Summer at the Milwaukee Art Museum Offers Visitors a Wide Variety of Fun and Culture

Summer at the Milwaukee Art Museum Offers Visitors a Wide Variety of Fun and Culture

–  The Museum has three special exhibitions on view, outdoor activities, walking tours, day camps and opportunities to create art throughout the summer.    –

Milwaukee, Wis. – June 13, 2018 – This summer, the Milwaukee Art Museum will give locals and out of towners of all ages and interests a wide selection of indoor and outdoor art-related activities to choose from at the Museum and out in the community.

Held on the Museum grounds, the Museum’s Friends of Art group hosts Lakefront Festival of Art June 15-17 with more than 170 jury-selected artists showcasing paintings, photographs, ceramics and jewelry. Named one of the top twenty art festivals in the country, Lakefront Festival of the Art features three days of art, food, music and activities for all ages. The Museum is also open when the festival is open, with hours from 10 a.m. – 10 p.m. on Friday, June 15; 10 a.m. – 7 p.m. on Saturday; and 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. on Sunday. Admission is $19 for adults, $17 for seniors and students and $10 for Museum members. Visitors purchasing or renewing their Museum membership at the festival gates can receive two free admission and drink tickets. See mam.org/LFOA for a lineup of special events and live music.

‘Thinking Outside the Box’ is the theme for July’s Kohl’s Art Generation Family Sunday, taking place July 22. Inspired by the work in the exhibition William Kentridge: More Sweetly Play the Dance, families can explore contemporary art, add to a group drawing, create a mixed-media sculpture and experiment with movement and sounds. Thanks to Kohl’s Cares, admission to the Museum for kids 12 and under is always free, even during this special family-friendly event.

Kohl’s Color Wheels, the Museum’s off-site studio program will again visit a number of festivals and special events around the Milwaukee area this summer, including Juneteenth Day, Bastille Days, the Wisconsin State Fair and Taste of Islands. Art activities at the Kohl’s Color Wheels station are perfect for all ages and free of charge.

Young art enthusiasts can find inspiration in the galleries, explore exhibitions and create their own works of art at a Museum Summer Art Camp. Perfect for ages 6 to 15, each weekly camp will focus on subjects like portraiture, printmaking, photographing nature, drawing and creating with clay. Advance registration required. Space is limited.

Milwaukee Art Museum docents will again lead tours of the twenty-one art installations along Wisconsin Avenue during Sculpture Milwaukee. Visitors can reserve seats on weekly trolley tours, or join a monthly walking tour on June 14, July 12, August 9 and September 13. Tickets for either tour are $17 for adults and $6 for kids 12 and under.

Throughout the summer, visitors to the Museum can sit outdoors over lunch, wine or coffee at the East End’s patio overlooking Lake Michigan. At Grill-Side on the East End, Museum chefs will fire up the grill for a new special event series that will feature a unique menu and live music. Outdoor and indoor seating at the East End is open to the public, no Museum admission necessary. Special Grill-Side events take place 5:30 – 7:30 p.m. June 28, July 19, August 23 and September 20, with a different theme every month.  

Storytime in the Galleries, every Saturday at 10:30 a.m., continues throughout the summer, as does hands-on art making in the Kohl’s Art Generation Studio every day the Museum is open. Both activities are ideal for parents looking to keep young imaginations engaged. Both programs are included in the cost of Museum admission.

Yoga @ the Museum continues throughout the summer, thanks to a partnership with OmTown Yogis and the generosity of PNC Bank. Admission, a $15 donation, includes a guided yoga class in Windhover Hall and admission to the Museum. Yoga takes place from 8:15 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. July 7, August 11 and September 22.

Drop-in tours of the Collection continue every Saturday at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m., Sunday at 2 p.m. First-come, first-serve. Free with Museum admission.

MAM After Dark celebrates Harley-Davidson’s big birthday August 17 with the theme ‘Rev it Up’, full of fast music, fast art, and a whole lot of fun. Hours are 7 p.m. – 11 p.m., and tickets are $12 in advance, $14 at the door. Free for Museum members.

And, of course, there is a huge variety of art to experience this summer.

In addition to thousands of works on view in the galleries, the Museum is presenting three exhibitions during the summer season that showcase the technique and innovation of artists. Opening June 22 in the Baker/Rowland Galleries, William Kentridge: More Sweetly Play the Dance, will feature an immersive multimedia experience that demonstrates the diverse skillset of the contemporary South African artist William Kentridge. On view through August 26, Photographing Nature’s Cathedrals, displays the works of three nineteenth-century artists who used the cutting-edge technology of their day to record the natural beauty of Yosemite and the Wisconsin Dells. And running through September 9, Daring Technique: Goya and the Art of Etching focuses on Francisco de Goya’s creative use of the etching process, inspiring artists to look a the possibilities of printmaking in a new way. All exhibitions are included in the cost of admission and are free for members.

The Milwaukee Art Museum is open daily during the summer, including Mondays, through Labor Day. Thanks to Meijer, admission to the Museum will be free on July 5, August 2 and September 6.

Admission for Veterans and Active Duty Military are free through Labor Day as part of the Blue Star Museum Program.  

Additional members-only events take place throughout the summer as well. For more information on any event or to purchase tickets in advance, visit mam.org.