Children's Museums

Milwaukee Public Museum

Name: Milwaukee Public Museum
Address: 800 W Wells St, Milwaukee, WI 53233, Milwaukee, WI, US
Telephone: (414) 278-2728
Rating: 4.7

★★★★☆ 4.7 (7058 reviews)

📍 800 W Wells St, Milwaukee, WI 53233

📞 (414) 278-2728

🌐 www.mpm.edu

Visit Website 📍 Get Directions

🕐 Hours

Monday	10 AM–5 PM
Tuesday	Closed
Wednesday	10 AM–5 PM
Thursday	10 AM–5 PM
Friday	10 AM–5 PM
Saturday	10 AM–5 PM
Sunday	10 AM–5 PM

⭐ Want to stand out? Get featured ⭐

About Milwaukee Public Museum

State-of-the-art natural history museum. Modern anthropology & natural history museum with 3 floors of exhibits & a butterfly garden. The museum features the iconic 'Streets of Old Milwaukee' exhibit, a one-of-a-kind immersive display that will be demolished when the museum relocates to its new building, making current visits to see this historic attraction time-sensitive. Rated 4.7 out of 5 stars by 7,058 visitors.

Quick Facts

Type: Natural History Museum
Best For: All ages
Highlights: Rainforest exhibit, Puelicher Butterfly Vivarium with live bug encounters, 4 million objects in collection
Membership: Yes — free access for a year
Note: Current building closes January 2027; new Nature & Culture Museum opens 2027

💡 Did You Know?

⭐The museum features the iconic 'Streets of Old Milwaukee' exhibit, a one-of-a-kind immersive display that will be demolished when the museum relocates to its new building, making current visits to see this historic attraction time-sensitive
⭐The Puelicher Butterfly Vivarium is among the museum's most visited attractions, with butterfly exhibit-related keywords appearing in 454 mentions across visitor reviews (368 'butterfly exhibit' + 86 'butterfly room'), indicating it is a signature feature
⭐The museum spans 3.5 floors of immersive exhibits and features a five-level design that creates walk-through worlds, allowing visitors to experience different time periods and environments without leaving the building
⭐The museum offers free admission to those serving jury duty downtown, and periodically hosts free admission days, making it an exceptionally affordable cultural resource for Milwaukee residents

💬 What Visitors Say

💬Plan to spend several hours exploring - the museum is deceptively large with five levels of immersive exhibits. Visitors recommend allocating substantial time to fully experience the walk-through dioramas, Rainforest, and Butterfly Vivarium rather than rushing through.
🕐Visit during the Greatest Hits celebration (May 7-June 6) to experience rotating restored exhibits and special programming, including the popular Rainforest and Puelicher Butterfly Vivarium with enhanced offerings.
💡Don't miss the Streets of Old Milwaukee and historic candy shop exhibits before the museum's planned relocation - these beloved attractions will not be part of the new building and are irreplaceable local gems worth seeing.
💬Take advantage of free admission days and jury duty visitor discounts. Check the museum website for frequent free days and special offers, making it an affordable family outing option.
💡Start with the immersive walk-through exhibits like Old World Wisconsin and the Rainforest to fully experience the museum's signature design - these full-sensory environments are what make the Milwaukee Public Museum distinctive compared to other natural history museums.