Public Museum says the Streets of Old Milwaukee is too difficult to move to new site, but expect another walk-through exhibit
Sophie Carson
As public uproar continues over which exhibits will make the move to Milwaukee Public Museum's new site, set to open in 2026, the museum on Tuesday explained in more depth its plans for the Streets of Old Milwaukee.
In a lengthy statement posted to social media, the museum said it is too expensive and difficult to physically deconstruct and rebuild the current Streets of Old Milwaukee exhibit in the new building, but the new museum would have an immersive walk-through exhibit that explores the city's history.
Many exhibits, such as the Streets of Old Milwaukee, are built into the current facility, according to the statement.
"Deconstructing those in a way that won’t damage them and using those exact same materials to reconstruct them in a differently-shaped building would be nearly impossible, not to mention excessively expensive and time-consuming," the statement read.
"What we can do is construct new built-ins that create the same immersive, engaging experience you know and love at MPM."
The most-visited permanent exhibit in the museum, "Streets" is a walk-through diorama depicting Milwaukee at the turn of the 20th century with roughly 30 near-life-sized shops, cobblestone streets and mannequin displays. It was built in 1965 and got some upgrades in 2015.
It is adjacent to the European Village, a similar walk-through diorama of homes representing 33 European folk cultures.
The museum plans to release more detailed exhibit plans in the spring and has been tight-lipped so far about how beloved exhibits from the current museum will be incorporated at the new site.
But Tuesday's statement does say that "one of those exhibit galleries will be a highly-immersive walkthrough of Milwaukee that explores our marvelous city’s history, nature and cultures. It will not be called 'Streets of Old Milwaukee' as all exhibits are getting new names."
Earlier this month in an interview with Milwaukee Magazine, museum president Ellen Censky named the butterfly exhibit and the planetarium as two displays that will exist in the new building but will look different.
Museum officials have said the new space will better display its collection of historical artifacts and will include more culturally relevant exhibits. In the magazine article, Censky said the new museum is aiming to showcase the intersection of nature and culture and that staff are working to balance familiar elements with new experiences.
In addition to visitors' favorite "exhibit elements," the new museum will showcase some of the millions of objects and specimens that have never been on display before, according to the Tuesday statement. The museum has 4 million objects in its collection, only 6% to 8% of which are on display, according to the Milwaukee Magazine article.
"We think it’s time to share some of those with you, and maybe even have some objects on rotation so you are exposed to new collections items throughout your visits," the statement read.
The museum said it has sought feedback from thousands of people through conversations, focus groups and survey responses as it works to design the new museum.
"We ask for your patience and want to reassure you that we understand how important the nostalgia of the current museum is to you," the statement read.
Meanwhile, a Change.org petition started to save Streets of Old Milwaukee had garnered over 800 signatures by midday Tuesday. The petition writers oppose dismantling "this great cultural exhibit."
"MPM, a taxpayer-funded institution, has a responsibility to listen to the very people who have loved and used -- and will love and use -- their exhibits," the petition writers wrote.