Call to Action!

Dear Friends and Museum Supporters,

As many of you know, the War Memorial Center and the Kahler building – both of which house our $750 million collection of art – are in desperate need of repairs, totaling over $10 million.

The Museum and the WMC asked our joint landlord, the County, to pay for the deferred maintenance needs identified in the audit. The Museum promised to raise an additional $15 million in private donations to help alleviate the burden to the taxpayer, make additional repairs to protect the art, and improve the state’s most significant Veterans memorial.

In response, the Milwaukee Art Museum and the War Memorial Center were charged with drafting a cooperative agreement for the future management of the buildings.

Months of negotiations have yielded agreements which outline the operation of our shared spaces and enable the County to begin repairing and restoring the War Memorial and Kahler buildings, both of which are suffering from visibly crumbling concrete and extensive leaks. The Museum and the WMC have submitted these agreements to the County.

Now we need your help!

I am urging you today to please contact the Milwaukee County Board of Supervisors and County Executive Chris Abele, asking them to support the Veterans War Memorial and the Art Museum by approving these agreements and providing adequate funds for the maintenance and managements of these County-owned buildings. And, you can also email a letter to the editor of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel voicing your support.

The final Milwaukee County Board vote on our agreement will be on July 25. Please show your support and help us protect the War Memorial Center and the Milwaukee Art Museum for generations to come.

Thank you,

Dan Keegan