Selfie Spots: Mall of America
The Mall of America (MOA) finally reopened in June while Nickelodeon Universe only recently opened in mid-August. My husband and I happily take turns running to refill our Nespresso (133 West Market) pods and every couple weeks I take the girls to the mall for something specific. Most recently it was a Forever 21 belt for my teen. Since it was just the two of us we didn’t have any time restraints so we browsed a dozen stores, sipped on our favorite chai tea lattes from Caribou, and had egg rolls in the food court. We also took advantage of the many selfie spots around MOA. After all, we are always looking for a colorful backdrop.
Mall of America Star
Located on the north side of MOA by the main entrance is the 16-feet high by 16-feet wide MOA Star. The star was installed in honor of the new Mall of America logo unveiled in 2015. This is absolutely the number one Selfie Spot for MOA visitors. There are two large cement steps you can stand on if someone is taking your photo but make sure they stand to the left and angle the camera to ensure the “Mall of America” words on the building are included. If only we could make that street lamp disappear. On busy days expect to see a wait for the photo opportunity.
Forever 21
The teen dream store, Forever 21 (144 East Broadway), knows what young people like, so it’s no surprise the Riley Rose “Wish You Were Here” backdrop is found not far from the main entrance (look to the left wall as you’re making your way through the store). You can’t miss the classic pink brick backdrop.
LEGO Store Display
The LEGO Store (164 South Ave) is an MOA landmark due to the overside LEGO creations on top of the store. While my kids have been posing with these LEGO creations for years, it’s always fun to see first-time visitors’ eyes grow wide at the impressive transformer (this image is on the cover of my book, The Unofficial Guide to Mall of America, helicopter, and lion, and other items created with legos.
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Kaleidoscope in the North Rotunda
One 30-foot Monarch butterfly plus 300 smaller butterflies equal an impressive selfie spot. The installation is called “Kaleidoscope” and was set up as a temporary exhibit in the north rotunda to cease in 2019, so I’m not sure how long the insects will keep flying. The creation was a partnership between the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, artist Christopher Lutter-Gardella, and MOA to shine a light on the decline of the Monarch. While your eyes spy beautiful butterflies, look closer and you will see recycled items including spoons for the smaller butterflies’ eyes.
More Photo Ops to Come
These four photo ops are just the beginning of places to post at Mall of America. I will unveil other options over time. Four stories is a lot of ground to cover, so stay tuned for more.
