Arts and Academic Opportunities
This is a list of classes and special events which provide enrichment options. The entries are not exclusively for gifted and talented young people, but we have included them here because of their enrichment value.
Bakken Library and Museum
Grades 1-12
Ph: 612-927-6508
The mission of the Bakken Library and Museum is to serve as a center for learning that seeks to further understanding of the history and applications of electromagnetism in medicine and the life sciences. A collection of rare books, manuscripts, scientific and medical instruments document the history of "Electricy in Life."
Bloomington Fine Arts Council
Grades K-12
Ph: 952-948-8746
Classes in ceramics, painting, drawing, and drama, are offered to kids of all ages. Nine Mile Creek Theater Children's Ensemble is comprised of young actors 8-18 who have had some stage experience. Art exhibits are displayed at Bloomington Art Center, Bloomington City Hall and Oxboro Library.
Concordia Language Villages
Ages 7-18
Ph: 800-222-4750
Ph: 218-299-4544
One, two, or four week summer programs that immerse young people in another language and culture: Arabic, Chinese, Danish, English, Finnish, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Norwegian, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish and Swedish.
Continental Ballet Company
Grades K-12
Ph: 952-563-8562
Instructors use a personalized European instruction system to develop proper classical ballet and dance techniques. Year round enrollment available. Throughout the year, the Company presents dance residencies and lecture demonstrations.
Edina Art Center
Grades K-12
Ph: 952-915-6600
Children's classes meet Saturday and after school in this facility for instruction in the visual arts. A sampling of courses for youth include Art Academy, Pottery Fundamentals and Drawing. High school students can enroll in a wide variety of adult classes.
Greater Twin Cities Youth Symphonies
Grade 1-12
Ph: 612-870-7611
The Greater Twin Cities Youth Symphonies is the nation's largest youth orchestra organization. The eight Orchestras provide the area's talented young musicians with musical experiences of the highest level.
Guthrie Theatre
Grades-tailored per interest
Contact: Catherine McGuire
Ph: 612-347-1197
Classes at the Guthrie enhance public speaking, enrich presentation skills and build confidence! Classes in a wide variety of areas including acting and monologues are offered to teens. Summer Camps are available.
Hennepin History Museum
Grades K-12
Ph: 612-870-1329
During the year the museum provides workshops and gallery tours for students on a variety of topics. Several exhibit galleries chronicle life in Hennepin County. Tours to historic sites allow the community to experience the history of Minneapolis and Hennepin County. The museum houses an extensive reference library and archive. Hennepin History Museum publishes a newsletter and magazine. If you would like to be on a mailing list, please call above number.
Mill City Museum
Ph: 612-341-7555
Built within the ruins of a National Historic Landmark -- the Washburn A Mill -- the museum provides a multi-sensory, interactive journey. The story of flour milling -- and its impact on Minneapolis, the nation and the world -- comes to life through the eight-story Flour Tower and other hands-on exhibits.
Minnesota History Center
Ph: 651-259-3000
MHC is chief caretaker of Minnesota's story and home to the Society's vast collections. Within its archives reside artifacts ranging from American Indian moccasins and artwork to furniture and photographs, Civil War-era flags and a wealth of geneaological information. All of it is accessible today and for future generations. Classes, visits and National History Day activities and classes.
Minnesota Landscape Arboretum - Chanhassen
Grades K-6
Ph: 952-443-1400
Youth enrichment activities are available. Call for more information.
MacPhail Center for the Arts
Grades K-12
Contact: Student Services
Ph: 612-321-0100
Classes for grades K-12 are available in music theory, a variety of beginning instruments, voice lessons, ballet, and dance. Individual instruction is tailored to meet your musical goals. Special solfege classes in note reading, tonal memory, and musicianship are offered to students of all grade levels.
Minneapolis College of Art and Design (MCAD)
Extension Programs
Grades K-12
Ph: 612-874-3700
Minneapolis Institute of Arts
Ph: 888-MIA-ARTS (642-2787) (Toll Free)
Classes and workshops for students ages four to sixteen explore art by visiting galleries and working in the studio with accredited art educators and artists.
Minnesota Youth Symphonies
Grades K-12
Ph: 651-699-5811
Students may audition to participate in one of the four youth orchestras designed to provide training through rehearsal, recording, and performance. Students are placed in orchestras by ability rather than age.
Minnesota Zoo Activities
Grades K-12
Ph: 952-431-9200
Tours, classes, and other programs available at the zoo.
Minnetonka Center for the Arts
Grades K-12
Ph: 952-473-7361
The Art Center is a nonprofit community based organization providing affordable instruction in the visual arts. Our students gain knowledge and appreciation of fine arts and crafts through hands-on studio instruction and special events. We offer high quality programming to people of all ages, interests, abilities and levels of experience. Small group instruction from working artists and a supportive class environment stimulate creativity and build individual skills. Young students benefit from our emphasis on creative problem solving, teamwork, skill building and individual expression.
The Minnetonka Dance Theatre School
Preschool - Adult
Ph: 952-937-1387
The Minnetonka Dance Theatre and School was founded in 1986 by Marianne Simons to provide training and development in classical ballet for young dancers. In 1992, the Youth Ballet Company was formed to provide performance opportunities for the advanced dancers in the School. The YBC is comprised of thirteen pre-professional dancers ages thirteen through eighteen. Dancers audition for acceptance into YBC each year and are required to take a minimum of twelve to fifteen hours of classical ballet technique classes per week.
Music Association of Minnetonka
Ph: 952-401-5954
The Music Association of Minnetonka provides enriching classical musical experiences for people of all ages and abilities. The association encompasses nine choral and orchestral ensembles with more than 250 performing members. Approximately 50 concerts are performed each year for neighbors, friends and members of the greater Minneapolis community.
Science Museum of Minnesota
Ph: 651-221-9444 or 800-221-9444
The Science Museum of Minnesota is known worldwide for its interactive exhibits, dynamic traveling exhibitions, and internationally distributed large format films. The museum was an early innovator in the use of live theater as a humanizing interpretive tool and continues to be a training ground for other museums wishing to include live programming in their exhibit halls. The museum provides innovative staff development programs for teachers throughout the region and science education outreach programs for K-12 classrooms. The Science Museum constantly explores and implements new technologies to educate our audience about science. The Science Museum's research and collections division and St. Croix Watershed Research Station provide significant ongoing scientific research in the areas of anthropology, paleontology, biology, and environmental sciences.
Stages Theatre Company
Grades K-12
Ph: 952-979-1123
Stages Theatre Company is committed to the enrichment and education of children and youth in a professional theatre environment that stimulates artistic excellence and personal growth.
The Works
Ph: 952-848-4848
The Works is located on the third floor (Room 303) of the Edina Community Center (ECC), which is in Edina, a suburb just to the west of South Minneapolis. The Works is a "hands-on, minds-on" museum that makes learning about science and engineering interesting, understandable and fun. A non-profit community organization, The Works creates successful, inspiring, hands-on learning experiences for kids. Our unique exhibits and educational programs demystify science and engineering, and inspire interest and confidence in learning. The Works has provided kid-friendly STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) programs since 1995.
U of M Talented Youth Math Program (UMTYMP)
Ph: 612-625-2861
UMTYMP provides a challenging alternative for Minnesota's talented mathematics students in grades 6-12. The highly accelerated courses are specially designed to provide these students with an intense academic experience that will stimulate their mathematical interest and abilities. The program, offered through the University of Minnesota Institute of Technology Center for Educational Programs (ITCEP), is partially supported by an appropriation from the State of Minnesota. Students currently in grades 5-7 are identified and recommended by their schools as eligible for entering UMTYMP at the Algebra level.
Walker Art Center
Grades K-12
Ph: 612-375-7600
The Walker Art Center, a catalyst for the creative expression of artists and the active engagement of audiences, examines the questions that shape and inspire us as individuals, cultures, and communities.
Wood Lake Nature Center
Richfield
Ph: 612-861-9365
Professionally-trained naturalists lead programs year-round for children and adults of all abilities (ages 4 and up). Classes are usually 1.5 hours in length and have a naturalist/participant ratio of 1:15.
Youth Performance Company
Grades 1-12
Ph: 612-623-9080
Mpls Youth Performance Company is dedicated to igniting and fueling the artistic spirit of youth by developing, empowering, and advancing young artists.
Young Audiences of Minnesota
Ph: 651-292-3249
COMPAS strengthens people and communities in Minnesota by engaging them in creating art. With 55 years of arts programming and four decades of arts education, COMPAS is Minnesota's most widely-used resource for artist residencies and community-building through the arts. We engage nearly 600,000 people in the arts in over 100 Minnesota cities, towns, and suburbs each year. Begun as The Art of Poetry in 1968, COMPAS incorporated in 1974, merged with United Arts in 1998, and merged with Young Audiences of MN in July 2009.
Young Scientist Roundtable
Ph: 763-745-5208
Young Scientist Roundtable brings in scientists from many different fields to present to and interact with students of all ages. Seven or eight programs per school year are presented at Wayzata Central Middle
School Auditorium.