What a treasure Milwaukee has in this art museum! When I moved here 18 months ago, the first thing I did that made me feel like I was truly home was to buy an annual membership to the museum. It was worth every penny, and it's especially easy to get my moneys worth because the museum is only about a 10 minute drive away from my Bay View home. My latest foray to the museum was to see the Gertrude Abercrombie installation, which I highly recommend. Then again, I can recommend anything going on at the MAM. read more

Milwaukee Art Museum - Art Museums Near Me - Milwaukee, Wisconsin

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IG: diamante.lara.milwaukee the art is wack but it's a great place to take photos. Everything in there has zero value. read more

Beautiful building. Excellent parking. Lake front walk is wonderful. Lots of empty gallery space. "Security" told us we had to stand 2 feet away from any of the art work. They followed us in a creepy way. ( My companion and I are both seniors so little chance we were there to steal or cause damage.) Won't be back. I will enjoy my art locally at the Art Institute. read more

This is my all time favorite museum. I love spending the day here admiring the art, architecture, and lake views. They have a large and eclectic collection of pieces you discover wandering the different wings. Their current exhibit featuring the works from Gertrude Abercrombie was thoughtfully executed. I love the art crafts they feature in the kids station. They are always inventive and fun! The staff is friendly and helpful. Really love getting time to spend here and need to make my visits more frequent! read more

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Absolutely stunning building, it's the greatest piece of art of the museum! Set directly in front of seemingly endless Lake Michigan, it looks like a bird taking flight or a ships sails going up, each time the wings go up! You do have to be there for specific timing; the museum can't have them going up and down all day. Windhover Hall is the Grand Reception room and is nearly indescribable. Our family has gone to a wedding there and it's an incredible venue. The light floods the room and it's heavenly. For a day pass, $28, I feel like the price is right -it's not super expensive and it takes a lot of maintenance to keep art clean and large buildings running. If you enjoy the special shows and are a Milwaukee resident then it's totally worth it to get the member pass. Super reasonable and a lot of extra perks and discounts. Before moving, we were members. Art in Bloom is my family and friend's main event each year! Wisconsin florists recreate and interpret pieces in the museum. You get to explore the museum to see them all and vote yourself, and professionals come to do overall judging. Winners posted online for dailys People's Choice. Such an incredible interactive event that pays homage to both the museum's pieces and our florists talented artwork. Nice bathrooms, lovely gift shop and Cafe, stairs and elevators throughout. Nice staff and volunteers. Super fun and thoughtful kids hands-on art center available Friday and Saturday. Four stars because the price of parking is a little high when you add it to the ticket price; even members pay. Quite a bit of the art featured away from natural light, especially on the second floor, do not get the proper lighting it deserves and really needs to be updated as their next priority. It'd also be nice to get more European art outside of the special exhibits. It's overall a wonderful experience that you need to do at least once. Art in Bloom is one of my yearly highlights and I highly recommend checking it out! read more

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It is truly phenomenal to see this building, location, and venue, being used in such creative ways, in addition to its many exhibits MAM after dark is a wonderful event in addition to the many other evenings they have throughout the year with music and other experiential evenings read more

So I've now visited the museum for the last few years during Art in Bloom with my floral designer mother. The first visit just awed me with the sheer creativity of the floral designers. The venue is stunning and it's a cool event. Year two was a little underwhelming. We didn't enjoy the exhibits as much, the food choices were underwhelming and the drinks were expensive and boring. Year three, this year, we were once again impressed by the event. Some designs you love, some not so much. The museum, however, has stepped up their food offerings and specialty cocktails and therefore created a more cohesive vibe. They do seem to have multiplied their security staff by about 4X during the show and the guards were a little bit intrusive, but I get it. And yes, I took a zillion pictures every year, but they are very specific to the event and didn't represent the normal vibe, so I'm not sharing them all here. read more

I've been a member of the Milwaukee art museum for a few years now and love it! Such a great space that hosts even better events. MAM after dark and Art in Bloom being two of my favorites! read more

Milwaukee Art Museum - Art Museums Near Me - Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Right on like Michigan is this modern art museum; its architecture is a wow. The fountains the architecture are eye catching and spectacular. Thursdays from 4:00 to 8:00 it's pay what you wish. The gift shop shouldn't be missed, it is two stories & filled with unusual artsy clothing, books, hats, gifts .... This amazing beautiful modern architectural gem is shaped like a floating cross, with wings cantilevered from a central base. Saarinen's innovative design won praise for its dramatic use of space; Time magazine called it "one of the country's finest examples of modern architecture put to work for civic purposes. It was created in 1957 & is considered one of the top art museums in the country. MAM houses over 34,000 works of art over 4 floors, from antiquity to the present. Included in the collection are 15th- to 20th-century European and 17th- to 20th-century American paintings, sculpture, prints, drawings, decorative arts, photographs, and folk and self-taught read more

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A masterpiece! This spot's staffed by the friendliest people and they even brought us to a workshop where my family made art inspired by Canadian artist Erin Shirreff whose work was featured below the ground floor. Downstairs also had a sharp, thought-provoking digital installation by Jenny Holzer that was worth the stop on its own. The galleries deliver with bold modern pieces on the first floor, heavy hitters like Georgia O'Keeffe, Winslow Homer, Edward Hopper, and Mary Cassatt upstairs, plus a striking recycled Haitian steel drum art gallery. The building itself, designed by Calatrava, with wings that open over Lake Michigan is sexy as hell! read more

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We come here about once a year. It's not something we normally plan to do, but think about it when we might be downtown for some other activity and find that we have some time. Always enjoy the building itself and the featured exhibits. This time they were showcasing some of the Bradley Collection. Another special exhibit (although much smaller in scale) was the "Reviving the Dance of Death." The docent suggested that we use the magnifier app on our phone to get a closer look -- great suggestion! We never try to see everything, and usually have enough after one hour. The lower level parking is a great option if there are spaces available. The MAM is a nice amenity on our beautiful lakefront. read more

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Finally went to the Thursday pay what you can (5-8pm weekly). It was an awesome experience, beautiful museum, and a wide range of exhibits and artists. On Thursday nights, you can also order a drink at the bar. Would be great for a date night. read more

Milwaukee Art Museum - Art Museums Near Me - Milwaukee, Wisconsin

It has been many years since we have visited this museum. The stunning architecture of the newer wing even extends into the underground parking garage which is a work of art itself. This now 25 year old addition has very little art in it because the architecture is the main attraction. A real bonus was that we got free admission since they honor the NARM pass. We did eventually make our way to the main part of the museum. We focused on their interesting selection of contemporary art. The industrial design section is also a favorite as is the Americana folk art. This mid-size museum is a place you can tour easily in an 1.5-3 hours depending on your interests. read more

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I spent an afternoon at the Milwaukee Art Museum today and I was blown away What an incredible building with beautiful and interesting exhibits! And the gift shop is amazing. I loved my experience so much that I bought a membership for the year. Can't wait to go back! read more

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Ahhh, the Milwaukee Art Museum! What's not to love? Today I attended yoga (led by an instructor from my fav empower yoga studios) and with my art museum membership, the yoga class was discounted to just over $5! Class was packed but we were all afforded a gorgeous view of the lake front during our relaxing & fun yoga class. I've also been to the MAM after dark which are so much fun and a totally different vibe than you get during the day, although the drinks are a bit pricey. I'm always excited to see what the new & special exhibits are and try to see them while they're up. I'm always amazed at how some of them are transported because of the size of some of them. Every visit to the Milwaukee Art Museum is memorable and I look forward to many more years of such an incredible place right here for me to visit whenever I want! read more

Milwaukee Art Museum - Yoga at MAM - Art Museums Near Me - Milwaukee, Wisconsin

On a recent trip to the art museum, I vas in need of coffee and visited the cafe. I was saddened to see they had dramatically changed their menu from an earlier visit . Gone was the inventive coffee menu, replaced with your typical basic coffeehouse selections. About the coffee, ordered a latte. Zero of the creaminess I expect from one. I Ill make sure I'm caffeinated before coming to the museum next time read more

Milwaukee Art Museum - Latte - Art Museums Near Me - Milwaukee, Wisconsin

It was a beautiful day for Milwaukee Kite Fest and lo and behold, the art museum is right along the lake near the festival. You can make a day of it in Milwaukee with both attractions. They have a decent collection particularly the modern side which seems to be more imaginative and fun. They have some Warhol, some Lichtenstein, and some more contemporary post-millennium artists including Kehinde Wiley famous for painting the portraits of Barack and Michelle Obama. I was drawn to the display of glass pieces that were set up with the views of the lake in the background which really made them sparkle with the sun filtering through. I'm a big sucker for colored glass and the way they displayed these was genius. It's a small museum compared to what you would see in bigger cities like Chicago, New York, DC, etc. But I always find art worth my time whether the museum is large or small (I even enjoy the super small ones). It's a good way to make a day in Milwaukee. read more

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I'll give you my most recent experience since I've gone about once a month the past 3 months. I went to the heart on fire event. The person redirecting traffic because even tho the sign said the garage had space and was open she said it it's closed. She didn't have a great attitude when I asked where is the next best place for parking. That was discouraging. Sometimes downtown parking is stressful! The street was already full this event was packed! Thankfully I found a spot. Headed in, from over the bridge. Grabbed a cocktail, rum something. It was blue with a blood orange and it was pleasant. Wasn't as sweet as I like my drinks but was enjoyable. Ended up doing some dancing since a lot of people were sociable and inclined. It was a different atmosphere at night. Almost like night at the museum because it feels like you're getting a special take at looking at the exhibits and the live music and interactive gathering for a common interest or two. Met some cool people. And even tho it was my 3rd time in a short amount of time I still somehow noticed things I hadn't noticed before, saw some things in a new light, and in return was a able to share some of my favorite pieces. You might find yourself contently lost and if that's the case then you'd be happy with a membership as a local to pop in when you need a creative space to unwind and process or even get educated while distracted. Overall the architecture of the art museum itself is just stunning. Thursday nights you can lay what you'd like for admission so it can def be an affordable experience. The location is just wonderful and the view, breathtaking of our beautiful Lake Michigan. read more

I came here in passing while on a sad girl walk. When I walked past the main doors I saw an orchestra setup so I walked in to take a look and it was such a pleasant surprise! It was snowing in the background, the music echoed beautifully across the museum, and the cafe downstairs was bustling. Every time I come here I feel like I'm in the early 2000s and I love it. read more

Milwaukee Art Museum - Art Museums Near Me - Milwaukee, Wisconsin

We have not been back to the Milwaukee Art Museum for over 25 years. We returned this weekend and the experience was wonderful. The Georgia O'Keeffe collection is expansive. She is considered a local due to her hometown of Sun Prairie, Wisconsin. Their large collection is impressive and highly recommended if you love great art galleries. Old Masters and modern artists are all well represented. Folk art has its own floor for those who love that art form. The building itself is a work of art. It's designed by renowned architect Santiago Calatrava. The museum looks out over Lake Michigan and can be compared to a ship spreading sails. But you can visit and make your own decision! If you are in Milwaukee, this is a great place to spend the day! read more

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it has some nice arts but over priced. In truth the building is the best feature of the art museum. The layout is strange and hard to figure out where the galleries are with the map they provide. The lockers do not all work, although they do provide the quarters. read more

What a gem! Never in a million years would I expect to find such a wonderful museum in Wisconsin! So many well known artists, and the limited carving exhibit was absolutely stunning! He building itself is a sight to see, and not something I'd expect from the Midwest. Beautiful views of Lake Michigan add to the overall vibe. The staff was incredibly patient and kind towards the group I was with today, and I cannot wait to return with my friends in the near future. Big bonus, parking was only $9 for the 2 hours we were there, which is UNHEARD of if you were to visit the art museum in Chicago. Such a wonderful way to spend a Sunday! I just wish there was a bistro or gift shop attached to the museum, but this is just a personal preference as a "tourist", and the lack of the two doesn't take from the experience. read more

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First impression hits hard -- the building itself is the main event. Sitting right on Lake Michigan, those white "wings" opening up feel unreal in person, especially when they move. Inside is calm and open, with huge natural light and clean galleries that make it easy to just wander without feeling overwhelmed. The art is solid, but the real vibe is the architecture + lake views. Highlights: the lakefront view, the wing "opening" moment, super peaceful inside Downsides: some exhibits feel a bit quiet if you've seen bigger museums elsewhere read more

I have long wanted to visit the Milwaukee Art Museum, mainly to see its incredible architecture designed by Eero Saarinen, David Kahler and Santiago Calatrava. I especially wanted to see the moveable Burke Brise Soleil wings but the stormy weather this weekend prevented this. No matter, the museum is breathtaking, from the soaring Windhover Hall, the Alexander Calder mobile just slowly rotating above you as you enter, the magnificent lake setting and the mix of classical and contemporary art. It feels like a futuristic city when you enter the Quadracci Pavilion. The museum staff was friendly and welcoming. It's not a large museum so it wasn't overwhelming. Janitor by Duane Hanson looked so real i actually thought it was someone standing there. Untitled by Robert Gober was very interesting and thought-provoking. I was glad to see Love by Robert Indiana -- I have seen this in New York and Indiana. I enjoyed the visit greatly and was almost persuaded for a membership. Had it been a sunny day I might have readily done so. In any case I will return soon. read more

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Another great afternoon spent at MAM, but extra memorable because it was the first time bringing my (9mo) baby to MAM. We visited for the Art In Bloom, a beautiful celebration of spring with floral interpretations of favorite artworks in the galleries. Full transparency is that I was a little nervous to bring my baby, concerns for bringing a stroller, him being too loud, etc. but I was able to bring my stroller (very accessible!) and there were many other families and children there. Already looking forward to our next visit and showing our little guy the beauty of art in the years to come! read more

Milwaukee Art Museum - Art Museums Near Me - Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Art director, curators, who's in charge of displaying the modern art on the third floor of Bradley wing? Boring old dingy looking white walls , old can lighting that looks like it is from the 1970s, dark shadows on paintings that are poorly lit. Appalling to see such a great collection of world class paintings that are so poorly displayed with little concern for public viewing and zero ascetics . And this has been like this for years. Come on museum director do something about making the third floor of the Bradley wing up to modern standards and refinement to showcase the wonderful collection of art that you have in your collection. It's time to update with modern lighting, put a better colors on the walls that show case the art works instead of the dingy dirty white walls! It's time for a drastic makeover ! read more

Milwaukee Art Museum - Watching and waiting for progress in the Bradley galleries ... - Art Museums Near Me - Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Our first trip here was over a dozen years ago when our son was little. I remember liking the museum, but with a little guy in tow, you don't get to see things the same way. Or at all. Fast forward 13 years to our next visit. The front, long hallway exhibited artwork from high school kids. If you didn't read the description labels, you easily would have sworn that you were looking at the art of decades old masters. This was easily one of our favorite parts of the museum, and the mediums displayed were full spectrum. It was impressive to see artwork by kids as young as 8th graders that was so well done. Another favorite area in the museum is the pop art and modern art rooms. That art just appeals to me, and the MAM has a great representation of the best artists from the 20th century. It took us over three hours to get through everything here, it's a huge place if you walk through each room and exhibit. The nice part was, there were several rooms that were different from the first time I was here. Last but not least, the building itself is artwork. The architecture of the inside and outside of this building are eye candy. The views looking out at the lake, in our case a frozen lake in the dead of winter, were also terrific. If you like any kind of art, you'll find a great deal here to enjoy. This is easily one of my favorite art museums. Cheers. read more

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10/25/23 - Milwaukee Art Museum is located along Lake Michigan in Milwaukee. This museum is an absolutely stunning piece of architecture/art & structural marvel by Santiago Calatrava. I went up to Milwaukee w/my brother (from Seattle) & my wife. I have seen this building before but never tire of the sheer genius, elegance & beauty of this masterpiece. Anyone who is familiar w/Calatrava's work would recognize the signature of his masterpiece. I love this masterpiece. Among Calatrava's masterpieces are this Milwaukee Art Museum, World Trade Center subway in New York City, the turning torso in Malmo Sweden. These are just a few of Calatrava's works. I also went to see his bridge while I was in Seville Spain. Calatrava has many more works then the few items I mentioned This is not the first time nor will it be my last time as it's an incredible piece of art & architecture worthy of multiple visits read more

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It's very professionally done, but I was a little underwhelmed by it. I think for $27 I was expecting a bit more. The vast majority of their holdings is American work, some of which is pretty cool, but I was expecting a more global representation. They do have some European items, but they're mixed up with everything else. There could be more organization and more diversity, I think. $27 is a little steep for a local art museum of this caliber. Having said that, their old European clocks were absolutely mesmerizing. read more

I've worked multiple weddings at Milwaukee Art Museum, and it's breathtaking! As the owner of Beauty Unveiled by Tia, a premier on-location hair and makeup company, I love this world-class venue with its stunning Calatrava architecture, dramatic sails, natural light, and lakefront views that make every bridal look absolutely shine like a masterpiece. Highly recommend! read more

I had the grandest time at the Milwaukee Art Museum! I had the pleasure of meeting the artist, Idris Khan, during the early sneak peek at his art exhibit. There was a live band, cocktails and appetizers during this event. So many unique art work! The art of local area high school finalists for an art competition was also exceptional. As others have mentioned, the architecture of the building is stunning. Designed by architect and sculptor, Santiago Calatravo, the museum's signature wings open and close at certain times of the day. The view of Lake Michigan provides the perfect backdrop. There was so much to see. I enjoyed my visit so much that I returned again the next day! read more

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The Milwaukee Art Museum offers a stunning centerpiece to the lakefront. It's filled with gorgeous art and the building itself is a piece of architectural art. The three buildings that comprise the art museum were designed by three separate and notable architects. With, for me, the most stunning being the winged building (made to look like a bird about to take flight across the great Lake Michigan) designed by the same architect, Santiago Calatrava, who designed Oculus in NYC. Depending on the day/time of day, you may find the wings closed or in their full, expansive glory. It's a stunning building to behold. My most recent visit here was for their annual Art in Bloom event, where local floral designers, create floral designs inspired by the art in the museum (and placed near that art). It's a stunning event and one that I highly recommend if you fancy flowers, art, or both. We're so lucky to have such a beautiful art museum that is filled with so thoughtfully and intentionally curated art. Get to it! read more

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Visited the Milwaukee Art Museum when I had a free Friday afternoon in Milwaukee and had a good experience. Others have commented on the architecture of the building and it is stunning -- probably the most stunning museum structure that I have ever visited and just as probably the most memorable aspect of my visit to the museum. The collection at the museum is a tail of three floors. The first floor has a nice collection of European Art spanning several centuries, along with a small collection from the Ancient World, along with a good collection of 20th century art. The European collection is nice, but it emphasizes lesser known artists. The 20th century elements include works by a lot of well known names. I am not a huge fan of 20th century art so for me the presence of Andy Warhol, Roy Lichtenstein and some of their peers does not inspire me the way it could inspire others. The second floor included a lot of folk art. As with the 20th century art that I saw on the first floor, I am just not a fan of folk art, so we moved through the second floor quickly. The third floor was the special floor for me. Here we have the impressionists and the early 20th century art that resonates with me. I'll leave it to visitors to the Milwaukee Art Museum to assess the art. It is a personal matter to do so. I enjoyed a lot of my visit, and I am sure that there are plenty of people who would not love the art that I loved while they are wowed by the pieces that do not move me. read more

This was a beautiful museum. The building itself is gorgeous, and the art is fantastic, too. read more

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Gorgeous building with incredible architecture. Their collections are great and I was particularly impressed with their gift shop. It's one of the better museum gift shops I've seen. This museum is a highlight of a trip to Milwaukee. read more

I thought it was only okay... for $26? I felt like the art wasn't my cup of tea. Nice way to spend 1-2 hours not but not my favorite exhibit. read more

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This place was absolutely fabulous, and I love architecture in the wings are open, so cool. We spent over 2 hours, had to cut our time short, because we were only In Milwaukee for one day, but I'm glad we took the time to come here. I WOULD RECOMMEND read more

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A truly enjoyable museum experience. The beautiful architecture, diverse exhibits, and calm atmosphere made for an inspiring visit that never felt overwhelming read more

Art in Bloom is my favorite event of the year! We all look forward to celebrating the start of spring with beautiful art paired with gorgeous flowers. You can relax and have a drink, listen to music, shop, and spend at least 2 hours or more enjoying the lively atmosphere. read more

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Had the pleasure of visiting the Milwaukee Art Museum for the first time on Saturday. The museum happened to be free admission that day which was incredible. The museum has 3 levels and has art ranging from contemporary modern to classical truly accommodating to different types of art lovers. I really liked the way the modern contemporary art gallery was set up. There are many rooms and the gallery layout is very open. Would definitely recommend everyone Wisconsin resident to check it out once for the experience! read more

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