Future Milwaukee Public Museum To Feature These 5 Gallery Themes

MILWAUKEE, WI — The future site of the Milwaukee Public Museum is planning to include five permanent galleries with themes including Time Travel, Rainforest, Wisconsin Journey, Milwaukee Revealed, and Living in a Dynamic World, the museum announced Wednesday.

The plans also include a new butterfly vivarium. The designers behind much of the project, from Thinc Design, are expected to share exhibit samples from each gallery in the coming months.

The future space will also include a sixth gallery to feature moving exhibits, a news release said. An additional building beyond the galleries is planned to house much of the museum's collection. Here's how each of the permanent galleries was described so far, and when we can expect more details about each:

Time Travel

"The Time Travel gallery is dedicated to exploring the deep past, including when dinosaurs roamed the Earth, through exhibits focused on three of the planet’s geological chapters: the Paleozoic Era, Mesozoic Era and Cenozoic Era," said a news release. We can expect more details from the designers on March 7.

Wisconsin Journey

"The Wisconsin Journey gallery is an entire exhibit floor focused on the geological wonders and strong and varied cultures of Wisconsin – from the Driftless Area to the Northwoods, the Apostle Islands, the Great Lakes and Wisconsin’s vast Prairielands," said a news release. We can expect more details from the designers on March 23.

Milwaukee Revealed

"Milwaukee Revealed will immerse visitors in city streetscapes they can explore to learn about the history of Milwaukee, the people who came to settle and live here and its interconnected systems, neighborhoods and ecologies (and where future generations of children can shop for a sweet treat)," said a news release. We can expect more details on April 14.

Living in a Dynamic World and Mixing Zones

"In the Living in a Dynamic World gallery, visitors will take an unconventional journey to five distinct ecosystems across the globe and be immersed in the landscapes and cultures that occupy them. The Mixing Zones, including the Burke Foundation Mixing Zone, are two spaces that will showcase a rotating selection of collection items, offer spaces for public interaction and programming and turn the Museum 'inside out' by providing behind-the-scenes views into the collections’ storage areas," said a news release. We can expect more information on May 9.

Rainforest, Puelicher Butterfly Vivarium and the Bucyrus Rooftop Terrace

"The Rainforest will take visitors to the tropics to learn about the biodiversity that flourishes in tropical rainforests and the life rainforest climates support. The Puelicher Butterfly Vivarium will welcome visitors into a warm, lush greenhouse thriving with real tropical plants and live butterflies flying freely throughout the space. The Bucyrus Rooftop Terrace will be a gathering space to reconnect visitors to the outdoors and natural world," said a news release. We can expect more information on May 23.

The relocated museum is expected to open by late 2026. The spot is located on 6th and McKinley Streets, adjacent to the Deer District.

“We have aimed to create a future museum experience that honors the mission, history and legacy of the Milwaukee Public Museum," said MPM President & CEO Ellen Censky in a news release. "The iconic specimens and elements visitors love are being brought forward and reimagined in new, exciting scenes alongside collection objects that have not been on display previously. As part of one of the most highly anticipated milestones of this project, in the coming months we will give our community a first look at the stories of nature, culture, science and history the Future Museum will tell.”

The design of the new building, influenced by the ecological histories of Milwaukee and Wisconsin, is meant to be reminiscent of formations at Mill Bluff State Park. Groundbreaking could come by late 2023, a news release said.

“Each gallery, and the many exhibits that comprise them, will tell a story about the interconnectedness of nature and culture,” said Oronde Wright, senior exhibition designer at Thinc Design and a lead designer on the Future Museum project. “In keeping with the singular, beloved energy of MPM, the Future Museum will also continue to champion immersive, interactive experiences that transport visitors to new places across the world and through time, spark curiosity and make the Museum such a special place to visit again and again.”

The original museum space is still open and located downtown. It was first opened to the public in 1884 and has grown to house over 4 million objects, a release said.