Rice Park

Rice Park is a 2-acre urban green space in downtown Saint Paul featuring a central fountain, sculptures, and landscaped gardens. Pathways wind through the area, connecting Market and Washington Streets while organizing the different zones of the space.

Henry Mower Rice and John Irvine donated this land to Saint Paul in 1849, establishing it as the city's first public square before Minnesota became a state.

The park sits among four major institutions: the Landmark Center, Saint Paul Hotel, George Latimer Central Library, and Ordway Center for the Performing Arts. This setting makes it a natural meeting place for people interested in the city's cultural offerings.

The space is freely accessible for walking and sitting throughout the year. Seasonal changes affect its appearance, with winter bringing snow and spring and summer revealing the full bloom of the landscaping.

A 2019 renovation introduced LightWave, an LED installation that creates patterns of colored light around the central fountain. The design draws from Art Nouveau influences, transforming the space's appearance after dark.