History of the Minneapolis American Indian Center
The Minneapolis American Indian Center has deep community roots as one of the first urban Native centers in the country, providing services and a central gathering space for Native people in the Twin Cities. The center opened on Franklin Avenue in 1975 in response to the flood of people moving from reservations to cities due to federal relocation policies that promoted jobs and community in urban areas.
The center was initially formed by local Native community members, and we continue this legacy today with a majority Native leadership and staffing.
Our programs have changed over the years to meet community needs, but we remain rooted in our mission to provide essential services within a foundation of cultural values that meet the needs of the Native community. The mission is lived out through youth, elder, and intergenerational programs that help provide stability, strengthen connection to culture and community, improve health and wellness, achieve academic success, and establish pathways to living wage jobs that break the cycle of generational poverty. Programs and services are provided at no cost to participants. About 10,000 people participate in the center’s programs each year, and many more visit the center for events and to explore the art and food. Our programs are geared towards Native people, but our spaces are open to all, and the center is an opportunity for anyone to connect with, learn about, and honor Native culture.
The Minneapolis American Indian Center celebrated its 50th year on Franklin Avenue in 2025. The center has grown substantially since it began half a century ago; there are currently about 50 staff members, and more than 20,000 feet was added to the center during a $32.5 million renovation and expansion in the early 2020s. The new and renovated spaces and expanded team set the center up to continue serving our relatives for years to come.
A renovation to support future generations
The Minneapolis American Indian Center reopened in May 2024 after being closed for more than a year for a historic renovation project that restored, preserved, and expanded the facility. The renovation came after a decade of fundraising and planning, which included extensive community input on how the center can best meet the needs of our people. Highlights of the renovation include:
- Added more than 20,000 square feet to the building, including a new kitchen and dining space for Gatherings Cafe, a new conference room, and central rotunda.
- Improved energy and electrical efficiency.
- Updated technology and accessibility.
- Added and improved program spaces, including the addition of the Best Buy Teen Tech Center for our youth.
- Added a new fitness center space and improvements to the gymnasium.
Watch the video below by Loeffler Construction and Consulting to learn more about the renovation and to see the space.
The historic renovation was made possible thanks to the All Roads Capital Campaign, which has successfully raised $30 million of our $32.5 million goal so far.
Murals and signage
George Morrison Mural
George Morrison (Grand Portage Ojibwe) created a large cedar mural for the Minneapolis American Indian Center in the 1970s that is based on a feather turning in space. During the center’s renovation, the mural was carefully taken apart and shipped to Montana where each piece of cedar was restored before being reassembled on an exterior wall of the center.
I See Generations: Keep Tobacco Sacred Mural
The mural was designed using feedback from more than 100 local Native youth around themes of who they are, health, traditional tobacco, and their hopes for the future. It reflects the strength of the community’s collective wisdom and hope for future generations. Before the renovation, the mural was on an exterior center wall, and today, its home is in the Frances Fairbanks Memorial Gymnasium.
Room signage in Dakhóta and Anishinaabemowin
Many of the room signs in the Minneapolis American Indian Center include QR codes that can be scanned to hear the room name in Anishinaabemowin and Dakhóta. A committee of Minneapolis American Indian Center staff, community members, and project partners decided to include audio versions of the room names because the languages are traditionally oral. There also may be different spellings for certain words depending on region/tribe.