🦕Natural History Museum🏠 Homeschool ProgramsPaid admission

Milwaukee Public Museum

800 West Wells Street, Milwaukee, WI 53233

Closed now

About

The Milwaukee Public Museum is one of the finest natural history and cultural history institutions in the United States, renowned for its extraordinary dioramas that have captivated visitors for generations. Founded in 1882, the museum's expansive galleries bring together natural science, human cultures, and world ecology in a setting that feels both encyclopedic and deeply personal. The museum's dioramas are considered among the most artistically accomplished in the world, depicting everything from African savannahs and North American prairies to ancient sea floors and rainforest canopies with meticulous detail and scientific accuracy. The Streets of Old Milwaukee is a perennial favorite: a full-scale re-creation of Milwaukee city streets circa 1890s, complete with cobblestones, storefronts, a trolley, and period sounds that transport visitors back more than a century. The Daniel M. Soref Dome Theater and Planetarium presents immersive fulldome films and live star shows, combining natural history storytelling with astronomy programming. The Puelicher Butterfly Vivarium is a lush tropical greenhouse housing hundreds of free-flying butterfly species from around the world, offering a uniquely immersive living exhibit within the museum's walls. The Milwaukee Public Museum is currently in a period of transition: its current home on West Wells Street is planned to close around 2027 as the institution moves to a new, purpose-built facility nearby. Visitors are encouraged to experience the historic building and its beloved exhibits before this transition. The new museum project will preserve and reimagine the collections and programming for generations to come.

🏠 Homeschool Programs

Field trip programs available for homeschool groups. Contact the museum for group rates and programming options.

Subject Areas

🦴 Natural History🔬 Science🌍 Culture & Anthropology📜 History🐾 Animals & Wildlife🪨 Earth & Geology🌌 Space & Astronomy

Best For

👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 All Ages👨‍👩‍👧 Families🎒 Elementary (6–10)🧑 Tweens & Teens (11–17)🧑‍💼 Adults🏫 School Groups

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Hours of Operation

MonClosed

Tue10 AM – 5 PM

Wed10 AM – 5 PM

Thu10 AM – 5 PM

Fri10 AM – 5 PM

Sat10 AM – 5 PM

Sun10 AM – 5 PM

Open Wednesday–Monday 10am–5pm. Closed Tuesdays.

Hours change seasonally — verify before visiting.

Admission

Paid admission

Adults $25, Youth (4–13) $19. Dome theater tickets available separately. ASTC Passport Program accepted.

✓ Membership available

ASTC

ASTC Travel Passport Program

Members of the Association of Science and Technology Centers' Travel Passport Program offer free or discounted admission to members of other participating institutions. Over 300 science centers worldwide participate.

Learn more →

47 other places in our directory accept this membership: