The Walker is one of the most-visited modern and contemporary art museums in the U.S.: together with the adjacent Minneapolis Sculpture Garden and Cowles Conservatory, it has an annual attendance of around 700,000 visitors.

[11] Some collection highlights include: Live performance art is a major part of the Walker's programming and it is seen as a leader in exhibiting the medium.

By 1963, this group had become Center Opera, the Walker's performing arts program focused on exhibiting new works emphasizing visual design.

[20] In addition, the department programs a 25-show season every year that includes performance art, theater, dance, spoken word, and music.

In 1973, the Film/Video Department was officially formed and the Edmond R. Ruben Film and Video Study Collection was established, along with an endowment to fund the development of the archive.

Today, with more than 850 titles, the Ruben Collection brings together classic and contemporary cinema as well as documentaries, avant-garde films, and video works by artists.

It holds works by visual artists ranging from Salvador Dalí, Marcel Duchamp, and Fernand Léger to extensive contemporary work by William Klein, Derek Jarman, Bruce Conner, Marcel Broodthaers, Matthew Barney, Nam June Paik, Wolf Vostell, and experimental artists such as Paul Sharits and Stan Brakhage.

[25] During the 1940s, the Walker built two "idea houses" exhibiting the latest in building materials, furnishings and architectural design trends.

In 1998, the Walker acquired äda'web, an early net art website curated by Benjamin Weil and designed by Vivian Selbo.

[31][32][33] Learning is emphasized as a core experience at the Walker through a mix of education programs, community building efforts, and interpretive projects.

To inform these undertakings, the staff work with Walker curators and partners from local organizations, artists, schools, and community groups.

The Walker's in-house design studio[36] has created countless exhibition catalogues dedicated to the art of Marcel Broodthaers, Trisha Brown, Huang Yong Ping, Kiki Smith, Kara Walker, Andy Warhol, and Krzysztof Wodiczko, among many others, as well as books on design, architecture, social practice, and other topics in contemporary art.

In 2011, the Walker redesigned its homepage as an "idea hub," a news-magazine format that presents original interviews, videos, commissioned essays, scholarly writings, and newslinks.

Barnes designed the building in the minimalist style of the period with a plain, modular brick exterior and expansive white spaces in the interior.

The Walker's architecture gained critical acclaim upon its opening and Barnes received the American Institute of Architects Award for his work.

[46][47] In 2005, Barnes's original building underwent a $67 million expansion designed by Swiss architects Jacques Herzog and Pierre de Meuron.

[8] The addition was built on a "town square" concept meant to open up Barnes's boxlike building through accessible gathering spaces.

[48] Its central element is an abstract geometric tower made of aluminum mesh panels, built for Herzog & de Meuron by the Minnesota firm Spantek,[49] and glass windows that holds the theater, restaurant, and shop spaces.

[2] With the assistance of the Works Progress Administration, building improvements were made and the Walker Art Center opened in January 1940.