and families of all sizes. Centrally located and bounded by Interstate 35W, Whittier also serves as a bridge between neighborhoods. Folks from across south Minneapolis walk to the stretch of restaurants and markets along Nicollet—affectionately nicknamed “Eat Street”—to eat and shop for groceries, and on weekends, the Whittier stretch of the Midtown Greenway fills with pedestrians and bikers alike, headed towards one of the neighborhood’s many museums and parks. On sunny days, newly painted murals gleam brightly on old bricks, some visible from blocks away; and along the large portrait balconies of the neighborhood’s historical homes—many rebuilt and repurposed for multifamily living—plants, flags, and colorful tapestries bring even Whittier’s side streets to life. To its residents and neighbors, Whittier is not a neighborhood of transience but a neighborhood of movement: a conduit. As students come and go in waves through the neighborhood, they bring with them fresh ideas, thoughts, aspirations, and imaginings, all while under the surface, the same steady current carries Whittier forward—its history connected to its future, its old archaeologies just as important as its new architectures.
Whittier is your go-to for:
Diversity: Influenced by many generations of immigrant entrepreneurs, Midtown’s businesses reflect Minneapolis’ diversity.
Markets: Small grocers and convenience shops means that your essential needs are always within reach including the Midtown Farmers Market
History: With two unique museums, the Somali Museum of Minnesota and American Swedish Institute, Midtown holds a lot of Minneapolis' history.
Popular Destinations
