I’ve been following the transition away from the current Milwaukee Public Museum building and have spent the last few months reading public documents, historical records, archived reports, old newspaper articles, and community discussions surrounding the museum’s future.
One thing that keeps standing out to me is how much of the conversation focuses on the new building itself, while far less attention is being paid to the immense amount of artistry, craftsmanship, scientific work, fabrication, and institutional history embedded inside the current museum.
The existing museum was not built overnight. It represents decades of accumulated work by artists, taxidermists, carpenters, sculptors, painters, researchers, curators, designers, WPA workers, fabricators, donors, County employees, and Milwaukee families who supported it across generations.
Whether someone supports the new museum or not, I think there are legitimate public questions worth discussing:
• What should be preserved?
• How are those decisions being made?
• Who ultimately controls historically significant exhibits and fabricated environments tied to a publicly funded institution?
• How much institutional history has already been lost through turnover and time?
• Are Milwaukee residents being given a sufficiently clear picture of what will and will not survive this transition?
I’m not posting this to argue against change. Buildings age and institutions evolve. But I do think many people underestimate the cultural and artistic depth of what currently exists inside MPM, and why so many residents feel emotionally and historically connected to it.
Curious how others here view it — especially people who worked there, researched there, built exhibits, or grew up visiting it.
I'll bite.
I grew up with MPM and have frequented it (a LOT) for the past decade-plus with my kid. I love it dearly. I'm heartbroken it's going away. I'll miss it terribly.
On the other hand, it's been nine years since MPM first announced they would be moving/changing in the next decade. I've made my peace with the future. MPM as we know it is going away. The Nature & Culture Museum of Wisconsin will be different. So it goes.
I try to sympathize with all the "Save/Preserve the Museum!" Facebook groups (I love their impenetrable AI-generated articles and their piss-colored AI-generated art slop!) but what they seem to be asking is impossible: a 1:1 move of every single exhibit and diorama, and every single backdrop, prop, etc. in those exhibits and dioramas. Were all of those things made by talented and undersung artists? Yes. (I've interviewed one such artist.) Are all of those things a big part of what makes MPM special? Yes. But arguing they're as historically significant as the actual (still-Milwaukee-County-owned) artifacts and collections seems to be...wishful thinking? NO disrespect to the artists, but, sigh, I don't know. It's essentially treating MPM ITSELF as a historically important artifact that should be encased in amber and put on display.
Oh, and the speed at which the "Save/Preserve the Museum!" crowd goes from "those backdrops were created by artists!" to "the new museum is woke and they're erasing our European culture!" is really something.
I toured NCMW last week and I came away feeling encouraged. It obviously has a long way to go, but it strikes me as a more streamlined and "intentional" MPM. Will I forever miss MPM's dark, rambling halls? Yes. Will I forever miss STILL getting legitimately lost in it from time to time? Yes. We're going to lose some old stuff, no doubt, but we'll hopefully gain some new stuff.
all I know is that those facebook groups are fucking nuts and I will forever laugh at what those people post
no, john x. boomer, the IRS doesn't give a shit about the "tax fraud" you're personally experiencing here
I don't have much to elaborate here, but I've heard from multiple museum folks over the years that the foundation of the place was literally deteriorating. I'm sure we will all be nostalgic about it, but it sounds like this move is overall for the best for the artifacts. I'm personally looking forward to visiting the new museum!
lmao
@mitchyd The last time I was there (for a behind the scenes tour and discussion of the move) I was told the building was crumbling, and exhibit pieces in storage had been damaged, and the museum was in danger of losing its accreditation. They definitely had to move.
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