The Thunderbird Motel represents a carefree time after the war, when young families were in search of fun and entertainment. The motel was built at a time of rapid expansion in this area of south metropolitan Minneapolis: interstate 494 had just been put in and the area was growing. With the construction of Metropolitan Stadium in 1955, and the moving of the Washington Senators to Minnesota by Calvin Griffith in 1961, the motel was primed to handle city business, airport travelers, and suburban business.

Exterior
The exterior of the Thunderbird is notable for its post-war architecture, including faux stone, tall white columns, and colorful brick. The exterior features several examples of the Thunderbird logo, most notable on its famous sign, which has stood since its opening. It features two arrows criss-crossing the sign, with the logo at the top and the marquee below. Standing adjacent to the sign and just as tall is a synthetic totem pole, with many characters and levels. Both signs stand facing Interstate 494. The exterior also features a giant fiberglass statue of an Indian, hand raised in salute. There is also a smaller metallic Indian statue and a cannon. The grounds of the motel also have a unique outdoor pool featuring the motel logo; it is surrounded by the motel.

Interior
The inside of the motel features many common architectural trends of the 1960s, with a suspended ceiling, can lighting, and faux stone. The motel features numerous genuine and artificial Indian artifacts, and unique light fixtures that look like teepees but actually act as lights. The many artifacts include a stuffed wolf, tomahawks, and pictures. The motel has many amenities, such as the Bow and Arrow Coffee Shop, the Totem Pole Dining Room, and the Pow-Wow Cocktail Lounge, as well as an indoor pool. The motel also features "The Hall of Tribes", a mini-museum in the motel with rooms of the museum dedicated to different tribes. Some tribes represented include the Winnebago, the Miami, and the Dakota.

Portions of this content have been taken from Wikipedia.