MINNEAPOLIS WALKING TOUR FIELD GUIDE
Under the Canopy: Walking Nicollet Mall’s Living History
A guided, roughly 90-minute walk from the Voya Financial Building to 12th Street that traces Nicollet Mall’s reinvention as Minneapolis’s commercial spine and the nation’s first transit mall.
Under the Canopy: Walking Nicollet Mall’s Living History.
Adventure brief
Under the Canopy: Walking Nicollet Mall’s Living History
Nicollet Avenue has anchored Minneapolis commerce for more than a century. In the 1960s eight blocks were closed to automobiles and redesigned by landscape architect Lawrence Halprin to create Nicollet Mall; the pedestrian-focused corridor has been updated twice since—expanded in 1990 and renovated in 2017–18—and remains lined by landmark buildings, everyday storefronts and heavy pedestrian traffic. This walking tour traces the Mall’s redevelopment and the histories of the 15 buildings and public spaces that face it, beginning beneath the canopy of the Voya Financial Building and proceeding the Mall’s full length to 12th Street.
Walk the length of Nicollet Mall in downtown Minneapolis and you’ll read the city in brick, stone, glass and canopy. The Nicollet Mall Walking Tour traces one mile of the city’s principal pedestrian spine in Minneapolis, Minnesota, beginning under the Voya Financial Building canopy at 20 S Marquette Ave and ending near 12th Street. Led by architectural historian Richard L. Kronick, this accessible, 1–2 hour guided stroll peels back layers of civic planning, Prairie School details and midcentury urban renewal. The Mall was reimagined in the 1960s by Lawrence Halprin as a response to suburban malls; it became the nation’s first transit mall, reserved for buses and taxis, and later expanded and updated in 1990 and again in 2017–18. On this tour you’ll stop at 15 significant sites that face the Mall: the glass-domed IDS Crystal Court, the long-remembered Dayton’s department store façades, the intimate Loring Greenway pocket park, and the Gothic revival of Westminster Presbyterian Church. You’ll also walk Red Cedar Lane, notable for its dense cedar canopy and an unusual urban grove that frames Prairie School architecture on adjacent blocks. The route is compact but rich: expect close study of cornice lines, decorative terra-cotta, and modern curtain walls that reveal Minneapolis’s commercial evolution. Kronick brings deep focus on Purcell & Elmslie and John Jager projects and a storyteller’s eye for detail born of decades leading tours for Preserve Minneapolis and university continuing education programs. The group is intentionally small (up to 30), making viewpoints and close-up examination of façades easy; the tour departs from the meeting point at 20 S Marquette Ave and often takes about 1.5 hours, with the option to take a free bus back to the start. Practical notes: the walk is level and suitable for most visitors; wear comfortable shoes and bring water. The Mall’s mix of Fortune 500 plazas, small businesses and daily foot traffic means the tour doubles as an urban safari—watch for public art, seasonal plantings and rooftop bird activity. For visitors who come for the architecture, the tour highlights rarely discussed interior spaces such as the IDS Crystal Court atrium and the Mall’s layered landscaping. Whether you’re a local wanting to understand how civic design shaped downtown life or a visitor seeking concentrated architectural history, the Nicollet Mall Walking Tour condenses Minneapolis’s public realm into a focused, informative hour that reads like the city’s urban history in cross-section. Bookings are coordinated through Preserve Minneapolis and tours typically run on weekend afternoons; check the provided booking link at the meeting point address for current schedules and weather-related changes, and note the guide Richard L. Kronick is experienced in tailoring commentary to the group’s interests, from construction techniques to social history today.
Route Schematic
Itinerary Route Schematic
Key stops and sights as you walk the Mall from its northern canopy to its southern terminus.
Voya Financial Building (Washington Ave. & Nicollet Mall)
The tour assembles under the Voya canopy; this is the official start point for the guided walk.
IDS Crystal Court
Stop to discuss the Crystal Court’s role in downtown retail and the building’s relationship to the Mall.
Daytons (historic department store site)
Examine the site and story of Dayton’s and how department stores shaped Nicollet Avenue’s commercial character.
Loring Greenway & Westminster Presbyterian Church
Explore these public spaces and institutional facades that front the Mall and contribute to its civic feel.
12th Street Terminus
The walk concludes at 12th Street; participants may use a free bus to return to the starting point.
The route is an urban walk across city sidewalks that covers the Mall’s full length; the tour is offered as an outdoor, accessible experience and takes roughly one-and-a-half to two hours, with a free bus available to return to the starting point.
Highlights
Outing Highlights
Mid‑Century Reinvention and a New Model of Transit
In the 1960s Nicollet was transformed to compete with suburban malls; the Mall’s Halprin design and its role as the nation’s first transit mall have been influential and were later revisited in renovations in 1990 and again in 2017–18.
Fifteen Buildings Facing One Street
The tour examines 15 buildings and spaces that front the Mall—stops include the IDS Crystal Court, the old Dayton’s footprint, the Loring Greenway and Westminster Presbyterian Church—each telling a piece of the downtown story.
Begin Under the Voya Canopy, Walk to 12th Street
Guides assemble under the Voya Financial Building canopy at Washington Avenue and Nicollet Mall, then walk the Mall’s entire length to 12th Street; participants can return to the start on a free bus.
What the day feels like
What the Walk Feels Like
An expert-led, outdoor stroll through downtown Minneapolis that moves at an urban walking pace: expect narrative stops at storefronts, plazas and landmark interiors as your guide places each site in the Mall’s longer commercial and urban-design story.
Suitability
Who it's for
Who this walk suits—and what the provided information says about limits or requirements.
Practical planner
Details to review before reserving
Meet under the canopy of the Voya Financial Building at 20 S Marquette Ave; the listing gives a duration of about 1.5 hours for the tour.
No specific gear requirements are listed in the supplied information; because the tour is outdoors, plan for comfortable walking and weather-appropriate clothing.
The walk finishes at 12th Street; participants can take a free bus back to the starting point according to the itinerary.
Review cancellation policies before reserving.
Frequently asked questions
Planning Your Outing
Where is the meeting point?
The tour meets at 20 S Marquette Ave, under the canopy of the Voya Financial Building (corner of Washington Ave. and Nicollet Mall).
How long is the tour?
The listing gives a duration of 1.5 hours; the descriptive text also notes the tour takes about two hours.
Is the route accessible?
The tour is described as taking place in a peaceful, accessible outdoor setting; detailed accessibility accommodations are not specified in the provided information.
Will I need to arrange transportation back to the start?
No—after walking to 12th Street participants can take a free bus back to the starting point, per the itinerary.
What will we see on the tour?
Guides investigate the histories of the Mall itself and of 15 buildings and spaces facing it, including the IDS Crystal Court, Dayton’s, the Loring Greenway and Westminster Presbyterian Church.
Who operates this walking tour?
The tour is operated by Preserve Minneapolis.
How this guide was prepared
This field guide is synthesized using verified supplier specifications, route descriptions, and destination data. Some booking links may generate affiliate revenue for ADV Guides.
- Verified: 2026-09-07T20:57:59.381Z
Some booking links may generate revenue for ADV Guides or The Adventure Collective.
Availability, pricing, schedules and operating details can change.
Trip details and contextual sources were reviewed by ADV Guides Editorial.