The temperature is declining, the days are getting shorter and shorter, and vacations and holiday tourists are imminent.
This is the perfect secret to enjoying Milwaukee's great indoor experience as a tourist in your own town, and perhaps those on vacation.
Everyone has their favorite attractions, no one list can cover all of them, but here are some destinations to help you get started.
The weather is always warm, and there are always flowers blooming in the three conical glass domes of Mitchell Park. The desert and jungle domes-featuring desert and tropical plants, as well as birds, frogs, fish, and lizards, respectively-remain unchanged throughout the year, while the flower show dome changes five times a year for exhibitions. The annual performances include spring flowers, trains and festival performances, from November 7 to January this year. 3.
More information: The Domes, 524 S. Layton Blvd., open from 9 am to 5 pm from Wednesday to Friday, and from 9 am to 4 pm on Saturdays, Sundays and holidays. They are suitable for wheelchair users. The admission fee is US$8 for adults, US$6 for children (6-17 years old), and free for children under 5 years old. The admission fee for Milwaukee County residents is $1 off, and the admission fee for senior citizens (60 years and older) is $3 off. All visitors aged 3 years and above need to wear a mask inside the dome. Call (414) 257-5600 or visit milwaukeedomes.org.
Santiago Calatrava's lakeside architecture is not just for Instagram photos. There are 30,000 artworks in the White Wing Quadracc Pavilion and the Kahler Building and War Memorial Center next door, including one of the largest collections of Georgia O'Keefe, a native of Wisconsin. The east end of the museum displays the newly unveiled "Time We Are Together", a 93-foot-tall mural created by Milwaukee black life artist Derrick Adams, partly inspired by the "Green Book" ".
Pro tip: The Burke Brise Soleil "wings" of the museum open and close like a museum, and also at noon.
More information: The museum at 700 N. Art Museum Drive is open Thursday from 10 am to 8 pm, and from Friday to Sunday from 10 am to 5 pm (closed on Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, and the same day). The museum is barrier-free. Its three cafes are currently closed. Admission requires timed tickets, US$19 for adults; US$17 for students, seniors (65 years and older) and military personnel; children 12 years and younger and Wisconsin K-12 teachers are free. Need to wear a mask. Call (414) 224-3200 or visit mam.org.
The city’s natural and human history museum has 150,000 square feet of exhibition space spread over 3.5 floors. Wander through permanent exhibits, such as Puelicher Butterfly Wing, which is a two-story exhibition with dozens of free-flying butterflies; the third planet has a life-size Tyrannosaurus rex; a tribute to survival, contemporary powwow grand admission scene, including 37 life-size characters based on the life models of people representing the tribal nation of Wisconsin; the streets of old Milwaukee, this is an immersive exhibition that recreates Milwaukee’s at the turn of the 20th century Autumn night.
The museum is also home to the largest Daniel M. Soref Dome Theater and Planetarium in Wisconsin, with performances every hour from 10:30 am to 4:30 pm
More information: The museum is located at 800 W. Wells St. and is open from Thursday to Monday from 10 am to 5 pm. Tickets for adults and teenagers (14-17 years old) are US$22; senior citizens (65 years and older), military personnel, and college students are US$18; children (4-13 years old) are US$16, and children 3 years and younger are free (Milwaukee County residents) 2 USD discount is available). Thanks to Kohl's (reservation recommended), everyone enters for free on the first Thursday of every month. Members of Native American tribes have free admission in November (Native American Tradition Month).
As part of the Museums for All program, visitors who present an EBT card can get a $3 ticket. Tickets can be purchased by phone and very limited walking; there are four per family.
The planetarium ticket is included in the museum ticket; the giant screen movie ticket is purchased separately.
The museum requires all visitors aged 3 years and above to wear masks. The building is wheelchair accessible, and the museum has various items to make it easier to access, including noise-cancelling headphones, sensory rooms, and personal care rooms. Call (414) 278-2728 or visit mpm.edu.
This kid-friendly science and technology museum on Lake Milwaukee is full of interactive exhibits. The most popular ones include the Reiman Aquarium, which is home to electric eels, jellyfish and sea turtles, as well as sturgeons and stingrays that can be petted. The Automation Everywhere exhibition includes Dream Machine, which creates a foam toy that can be taken home. There is also the Challenge, which is a replica of the Great Lakes schooner in the 19th century; a real tall ship, the Dennis Sullivan, docked in the summer to explore the world.
More information: Discovery World, 400 N. Harbour Drive, open Wednesday to Sunday from 9 am to 4 pm. Tickets are US$20 for adults, US$16 for children (3-17 years old) and seniors (over 60 years old), US$14 for college students and military personnel, and free for children 2 years and younger. Milwaukee County residents who show a Wisconsin EBT card (up to five people per party) can enjoy a $5 discount on tickets. Tickets currently have regular admission to limit the number of visitors; advance purchase is encouraged. The parking permit for the underground garage of the museum needs to be purchased in advance. Call (414) 765-9966 or visit discoveryworld.org.
The Wisconsin Black History Association focuses on the history of African Americans in Wisconsin, and some of its exhibits tell the story in its building, which was built as a fire station in 1898 and then used as the Center Street Library. Among the exhibits are the copy vinyl decals that appeared on the NAACP Civil Rights Tribute Bus, which featured civil rights leaders such as Vel Phillips, Lloyd Barbee, and Father Groppi.
More information: Historical Society, 2620 W. Centre St., open from 11 am to 4 pm from Tuesday to Friday, and open from 10 am to 1 pm on Saturdays. The tour starts at 9 am, but due to limited staff, the museum requires advance notice. The entrance fee is $10. Call 414-372-7677 or visit wbhsm.org.
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Even if you don't like motorcycles, this museum is an interesting and interactive observation of the bicycles that made Milwaukee famous. It includes an extensive bicycle collection including "Serial Number One", the oldest surviving Harley. The experience pavilion allows you to jump on different motorcycles, and the construction of the bicycle station allows you to customize and build a bicycle. The Motor Bar & Restaurant next door offers dining options before or after you explore.
More information: The museum is located at 400 W. Canal Street and is open daily from 10 am to 5 pm. It is barrier-free and there are free wheelchairs available for loan. The fare is $22 for adults, $16 for seniors (65 years and older) and college students, $8 for children (5-17 years old), and free for children 4 and under. Call (877) 436-8738 or visit H-DMuseum.com.
This historic mansion is a different kind of museum and a window into the life of a beer tycoon in Alwaukee at the turn of the 20th century. This 20,000-square-foot Flemish Renaissance residence was built in 1892 for Captain Frederick Pabst and his wife Maria Best and has countless rooms spread over three floors. The tour will lead visitors through the luxurious restaurant, Captain Pabst’s hunting lodge themed study room, as well as a separate restaurant and servant preparation space, which includes an old ice box, and you can enjoy PBR on the Blue Ribbon Happy Hour Tour. This tour is one of Pabst's seven new products in the past year. This holiday season marks the return of Pabst’s popular Christmas, when the mansion will be decorated with dozens of Christmas trees and other decorations.
More information: Pabst’s Christmas starts with the opening reception on November 17; the self-guided tour runs from November 18 to January. 7.
After Pabst’s Christmas, regular tours of this mansion will return. A classic one-hour guided tour service is available from Monday to Saturday at 10 am, 11 am, 1 pm, 2 pm and 3 pm, and Sunday at 11 am, 1 pm, 2 pm and 3 pm. Tickets are 15 US dollars for adults; 13 US dollars for students, senior citizens and military personnel; 8 US dollars for children (6-15 years old); free for members and children 5 and under. Need to wear a mask. Call (414) 931-0808 or visit pabstmansion.com.
Milwaukee has no shortage of breweries and brewery tours, including the currently suspended grandfather Miller. Although Miller may be one of Milwaukee's original four breweries, Lakeside is one of the city's original craft breweries (the oldest title belongs to Sprecher). The PG-13 tour is not an ordinary brewery tour. There are Bung King or Queen crowning (the stopper inserted into the keg is called Bung), and the collective interpretation of the theme song "Laverne & Shirley", and some people put the gloves on the bottle along the bottle. The line moves. The trip also includes two 16-ounce glasses of beer and a coupon for free beer at a nearby hotel.
The brewery’s beer hall serves Wisconsin’s most popular cheese curds and giant pretzels, as well as the popular Friday fried fish, including polka music.
More information: Travel services are available from Monday to Thursday at 5 and 7 pm, Friday and Sunday at 12-3 pm, and Saturday at 12-6 pm. Unless accompanied by a parent or legal guardian, guests must be at least 21 years old. The weekend fare is US$12, and the weekday fare is US$11. Currently, it needs to be purchased in advance online at lakefrontbrewery.com. For more information, please call (414) 372-8800.
"The center of the Marquette University campus", this 600-year-old Gothic church is also the oldest building in Milwaukee. According to a Marquette guide, it is the oldest building in the Western Hemisphere and is still used for its original purpose. The small church was originally named St. Martin de Seysseul and was built in a small village in France in 1420. In the 1920s, a believer of Joan of Arc transported it to her property on Long Island, where she was with the stone of Joan of Arc in the 13th century, and the heroine is believed to kiss and pray before fighting. The church and stones experienced another owner before they were donated and shipped to Marquette in the 1960s. It is said that this stone feels colder than the surrounding stones. Since its official opening on campus in 1966, this small church has undergone renovations, the most recent of which was this year’s roof tiles, floors, and outdoor landscape.
More information: The chapel is located west of Central Mall in Marquette, between Clybourn St. and Wisconsin Ave. The 16th St. Chapel is expected to reopen in November. In the fall and spring classes, masses are held at noon on Monday, Wednesday and Friday, and at 10 pm on Tuesday and Thursday. Travel services are available from Monday to Saturday from 10 am to 4 pm and Sunday from 12 pm to 4 pm. Please call the University Campus Office at (414) 288-6873. If the university is closed, the church will also be closed. For more information, see marquette.edu/st-joan-of-arc-chapel.
Another historic sacred chapel — with its 220-foot-tall copper dome looming on the south side west of I-94/43 — is also a monument to one of Milwaukee’s largest immigrant communities. The Diocese of St. Josafat—then the largest Polish parish in Wisconsin with more than 12,000 parishioners—started construction of the cathedral in 1896. German-born architect Erhard Brielmaier built this building modeled after St. Peter's Basilica in Vatican City, using materials provided by salvaged Chicago Post Office and Customs. The building was completed in 1901. In 1910, the Franciscan monks of the monastery took over its management and completed the interior decoration. The Roman artist Gonippo Raggi was hired to paint murals for the entire building.
In 1929, the church became the first Polish-American church in the country. This status was designated by the Pope and only applies to the largest and most important churches. The church is still an active parish, with regular services including daily masses, and a visitor center with hiking brochures and information panels for visitors to explore the history of the building.
More information: The cathedral is located at 2333 S. Sixth St. The visitor center is open from Monday to Saturday from 10 am to 3 pm. Visit by appointment. Both the cathedral and the visitor center can be reached. Call (414) 645-5623 or visit thebasilica.org.
Another historic building in Milwaukee, the Warner Theater has undergone major renovations in the past few years, and the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra converted it into a new home. This former cinema was originally designed by Chicago architects Rapp and Rapp and opened for the first time in 1931. The theater was closed and vacant in the 1990s until MSO began remodeling it in 2018. The $90 million project included the relocation of 625 tons of cream city brick walls 35 feet to make room for the stage needed for symphony, and the restoration of the original art of the 1930s in the building. After the delays caused by floods and pandemics, MSO held the first official concert without audience at the renamed Bradley Symphony Center on February 6, and opened the first complete concert on October 1. There are audience performance seasons.
More information: The Bradley Symphony Center is located at 212 W. Wisconsin Ave. Upcoming MSO performances include "Star Wars: Return of the Jedi" from November 26th to 28th and "Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix" music screening on December 3rd-5 with live orchestra accompaniment, from December 10th to Holiday pop on the 12th and Handel’s "Messiah" on December 16th and 18th-19th.
Both floors of the concert hall are equipped with wheelchair seats, and provide hearing aids, Braille and large print program books for all performances. Call (414) 291-7605 or visit mso.org.
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The only remaining 19th-century theater in Milwaukee, this European opera-style theater was built in 1895 by Captain Pabst and is now a National Historic Landmark. Architect Otto Strack designed it in the style of the German Renaissance Revival. It is one of the first all-electric theaters in the country. It also has air conditioning and a fireproof structure-preventing the destruction of previous ones on the ground The disaster of the opera house. The magnificent theater features marble and 4,000-pound chandelier. It hosts dozens of events every year, from concerts to plays, including the annual "Christmas Carol" performance by the Milwaukee Congressman.
More information: Pabst Theatre, 144 E. Wells St., managed by Pabst Theatre Group. Upcoming performances include Nitty Gritty Dirt Band on November 14th and BoDeans and The Gufs on December 29th. Pabst requires proof of COVID-19 vaccination or a negative COVID test within 72 hours. Guests under the age of 12 need to wear a mask. Please call (414) 286-3205 or visit pabsttheatergroup.com.
The "Christmas Carol" by the House of Representatives will be broadcast from November 30 to December. 24. Tickets start at $15. Call (414) 224-9490 or visit milwaukeerep.com.
The pedestrian bridge in Milwaukee is not as extensive as in Minneapolis, but the city still has a closed bridge of 1.75 miles, allowing you to walk between the buildings in the city center without going out, while still enjoying the view of the city. Unique scenery. Historic Milwaukee offers a 2-hour systematic walking tour that not only focuses on the skywalk, but also focuses on the city’s history, historic buildings, and new developments, such as reusing the old Grand Avenue shopping center where the tour started.
More information: The historic Milwaukee Skywaukee Tours is available on Saturdays from November to April at 1 pm. The tour starts from Plankinton Arcade on Grand Avenue at 161 W. Wisconsin Ave. They can be reached and cover about 1 mile. The fare is US$10 for adults, US$5 for children aged 6-11, and free for children aged 5 and below. Need to wear a mask. See history-milwaukee.org.
Inspired by Seattle’s Pike Market-and has a matching logo-Milwaukee's market has more than a dozen vendors selling everything from cheese and spices to pastries and chocolates, as well as a variety of foods that can be enjoyed on the spot, including seafood And barbecue. The market also holds cooking classes in the demo kitchen.
More information: Market, 400 N. Water St., Monday to Saturday from 10 am to 8 pm, Sunday from 10 am to 6 pm (Anodyne Coffee is open at 7 am, On the Bus is open in the morning Open at 9). The Hop stops at E. St. Paul Ave. on the south side of the market. Call (414) 336-1111 or visit milwaukeepublicmarket.org.
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After the riots near Sherman Park in 2016, Sherman Phoenix rose from the burnt ashes of the BMO Harris Bank building in 2018 as both a canteen and a shopping center. Nearly 30 businesses—many of which are owned by black entrepreneurs—fill the space today, offering everything from spring rolls and wings to haircuts and manicures.
More information: Sherman Phoenix, 3536 W. Fond du Lac Ave., open from Tuesday to Friday from 11 am to 6 pm and Saturday from 10 am to 6 pm. Call (262) 228-6021 or visit shermanphoenix.com.
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Koz's, Milwaukee's original mini-bowling alley, has been a southern institution for more than a century. The bar first opened as a bistro in the 1880s and began offering mini bowling in 1947. The pins are still set by hand on the four rear lanes, and beer is still cheap and can be bought at the pitcher of the bar in front, which has the other decorations of a good neighborhood bar: pool table, dart board and jukebox.
More information: The bar and bowling alley at 2078 S. Seventh St. are open from 6 pm to Monday to Friday and Sunday, and from 2 pm to Saturday. For a two-hour driveway reservation, please call (414) 383-0560.
Without sausage and cheese, Milwaukee would not be Milwaukee. You can easily buy these two types of sausages at the two shops on Third Street in the Old World. Purchase some Usinger's sausages from the company storefront of the original manufacturing plant in the early 1900s. Pay attention to the German mural on the wall, and say hello to the elves in front of the window who change clothes with the seasons. Then head to the doors of the Wisconsin Cheese Market to buy aged cheddar cheese to pair with your sausage.
More information: Usinger's, 1030 N. Old World Third St., open from 9 am to 4 pm from Tuesday to Saturday. Call (414) 999-0220 or visit usinger.com/visit-usingers.
Wisconsin Cheese Mart, 1028 N. Old World Third St., open from 10 am to 6 pm from Thursday to Monday. See wisconsincheesemart.com.
As one of those attractions that always appear on the "Milwaukee things to do" list, the safe house is worth visiting at least once because of the spy-themed fun that starts with an underground bar-style entrance. The entrance is in an alley, requiring visitors to tell a secret code or pass a "pass test" (usually a stupid or embarrassing thing) broadcast on the restaurant's TV. This restaurant and bar was refurbished after being acquired by Marcus in 2015, including spy-themed entertainment and cultural relics, as well as a magic bar where magicians perform tricks.
More information: The entrance to SafeHouse is located at 779 N. Front St., in the alley south of Wells Street opposite the Pabst Theater. Look for the red door with the International Exports, Ltd. placard. Open from 11 am to 10 pm from Monday to Thursday, 11 am to closed on Friday and Saturday, and 11 am to 4 pm on Sunday. Before 8pm, the bar and restaurant are suitable for families. For more information, please call (414) 271-2007 or visit safe-house.com.
The Black American Holocaust Museum is located at 401 North Street and aims to introduce visitors to black history, including slavery and the continuing legacy of the Jim Crow era. The museum was founded in 1984 in a storefront by James Cameron who survived a lynching in Indiana in 1930, and moved to its own building in 1988. It has been closed since 2008, but as part of the $17.7 USD, it will reopen the city’s Bronzeville community’s million-dollar redevelopment project in a new space in February. Call (414) 209-3640 or visit abhmuseum.org.
The North Point Lighthouse and Museum is located at 2650 N. Wahl Ave., which gives you a glimpse of the maritime history of Milwaukee and views of the surrounding lake park and Lake Michigan from its 74-foot tower. After the damage caused by floods this summer, the lighthouse will be closed for the remainder of 2021, but tours are usually available from 1 to 4 pm on Saturdays and Sundays.
Contact Chelsey Lewis at clewis@journalsentinel.com. Follow her on @chelseylew and @TravelMJS on Twitter and Facebook on Journal Sentinel Travel.
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