Milwaukee on Lake Michigan

Milwaukee sits on the western shore of Lake Michigan in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. It is best known for its breweries. Milwaukee is also known as being the setting for two popular TV shows “Happy Days’ and “Laverne and Shirley”. The TV shows sort of made everyone want to live in the city.

Milwaukee River Walk is a two-mile long walk along the Milwaukee River. Along the way you can enjoy different restaurants and pubs. There are various public art exhibitions that make the River Walk like an outdoor art gallery. Colorful signs explain the history of the city and this is the venue for events like River Rhythms and the Milwaukee River Challenge. The River Walk links three interesting Milwaukee districts – Downtown, Historic Third Ward, and Beerline B.

The Lakefront Area is a beautiful downtown area. It has plenty of store and galleries and places to dine right on the shores of Lake Michigan. There are many lovely walking trails so you can explore the city. Along the way you’ll find parks and attractions.

A prominent landmark is the War Memorial Center which commemorates the soldiers that gave their live for their country during WW II and the Korean War.

Take a look at the Municipal Pier and the Henry Maier Festival Grounds where the famous Summerfest is held.

The Milwaukee Art Museum is an impressive building with art collections that include American and European art from the 19th and 20th centuries. It was founded in 1888 and has over 20,000 artworks. This lakeside building resembles a cross between a sleek shop and an aircraft and has a tall, retractable structure on the roof which resembles wings. The museum offer free admission on Thursdays.

The Charles Allis Art Museum displays American and European art from the 19th and 20th centuries housed in an impressive Tudor-style villa from 1911.

The Villa Terrace Decorative Arts Museum was built in 1923 as an Italian Renaissance villa displaying decorative arts from the 15th through the 18th centuries.

The Haggerty Museum of Art has a collection of over 2,000 pieces of art including many Old Masters.

The Grohmann Museum housed in the Milwaukee School of Engineering has an impressive collection of art that depicts the advancement and growth of human ingenuity related to work.

The Historic Third Ward is located south of downtown Milwaukee and is a top attraction. Today it’s a trendy Arts and Fashion District with boutiques, galleries, theaters, restaurants and spas. It is home to the Third Ward Riverwalk, the Milwaukee Public Market, Milwaukee Institute of Art and Design (MIAD), and the Broadway Theater Center.

Discovery World Museum is also referred to as the James Lovell Museum of Science, Economics, and Technology. The museum has many interactive exhibits for both young and old. It is located on the lakeshore and has an impressive architectural design. Among the highlights here is the Reiman Aquarium and the tall ship Denis Sullivan. It also offers big screen movie adventures and live theater experiences. You can see artifacts and find out about the Great Lakes and there is a huge scale model of the entire Great Lakes area.

The Mitchell Park Horticultural Conservatory or The Domes where each of the Domes offers a unique experience. The Desert Dome features the world’s greatest collection of shrubs, cacti and other desert plant life. The Tropical Dome has lush greenery, flowers, and fruit and nut bearing trees. The Floral Show Dome has lovely gardens filled with flowers.

The Milwaukee County Zoo is a woodland park that provides natural habitats for the 3,122 animals from 377 different species that make their home here. You can see mammals, fish, birds, amphibians, and reptiles. Visitors enjoy seeing the polar bears, gorillas, and cheetahs. There are active educational programs and fun seasonal events. Among the highlights are the animal petting area, penguin viewing area, walk-through aviary, camel rides and so much more.

The Milwaukee Public Museum is a natural and human history museum. It showcases permanent and temporary exhibits and is home to the first IMAX Theater in Wisconsin. Highlights include natural history displays of life-size dinosaurs and a reconstruction of a tropical rainforest. Visitors also enjoy see the past of Milwaukee in the “Streets of Milwaukee” exhibit. There are fascinating exhibits related to the continents of Africa, Asia, and the Arctic. There is a village with reconstructions of homes from Europe. The six-story Dome Theater has planetarium-type shows.

The Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church is famous for two reasons – it was built by renowned architect Frank Lloyd Wright and second, it resembles a spaceship or a leering alien depending from what angle its viewed. It has a blue dome with a gold cross on tip. Visitors can take group tours and are welcome to attend regular church services.

The City Hall is an important part of the city skyline. It was finished in 1895 and was one of the tallest 19th century skyscrapers of its kind. It was built in the Flemish and German Renaissance Revival styles. Free tours are available and visitors can climb the bell tower and view the lovely interior.

Historic Pabst Brewery offers guided tours that start at The Best Pub and relate the history fo the brewery from 1844. The tour includes a 16 oz. Pabst or Schlitz on tap. You’ll see the historic Blue Ribbon Hall and stroll through the preserved areas of the old brewery.

The Pabst Theater is one of the city’s architectural gems. It was built at the turn of the 20th century and resembles a European opera house with an impressive Baroque interior with a chandelier and an Italian Carrara marble staircase. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and offers stage and musical productions.

Another popular attraction is the Pabst Mansion near the University of Wisconsin Milwaukee Campus. It was built in 1893 for the Pabst family and has period furnishings and décor. Free guided tours are available.

Lakeshore State Park offers awesome views of the skyline and plenty of recreation along the shores of Lake Michigan. You can enjoy walking, biking, or skating along the paved trails. You can enjoy the lake kayaking or canoeing or take a boat out on the lake.

The North Point Lighthouse Museum explains the role that Milwaukee had in the regional maritime activities of the Great Lakes. You’ll see illustrated stories of the keepers of the lighthouse and personal scrapbooks and artifacts from wrecks.

The Lynden Sculpture Garden is a lovely lakeside park full of wonderful sculptures. The inside galleries have contemporary exhibits. There are educational programs available.