Ongoing
War Memorial Center, Ground Level South Entrance
The Milwaukee Art Museum and War Memorial Center are celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Eero Saarinen–designed building. A special exhibition of photographs, news clippings, and artifacts surrounding the dedication of the building in 1957— including photographs by Saarinen's photographer for the project, Balthazar Korab—will commemorate this semi-centennial.
When the War Memorial Center opened to the public in November 1957, Saarinen's innovative design won international praise for its dramatic use of concrete, steel, and glass, creating what Time magazine described as "one of the country's finest examples of modern architecture put to work for civic purposes." Known also for his daring designs of the Gateway Arch in St. Louis, Missouri, and the Trans World Airlines Terminal at J.F.K. International Airport in New York, Eero Saarinen (American, b. Finnish, 1910–1961) continues to inspire architects and designers alike.
Milwaukee County War Memorial photo © Balthazar Korab Ltd.
Milwaukee County War Memorial photo © Balthazar Korab Ltd.
Eero Saarinen, Milwaukee County War Memorial elevation drawing, 1954. Manuscripts & Archives, Yale University Library Eero Saarinen Collection
