Built to Inspire

Travel back to 2001 through two original films capturing the vision and excitement surrounding the opening of the Quadracci Pavilion. Watch the films online or join us in Lubar Auditorium for the full cinematic experience.

The Quadracci Pavilion stands as a testament to what a community can build together. This celebration belongs to all of us. Share a favorite photo or memory inspired by the Pavilion and tag @MilwaukeeArt for a chance to be featured.

For this special anniversary, the Milwaukee Art Museum invited local artists to create original works inspired by the Quadracci Pavilion—not only as an architectural icon, but as a place where creativity, community, and inspiration come together.

Santiago Calatrava (b. 1951) is an internationally celebrated architect and engineer. Training first as an architect in his home country of Spain, Calatrava has developed a pioneering approach that combines sculptural expression with technical innovation.

Since founding his practice in Zurich in 1981, he has designed bridges, transportation hubs, museums, cultural institutions, and public spaces around the world. His work is distinguished by graceful forms inspired by the natural world, a deep understanding of movement and structure, and a seamless integration of architecture and engineering. His projects include the Alamillo Bridge in Seville, Spain; Brookfield Place in Toronto, Canada; the City of Arts and Sciences cultural complex in Valencia, Spain; and the Quadracci Pavilion at the Milwaukee Art Museum.

Completed in 2001, the Quadracci Pavilion was Calatrava’s first project in the United States, and more than two decades later, it remains one of the defining works of his career. Its soaring forms and kinetic design not only transformed Milwaukee but also introduced architectural ideas that would reappear throughout his later work.