A cobalt-blue machine that punches a cantilevered perch out over the Mississippi like it’s picking a fight with gravity.
Center for theater performance, production, education, and professional training in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
Featured in Jean Nouvel's definitive monograph, Jean Nouvel by Jean Nouvel: Complete Works 1970–2008.
Visitor Guide
Even without a show ticket, ask staff for directions to the public areas and the Endless Bridge—then walk it slowly and look back at the building; Nouvel designed the best view to be of the thing itself.
Stone Arch Bridge, facing the theater across the river; blue hour (20–30 minutes after sunset) when the facade reads as a saturated mass and the city lights don’t blow out your exposure.
You can go inside: performances are ticketed, but the lobby/public zones and the Endless Bridge are often accessible during building hours (policies can vary by day/event). Backstage tours are sometimes offered; check same-day availability at the box office.
The ‘Endless Bridge’ isn’t just a gimmick—it’s a structural flex and an urban balcony, a theatrical device that makes the city the set.
45–90 minutes (no show) or 3–4 hours (with show)
Design & Structure
Big-gesture architecture executed with theatre-grade precision: a heavily braced steel cantilever and a deep section that hides the engineering inside an apparently simple bar. The design process is essentially clash coordination between stagecraft (fly towers, acoustics, back-of-house) and a brutal exterior figure.
Painted metal panel skin and glass punctures over a steel frame; the color is not decoration—it’s a perceptual trick that compresses the mass into a single readable silhouette.
The cantilevered viewing bridge is the headline: a long-span steel structure that turns structural depth into a spatial event (you feel the section as you walk it).
See Together
Buildings that pair well with Guthrie Theater — they're nearby or share a compelling architectural conversation.
More by Jean Nouvel
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Opéra de Lyon
Genoa International Boat Show
Fondation Cartier pour l'Art Contemporain
Institut du monde arabe
Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofía
Cologne Tower
Nearby in Minneapolis
Minneapolis Central Library
Gaviidae Common
Walker Art Center
Wells Fargo Center (Minneapolis)
Weisman Art Museum
Christ Church Lutheran (Minneapolis, Minnesota)
Frequently Asked Questions
Who designed Guthrie Theater?+
Guthrie Theater was designed by Jean Nouvel and completed in 1963. It is located in Minneapolis, United States.
Where is Guthrie Theater located?+
Guthrie Theater is located in Minneapolis, United States. Its coordinates are 44.9781°, -93.2553°.
When was Guthrie Theater built?+
Guthrie Theater was completed in 1963. It was designed by Jean Nouvel.
Can I visit Guthrie Theater?+
Guthrie Theater is a real building in Minneapolis that can be viewed from the outside. Check local information for interior access and visiting hours. Use the Parametric Atlas walking tour feature to plan a route that includes this building.