In case you missed it, Milwaukee Public Museum‘s new natural history museum—temporarily dubbed the “Future Museum”—is currently under construction on the corner of Sixth and McKinley streets in downtown Milwaukee.
Here are some photos (taken by us) of the construction site in December:
On Thursday, MPM announced that “more than 30 Wisconsin-based companies are supporting the construction of the Future Museum.” Oh, and that “exterior construction is expected to be complete by the end of 2025.”
“As exterior construction wraps up this year,” continues Thursday’s press release, “interior Museum construction will continue throughout 2025 and extend into 2026, alongside exhibit fabrication. The Wisconsin Wonders capital campaign, with a goal to raise $240 million in total, has secured $105 million in private and $86 million in public dollars, with fundraising continuing into 2027, when the Future Museum is set to open.”
Here are some photos (provided by MPM) of the construction site in January:
The opening of the “Future Museum” is still scheduled for early 2027. The current Milwaukee Public Museum will remain open throughout the process, barring a short transition period. After that, it’ll be gone forever. (GET YOUR VISITS IN NOW.)
Rendering of Future Museum
Model of Future Museum
Here’s the full press release:
LOCAL COMPANIES DRIVE CONSTRUCTION OF THE FUTURE MUSEUM, EXTERIOR CONSTRUCTION EXPECTED TO FINISH IN 2025
In total, more than 70 Wisconsin-based companies are now powering the largest cultural project in state history
MILWAUKEE — The Milwaukee Public Museum (MPM), along with its construction partners at Mortenson and ALLCON, today announced that more than 30 Wisconsin-based companies are supporting the construction of the Future Museum. Exterior construction is expected to be complete by the end of 2025.
“The Milwaukee Public Museum has always been Wisconsin’s museum of natural history. Throughout our 142-year history and in each of our three locations, the Museum has always been uplifted by the work of Wisconsinites – from the community members who have influenced exhibit creation to the scientists who gathered collections items across the state and the researchers here at MPM and Wisconsin universities who continue to generate new knowledge from the artifacts and specimens in our care,” said MPM President & CEO Dr. Ellen Censky. “As the future home of this institution is constructed, MPM is proud to continue that legacy of local connection and Wisconsin pride, while also supporting the state’s economy through job creation and support for local businesses and tradespeople.”
With footings firmly in place and the concrete poured for the first two stories of the five-story building, construction is well underway at the corner of 6th Street and McKinley Avenue in downtown Milwaukee.
The number of contractors engaged both on- and off-site to make this iconic building a reality continues to grow. The following are some of the many Wisconsin-based companies contracted by Mortenson:
• ALLCON, Butler
• Arbon Equipment Corporation: A Rite-Hite Company, Milwaukee
• B V Tetzlaff, Brookfield
• Belonger Corporation, Inc., West Bend (in partnership with Grunau Company)
• Central Door Solutions, Plover & New Berlin
• Common Links Construction, Brookfield
• CornerStoneOne, Brookfield
• CW Purpero, Oak Creek
• Doral Corporation, Milwaukee
• Duwe Metal Products, Menomonee Falls
• Gateway Concrete Forming Systems, Port Washington
• Grunau Company, Oak Creek (in partnership with Belonger Corporation, Inc.)
• JCP Construction, Milwaukee
• JM Brennan, Milwaukee
• JWC Building Specialties, Hartland
• Klein-Dickert, Pewaukee
• KMI Construction, New Berlin
• L&A Crystal, Grafton
• Lee Mechanical, Franklin
• Lemberg Electric Company, Brookfield
• Lifetime Radon Solutions, Delafield
• PCF-CLC, Sturtevant (A Postorino Construction Finishes and Common Links Construction joint venture)
• Reynolds Rigging & Crane Service, Madison
• Stonecast Products, Germantown
• TK Elevators, Menomonee Falls
• Watt Construction, Milwaukee
• Wells Concrete, Waukesha
• Zenith Tech, Waukesha
One of the unique requirements of a museum building is the ability to set environmental controls tailored to the specific needs of different exhibit and collection spaces that house priceless artifacts and specimens. To meet this need, Mortenson contracted with BelongGru – a partnership between Grunau and Belonger, two Milwaukee-based mechanical contractors – to install state-of-the-art mechanical systems that will regulate heating, cooling and humidity across all museum spaces.
“With more than 100 years of combined experience, we are honored and excited to bring our expertise and the dedication of our diverse team to collaborate with Mortenson,” said Grunau Company Senior Project Manager John Buckentin. “Together, we look forward to delivering a one-of-a-kind building with unparalleled exhibit spaces for Milwaukee and the surrounding Wisconsin communities.”
These companies join a growing list of Wisconsin-based organizations involved in Wisconsin’s largest cultural project. In addition to the construction trades, more than 40 other Wisconsin-based vendors are engaged in design, administration and packing efforts for the project.
As exterior construction wraps up this year, interior Museum construction will continue throughout 2025 and extend into 2026, alongside exhibit fabrication. The Wisconsin Wonders capital campaign, with a goal to raise $240 million in total, has secured $105 million in private and $86 million in public dollars, with fundraising continuing into 2027, when the Future Museum is set to open.
Want more Milwaukee Record? Subscribe to our free weekly newsletter and/or support us on Patreon.
RELATED ARTICLES
• MPM’s “Future Museum” is under construction, on schedule
• Entering final years, Milwaukee Public Museum unveils new exhibit about Milwaukee Public Museum
• Whether you like it or not, they’re building a new Milwaukee Public Museum
• Herb Kohl Philanthropies gives $2 million to support Future Museum, creates Herb Kohl Education Fund
• First Milwaukee Public Museum collections packed, ready to move
• The Bartolotta Restaurants to relocate headquarters for new Milwaukee Public Museum building
• Milwaukee Public Museum previews future rainforest, butterfly vivarium, rooftop terrace
• Here are two more future Milwaukee Public Museum galleries, complete with snake button
• Demolition work on the site of Milwaukee Public Museum’s future home continues
• Here’s the “spiritual successor” to MPM’s Streets of Old Milwaukee, “Milwaukee Revealed”
• Explore the future Milwaukee Public Museum’s second gallery, “Wisconsin Journey”
• Here’s a glimpse of the future Milwaukee Public Museum’s first gallery, “Time Travel”
• Milwaukee Public Museum to share Future Museum gallery concepts, exhibit examples throughout spring
• Milwaukee Public Museum would like to clarify the whole “entire exhibits won’t be moving over” thing
• Here’s everything in Milwaukee Public Museum’s exhibit about its future home
• Milwaukee Public Museum wants YOUR input on new museum exhibits, events, more
• Milwaukee Public Museum would like to address some rumors about new Milwaukee Public Museum
• Check out new, wild renderings of new Milwaukee Public Museum
• Demolition work has begun on the future home of the Milwaukee Public Museum
• “The best job ever”: An interview with former Milwaukee Public Museum exhibit designer Emilio Bras
• We only have a few years left to enjoy the Milwaukee Public Museum
• Mandatory Milwaukee: Milwaukee Public Museum is an old-school treasure (for now)
• Milwaukee Public Museum, Betty Brinn Children’s Museum may share same (new) building
• Here’s what the new Milwaukee Public Museum might look like
• It’s time to admit that it’s (nearly) the end of the Milwaukee Public Museum as we know it
• Milwaukee Public Museum will move to a new downtown location in the next decade