Students in Northfield are less than 45 minutes from everything the Twin Cities has to offer. Minneapolis and St. Paul boast a wide variety of music, museums, shops, and restaurants.

Students might enjoy spending a day off campus visiting the Science Museum of Minnesota. The ever-popular museum recently moved to a new location. The huge new building features large exhibits and a beautiful view of the Mississippi River. Exhibits include the Human Body Gallery, Experiment Gallery, Mississippi River Gallery, and Dinosaurs and Fossils Gallery. The Omnitheater, showing "Dolphins" through Nov. 7, surrounds viewers with an enormous, globe-shaped screen. The current 3D laser show is "Web of Life." It costs $7 for exhibits only; $11 for exhibits and Omnitheater; $9 for exhibits and 3D Laser Show; and $12.50 all three. For more information, visit www.sci.mus.mn.us.

Historic Fort Snelling is a nostalgic Twin Cities landmark. Located in St. Paul, the 1820s military outpost rests on the Mississippi. An extensive tour provides a lot of information about the Fort's history and what life was like for its inhabitants. Students might enjoy touring the fort on a nice day, as much of the tour is outdoors. The cost is $3 to $5. For more information, visit www.mnhs.org/places/sites/hfs.

The University of Minnesota's Frederick R. Weisman Art Museum is, itself, a work of art. Its bizarre architectural design attracts a lot of attention. The silver exterior consists of unusual shapes jutting out in every direction. The museum is located on the east bank of the Mississippi, features a permanent collection of over 13,000 items and is free. For more information, visit hudson. acad.umn.edu/WAMhome.html.

The Minneapolis Institute of Arts has a large and varied collection. Permanent exhibits include Africa, Oceania and the Americas, Ancient Art and Asian Art. The Institute also features special temporary exhibitions, like a collection of Japanese art and calligraphy. Other permanent items are paintings, photographs, textiles, prints, furniture, and sculptures. Some favorite works include Rembrandt's Lucretia, Monet's Grainstack and Sun in the Mist, Monti's The Veiled Lady, several interesting pieces by Andy Warhol and a beautiful assortment of Chinese watercolor paintings. The collection is so large and varied that a few visits may be necessary to see everything. The cost is free, with admission charges for some special temporary exhibits. For more information, you can visit www.artsmia.org.

The Walker Art Center makes for a great day-trip. The collection is small enough to cover in one visit and includes such curiosities as a 40-player fooz-ball table. Visitors can cross the street to visit the Minneapolis Sculpture Garden and Cowles Conservatory. The Walker Art Center costs $3 with student ID; it is free every Thursday and the first Saturday of each month. The Minneapolis Sculpture Garden and Cowles Conservatory are free. For more information about The Walker, visit www.walkerart.org.

Adjoined to the Walker Art Center is the Guthrie Theater. One of the Twin Cities' most popular theaters, it is currently showing Twelfth Night. In November, the Guthrie's production of A Christmas Carol will begin showing. The theater puts on a new production of Charles Dickens' classic story every year, and the show is consistently popular. Tickets are $16 to $42. For more information, visit www.guthrietheater.org.

Students who feel like being a kid again should check out the Children's Theater Company. The Company always offers lively, colorful productions that appeal to both children and adults. Current and upcoming shows are Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day and The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. The cost is $11 to $26. For more information, visit their website at www.childrenstheater.org.

Students might enjoy visiting the uptown area, located off I-94 just west of 35W. Most places of interest are located on Hennepin, Lyndale, and Lake Street. The entire area caters primarily to 20-somethings, with a variety of shops, coffeehouses and restaurants. The new uptown hot spot is Chino Latino, a restaurant on Hennepin Avenue South. Its cuisine ranges from Asian to Brazilian to Jamaican. Students can make reservations, dress up a bit and go as a large group. Prices are slightly high, but most dishes are designed to share. The atmosphere is trendy and energetic. For more information, call (612) 824-7878. A complete list of restaurants in the Twin Cities can be found on the web at www.pioneerplanet.com/justgo/dining.htm.

Unfortunately, the Twin Cities' music scene is largely for ages 21 and over. First Ave and The Quest are the best bets for all-ages shows. 7th Street Entry hosts a New Band Night every Tuesday, free for students, but limited to ages 21 and up. The cost is $2 to $20. For more information, visit the websites www.first-avenue.com and www.thequestclub.com.

Dinkytown is a popular area for University of Minnesota students. The neighborhood is near University and 14th street and can be reached by taking 35W north to the University with the 4th Street exit and a right turn on University. Dinkytown has several coffeehouses. Borealis has free live music and excellent coffee and food at reasonable prices. The Purple Onion is a typical U of M coffee shop. Bon Appetit (the Bon) is a great place to go for sandwiches and live music, and it is usually less than $3. Annie's Parlor boasts sandwiches excellent malts in many flavors, all fairly low-priced. Shops in Dinkytown include Ragstock and Saint Sabrinašs Parlor in Purgatory, both interesting places to check out.

If students feel bored in Northfield, there is a lot to explore in the Twin Cities. Minneapolis and St. Paul have much to offer in culture, entertainment and dining.