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Location
Best time
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.
Visitor tip
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.
Visitor tip
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.
About Milwaukee Public Museum
State-of-the-art natural history museum. Modern anthropology & natural history museum with 3 floors of exhibits & a butterfly garden.
Quick Facts
- Type
- Natural History Museum
- 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
What visitors say
Have loved this museum as long as I can remember! They have the most realistic displays and thoughtful arrangements showcasing wisconsin, wildlife, around the world and so much more! the old streets of wisconsin and the candy shop are…
Had a good time at the museum. Some of the stuff was pretty good like the old age times and butterfly house. A one time visit is recommended. Have some time for it if you are planning to go it will take some time to finish seeing…
The Milwaukee Public Museum will always be my favorite museum because of its immersive, walk-through design. From the moment you enter, it truly feels like you are stepping into different worlds. Each exhibit—whether it’s Old World…
From 7,058 Google reviews
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
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