A leader in the arts, the Twin Cities have hundreds of theaters and museums, including the Guthrie Theater , the Ordway Center for the Performing Arts , the Minneapolis Institute of Arts , the Walker Art Center , Minnesota Children's Museum , and the Science Museum of Minnesota . The giant Mall of America , with more than 400 stores, an indoor amusement park, theatres, and restaurants, draws shoppers and tourists not only from the region but from Japan, Europe, and other parts of the world. Recreational opportunities abound in the Twin Cities and the region. Lake Harriet in Minneapolis is one of many lakes in and near Minneapolis and St. Paul. The office towers of downtown Minneapolis can be seen in the background.
Winter provides opportunity for downhill and cross-country skiing.
And the Twin Cities is just a few hours from the magnificent Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness . Students also can enjoy WNBA s Minnesota Lynx , NBA s Minnesota Timberwolves , an array of University of Minnesota Big Ten teams, and NHL hockey s new Minnesota Wild .