Never underestimate the lure of the Twin Cities. Minneapolis and Saint Paul are Midwest Meccas when it comes to art and entertainment. From the bittersweet, to the unvarnished truth, to in-your-face farces, Minneapolis is the place to be this May.
Start out at Mall of America, at the blockbuster exhibition Diana, A Celebration. The show chronicles the life and works of the real princess. On loan from Althorp Estate, the Spencer’s 500-year-old English ancestral home, the exhibit gets to the heart of matters. See some 150 objects, ranging from her wedding gown and 28 designer dresses to family heirlooms, personal mementos, and paintings. Perhaps most poignant are rare home movies and photos. The exhibition runs through June 10.
Root yourself in the reality of what it was like to be a real-life pirate (hint, it wasn’t pretty) and see Real Pirates: The untold Story of the Whydah from Slave Ship to Pirate Ship. Long title, but a pirate’s life could easily be far shorter. Climb aboard a recreated pirate ship at the Science Museum of Minnesota. Learn to tie knots, hoist a pirate flag and shiver a few timbers. See more than 200 artifacts from North America’s only authenticated pirate shipwreck. The exhibit runs through Sept. 3.
After all this introspection and exploration it’s time to laugh out loud. LOL at the Old Log Theater with a performance of The Fox on the Fairway, a comedy about the game of golf. Competing country clubs, a trio of attendant love affairs, a disappearing diamond and mistaken identities combine to make this an off-the-wall event. If you’re looking for and evening of unleavened laughs served up with lots of slapstick, you’ve found it.
Minneapolis/Saint Paul International is easily accessible from throughout the country. It’s home to one of Delta Air Lines’ major hubs.
Story by Jerry Chandler
(Image: moleofproduction)
