Things to do / Travel Guide
Address:700 N Art Museum Dr.
Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Tel:
(414) 224-3200
Come explore the symbol of Milwaukee and pride of the Midwest! With endless grnre spanning art accented by funky architecture, the Milwaukee Art Museum promises visitors a day filled with beauty and fun.
The Milwaukee Art Museum was created by a group of German panorama artists and local businessmen who founded the Milwaukee Art Association. Today, the MAM has an extensive collection of 19th and 20th-century art, as well as some of the best collections of German expressionism, folk and Haitian art, American decorative arts, and post-1960 American art in the country. Some of the more popular attractions here include works by Rodin, Degas, Monet, Toulouse-Lautrec, Picasso, Georgia O'Keeffe, and Andy Warhol.
The new white concrete Quadracci Pavilion recently gained international recognition, and the building itself has become a symbol of the city. The structure contains a moveable, wing-like, braise soleil with a wingspan of 217 feet during the day, folding over the tall, arched structure at night. If visiting with the kids, check out the Children's Audio Tour which has character voices, sound effects, and engaging stories about the art to keep youngsters entertained. If looking for a bite to eat, the onsite Cafe Calatrava has seasonally updated menus and the Cafe Galleria offers beverage and dessert service in the Baumgartner Galleria overlooking Lake Michigan.
Getting here is simple. If you're traveling by Amtrak, the MKE Milwaukee station is the closest to the museum. From there it's 1.3 miles east. Walk along St. Paul till you get to Plankinton and make a left there. Turn right on Michigan St. and continue walking till you reach Lincoln Memorial Drive. Turn left at Lincoln Memorial and the museum is on your right.
From Milwaukee Art Museum - Wisconsin:
The Milwaukee Art Museum had its origin in two institutions, the Layton Art Gallery , which was established in 1888, and the Milwaukee Art Institute, founded in the early 1900s. These two institutions joined forces in 1957 to form the private, nonprofit Milwaukee Art Center (now the Milwaukee Art Museum), and moved to its current lakefront location.