There aren’t too many organizations around Milwaukee that don’t plan at least a little something for the holiday season. Then there are places like the Milwaukee Public Museum for which the adjective “little” doesn’t apply.
With their usual balance of education and entertainment, the museum has a sleigh-full of programming that technically already started but really gets going in December. Ever-popular exhibits like the European Village provide a unique setting for the seasonal events, which run the gamut from family-friendly Santa visits to an after-hours party on the Street of Old Milwaukee.
You can find the full list of holiday programs below and get more information on the Milwaukee Public Museum website.
Milwaukee Public Museum holiday events
Deck the Streets and Village
Now through Jan. 26
Experience the magic of the holiday season inside two of MPM's most beloved exhibits, Streets of Old Milwaukee and European Village, where the walkthrough turn-of-the-century streetscapes have been transformed into a winter wonderland.
Cocoa & Candy Canes
Dec. 7 | Noon to 2 p.m.
This Sustainer+ members-only event includes a private photo opp with Santa and Mrs. Claus, as well as hot cocoa, candy canes, and holiday-themed arts and crafts. Reservations are required by calling 414-278-6170. If you’re not a Sustainer-level+ member, you can upgrade your membership here.
Florentine Opera Holiday Concert
Dec. 9 | 1 p.m.
The Florentine Opera's Baumgartner Studio Artists return to MPM to perform Christmas hymns and classic holiday songs in front of the Butterfly Vivarium on the first floor. This event is part of SPARK!'s annual celebration and includes free admission for SPARK! families, but the concert is also open to all museum visitors.
Old Milwaukee Mixer
Dec. 12 | 7 to 9:30 p.m.
Eat, drink and be merry during this after-hours party (ages 21+). Stroll through the Streets of Old Milwaukee decked out for the holidays while learning about how people celebrated the season during the Victorian period. Enjoy tunes from the Checkmate Barbershop Quartet and get your photo taken for a personalized holiday card to commemorate the occasion.
European Village Alive!
Dec. 14 | 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Explore the sights, sounds and scents of the season as MPM docent interpreters transport you to holiday celebrations of the past. Learn about the history of European traditions (including greeting cards, Christmas trees, wreaths, gingerbread, mistletoe, holly, nativity scenes and stockings) and discover others lost to time. View special behind-the-scenes collections items, enjoy activities and delight in the holiday decorations throughout the village.
Holidays in History Tour
Dec. 14 | 1 to 2 p.m.
Join our docents for a tour that explores how the holiday traditions brought by European immigrants to Milwaukee blended to create our modern celebrations. Capacity is limited to 25 visitors, and the group meets at the top of the Grand Staircase on the first floor.
Winter Break Programming
Dec. 26-30 | 10 a.m. to noon; 1 to 3 p.m.
Stop by MPM Educators’ tables throughout the exhibit floors to learn about cold-weather animal adaptations. Feel the furs that cover arctic animals; discover how to tell apart horns, tusks and antlers; and explore the differences between the mammoths and mastodons that both called Wisconsin home.
