Minnesota Center for Book Arts

I recently returned from a long weekend in Minneapolis/St. Paul, aka the Twin Cities, or just "The Cities" if you are from around there.  Or from South Dakota, like my in-laws that met us there. 

Not only did we get to see the Twins destroy the Mariners on Friday AND Saturday night in the Twins' final season in the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome, I had a chance to visit the Minnesota Center for Book Arts.

Already home to an amazingly designed public library (the Minneapolis Public Library and Information Center that is now the Central branch of the Hennepin County Library due to a 2008 merger), Minneapolis also boasts this "place to feed your curiosity, stretch your creativity and get your hands dirty through the book arts. From the traditional crafts of papermaking, letterpress printing and bookbinding to non-traditional artmaking and self-publishing techniques, MCBA celebrates the book as a vibrant contemporary art form that takes many shapes."

As a random visitor, there isn't much to see in the Open Book building where the MCBA has their workshops, offices, and classes, but their Events Calendar is packed.  In the entryway of the building there was a small exhibition of broadsides and a large-ish gift shop for unique book related gifts.  In addition, we arrived right before an elementary school tour and enjoyed eavesdropping on the introduction that was held in the lobby!