Milwaukee Public Museum; construction of future building gets $45M

MILWAUKEE - Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley signed legislation on Monday, March 21 which provides $45 million in bonded funding to the Milwaukee Public Museum for the construction of a future building.

"When you look at this museum, this is a very important piece to this community as it serves some of the most diverse clientele of any cultural institution in our county as well as across the state of Wisconsin," Crowley said. 

Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley

"For nearly 60 years, the Milwaukee Public Museum and Milwaukee County have partnered to preserve and make accessible the more than four million objects and specimens that are in the collections owned by the county – and entrusted to MPM for their care," said Ellen Censky, President and CEO of the Milwaukee Public Museum. "That partnership is strengthened by today's commitment."

Ellen Censky

The county executive said the current structure for the museum has not aged well – and the cost of maintaining it is rising. Crowley said this funding will not only help build a new facility – but save the county money in the long-run. 

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Set to open in 2026, the plan is for the new museum site to be near the Deer District – in the northeast corner of 6th and McKinley. With 230,000 square feet to work with, the museum will have plenty of space for exhibits, visitor services, a cafe, gift store, underground parking, an auditorium, and much more.

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