March 2020 — Rainy night on Nicollet Mall during early days of COVID-19 outbreak.

March 2020 — Downtown Minneapolis after dark, with the Gaviidae Common retail and office complex illuminated along Nicollet Mall. The metallic blue spherical public art installation in the foreground—inscribed with words referencing music, light, and community—adds a cultural element to the urban corridor. Reflected dramatically in the golden glass façade of the Westin building behind it is the historic Foshay Tower, one of Minneapolis’s earliest skyscrapers dating back to 1929. Today, Nicollet Mall serves as the city’s primary pedestrian and transit thoroughfare, blending modern commercial redevelopment, historic preservation, and public art into a central civic space.

March 2020 — The iconic bronze statue of Mary Tyler Moore along Nicollet Mall in downtown Minneapolis, depicting the memorable hat-tossing moment from the opening of The Mary Tyler Moore Show, which first aired in 1970 and helped cement Minneapolis in television history. Installed in 2002, the statue symbolizes the city’s cultural association with the show’s themes of independence and optimism. At the time of this photograph, Nicollet Mall—normally a busy pedestrian and transit corridor—appears unusually empty, reflecting the early days of COVID-19 shutdowns that drastically reduced public presence in city centers. Blue public art lanterns, added during street improvements completed in 2017, line the renovated streetscape, emphasizing Nicollet Mall’s evolution as both a commercial and cultural landmark.

March 2020 — A rainy night in Downtown Minneapolis outside City Center during the early days of COVID-19.

March 2020 — Looking down S 8th St in Downtown Minneapolis on 03/22/20 during COVID-19.

March 2020 — Nicollet Mall in Downtown Minneapolis on a rainy night during early days of COVID-19 outbreak.

March 2020 — Millennium Hotel in downtown Minneapolis during the coronavirus outbreak. One room light in.

March 2020 — An empty Speedway gas station and strip mall in Loring Park during COVID-19 outbreak.

March 2020 — Orpheum Theatre on Hennepin Ave in Downtown Minneapolis during Minnesota’s Stay At Home order. Marquee reading “Stay Safe. Stay Tuned”.

March 2020 — The Joint and Cabooze Bars in March 2020 during pandemic closures in Minneapolis. Marquee reads "It will get better"

March 2020 — A large Jack Daniels mural on the Whiskey Junction building on Cedar Avenue in Minneapolis. The bar has been closed since at least 2020

March 2020 — The Caboose on Cedar Ave in Minneapolis during Minnesota’s Stay At Home orders. Their marquee reading “It will get better”.

March 2020 — First Avenue concert venue in downtown Minneapolis with "VOTE 2020" in the windows.

March 2020 — O'Donovan's Pub in downtown Minneapolis across from First Avenue music hall.