Minneapolis, Minnesota: Return Journey Rocket
A vintage 1962 piece of playground equipment, transformed into an artistic tribute to the Space Age.
- Address:
- 2728 36th Ave. S., Minneapolis, MN
- Directions:
- Southeast side of the city. From Hwy 55/Hiawatha Ave. exit at E. Lake St. Drive east one mile. Turn left onto 36th Ave. S. Drive two blocks. You'll see the rocket on the right, at the corner of E. 28th St.
- Admission:
- Free
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In a park in south Minneapolis is a 35-foot-high rocket sculpture that originally was a climbing structure and slide, installed in 1962 as a symbol of America's entry into the Space Race. Nowadays it's off-limits to climb, but visitors can admire the rocket up close.
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Very clever of its designer, Randy Walker, to mount the rocket on an exhaust plume pole, which raises it out of reach. Its name, "Return Journey," refers to the fact that the rocket was hauled away as playground equipment in 2004, but local pressure brought it back as art in 2007.