Friends of the Institute
Founded in 1922, Friends of the Institute is a volunteer organization of members of the Minneapolis Institute of Arts dedicated to supporting, enhancing and sustaining the collections, programs and influence of the MIA. Today, Friends of the Institute is one of the nation’s largest and most active art museum volunteer organizations.
The Friends support the museum in many ways, by providing free public lectures, buses to bring schoolchildren to the museum for docent tours, artwork for the permanent collection, and funding for innovative children’s art education programs. Two major fundraisers, Art in Bloom and Art Perchance, make this support possible.
For more information, please contact the Friends office at (612) 870-3045 or friends@artsmia.org.
Pictured above: Friends Board of Directors (2013-14)
Learn About the Friends
Join the Friends
Friends membership is just $45 a year, in addition to the cost of annual museum membership. Any member of the MIA may become a member of the Friends. There are chapters in the Twin Cities, Rochester, and St. Cloud. Friends members enjoy many benefits, including:
- Friends-only classes and tours
- Friends newsletter
- First notice of volunteer opportunities at the MIA
- Activities especially for new members
- The hospitality of the Friends office
For more information or to join, call or email the Friends office at (612) 870-3045 or friends@artsmia.org.
Read the Friends Newsletter, May 2014 (pdf)
2014 Art in Bloom Highlights (pdf)
Friends Board
The Friends Board of Directors is constituted of Friends officers, committee chairs, and special appointees. Members are appointed by a nominating committee each year and voted upon at the Friends annual meeting in May.
If you are interested in volunteering with a Friends committee, please complete the Friends Volunteer Form or contact the Friends office: (612) 870-3045.