MAM Events

Artist Talk: Willie Cole
2026-02-26 18:15 - 19:15 (America/Chicago) | Milwaukee Art Museum, 700 N. Art Museum Drive, Milwaukee, WI, 53202, United States
Join us for the next event in our Artist Talk series, featuring the dynamic American sculptor, printmaker, designer, perceptual engineer, and visual artist Willie Cole. In this compelling talk, Cole will share how he transforms everyday found objects into powerful works of art, drawing inspiration from traditional African imagery and cultural references.
This drop-in experience is included with Museum admission and is free for Members. Admission tickets are available at the door or online.

About the artist
Willie Cole is an acclaimed artist known for transforming everyday objects like irons, shoes, and bicycle parts into striking sculptures and installations. His work explores themes of consumer culture, heritage, and identity, blending influences from African American imagery, Dada, and pop culture. A signature element in his art is the steam iron, symbolizing both creativity and cultural history.
Born in Newark, New Jersey, Cole studied fine arts in New York and Boston and has received prestigious awards, including the David C. Driskell Prize. His work is featured in the Milwaukee Art Museum’s collection and in major museums worldwide, such as MoMA, the Whitney, and the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

The Artist Talk series welcomes emerging, mid-career, and established artists to share what it means to live creatively. Discussing motivation, medium, and technique, artists will reveal how and why their work expresses their emotions and ideas.

Program sponsors
Milwaukee Art Museum’s African American Art Alliance
Image: Willie Cole (American, b. 1955), Domestic Dancers (detail), 1998. Scorches on canvas. 76 × 73 1/2 in. (193.04 × 186.69 cm). Gift of the African American Art Alliance with additional support from Delta Memorial Endowment Fund, Inc. of the Milwaukee Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. and LaMarr and Lynda J. Franklin M1999.1. Photo by Larry Sanders. © Willie Cole

Drop-In Art Making: Kohl’s Art Studio
2026-02-27 10:00 - 16:00, 2026-02-28 10:00 - 16:00, 2026-03-01 10:00 - 16:00, 2026-03-06 10:00 - 16:00, 2026-03-07 10:00 - 16:00, 2026-03-08 10:00 - 16:00, 2026-03-13 10:00 - 16:00, 2026-03-14 10:00 - 16:00 and 6 more dates
Drop in for family art-making activities inspired by the Museum’s collection and exhibitions. The studio project changes each month to highlight new mediums and techniques.
Access to the Kohl’s Art Studio is included with Museum admission, which is free for kids 12 and under. Admission tickets are available at the door or online.

Support by

Drop-In Tours: Architecture and Collection Highlights
2026-02-28 14:00 - 15:00, 2026-03-01 14:00 - 15:00, 2026-03-07 14:00 - 15:00, 2026-03-08 14:00 - 15:00, 2026-03-14 14:00 - 15:00, 2026-03-15 14:00 - 15:00, 2026-03-21 14:00 - 15:00, 2026-03-22 14:00 - 15:00
Discover works in the collection and highlights about the Museum’s architecture during a one-hour tour with a Museum docent. Join the tour in Windhover Hall, near the Museum’s main entrance and admissions desks.
This drop-in experience is included with Museum admission and is free for Members. Admission tickets are available at the door and online.

Thursday Nights at MAM
2026-03-05 16:00 - 20:00, 2026-03-12 16:00 - 20:00, 2026-03-19 16:00 - 20:00, 2026-03-26 16:00 - 20:00
Every Thursday night, meet up with friends for an artful evening together! Wander the galleries and ease into the weekend with live music and a bar in Windhover Hall.
Admission for Thursday Nights at MAM is pay-what-you-wish. A Museum ticket is needed to enter the exhibitions and collection galleries. Get yours at the admissions desk when you arrive—the amount you pay is up to you.

Play Date with Art: Clay Creatures
2026-03-13 10:00 - 12:00
This month at Play Date with Art, explore the possibilities of clay and make your own creature inspired by sculptures in our folk and self-taught art collection. Experience the fun of pushing and pressing to form shapes and textures. Then join in the sing-alongs at 10:30 and 11:15 a.m. This monthly program is designed especially for visitors ages five and under (with an adult).
This drop-in experience is included with Museum admission and is free for Members. Kids 12 and under always receive free admission, thanks to an anonymous donor. Tickets are available at the door or online.

Sponsored by
Four-Four Foundation
Anonymous donor

Slow Art Saturday
2026-03-14 10:30 - 11:30
Explore a single work of art from the Museum’s collection in depth with Amy Kirschke, Barbara Brown Lee Senior Director of Learning and Engagement, during this program that encourages presence and promotes well-being.
This drop-in experience is included with Museum admission and is free for Members. Admission tickets are available at the door or online.

Gallery Talk: “Gertrude Abercrombie: The Whole World Is a Mystery”
2026-03-28 13:00 - 14:00
Join Thomas Busciglio-Ritter, Abert Family Associate Curator of American Art and the exhibition curator, for an in-depth exploration of the themes and topics in the exhibition Gertrude Abercrombie: The Whole World Is a Mystery.
This drop-in experience is included with Museum admission and is free for Members. Admission tickets are available at the door or online.
The Milwaukee Art Museum is grateful to its exhibition sponsors.
