A Day at the Museum

A Milwaukee Street
Car serves as the entry
to the Streets of
Milwaukee. 1/2/19 (dwm)

It is likely I visited the Milwaukee Public Museum when I was a kid, but my only strong memory is of the times Dad parked the car in the adjacent garage.  From there we walked to the Arena to watch the Milwaukee Bucks play.

The Museum traces its history to the German English Academy in 1851.  One of the teachers there encouraged exploration and collecting, which were stored at the school.  As the school's collections grew, eventually city leaders agreed to establish a city museum.

The Milwaukee Public Museum opened in 1884.

Streets of Milwaukee include brick streets
and original shops. 1/2/19 dwm photo

It include natural history - the Hebior Mammoth (photo below left) was discovered south of Milwaukee in Kenosha County in the early 1990s. 

It is the most complete Mammoth discovered in North America with 85% of the bones recovered.  The actual bones are too fragile to display, so a cast of the original makes its large presence felt near the main entrance across from the planetarium.

The Hebior Mammoth.
1/2/2019 (dwm)

Our first stop in the museum was on the first floor where we admired some of the earliest pieces collected by the museum. 

A 36 foot skeleton of a Humpback whale hangs over the display which includes a recreation of the famous Silverback Gorilla named Samson who was a favorite for years at the Milwaukee Zoo.

After spending ten delightful minutes with live Butterflies, we stayed up all night in the planetarium where we saw the night sky progress from sunset to sunrise in less than thirty minutes.  We saw several constellations (Gemini, Orion, and the Big Dipper to name a few) and I learned a bright star in the south morning sky is the planet Venus.

When the Crow Indian Bison hunt diorama premiered in 1966
it was said to be the world's largest.  1/2/19 (dwm)

On the second floor Native American history is highlighted along with Wisconsin natural history.  The imposing face of a glacier tells shows how the natural landscape was carved by a large sheet of ice.

On the third floor you can see the story of the world - its different climates and cultures - over a score of exhibits.  The Crossroads of Civilization traces how various ancient societies met in the Middle East. 

It is the museum's most recent permanent exhibition.  There are mummies; a coin from King Tut; and a model of Jerusalem in the days of Christ.

The Wisconsin Glacier
1/2/19 (dwm)

There is a lot to see.  Young families might prefer a deep dive into the Bugs Alive! display after experiencing the living butterflies.  Other folks can trace their cultural roots from their origin to America.

Some of the things I enjoyed most was a working candy shop in the Streets of Milwaukee along with a car which may predate the Model T.  The Wisconsin Stargazing show was interesting as the live host answered questions and pointed out the wonders of the heavens.

Since I've acquired history myself through the years - I liked re-visiting some touchstones from my youth and re-learning some of the things I've long since forgotten.

Old or new - fun and serious - there is a lot to see at the Milwaukee Public Museum.