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Is the Milwaukee Art Museum Interesting for Kids?

The Milwaukee Art Museum offers many programs that will interest kids.I remember back when the Milwaukee Art Museum first opened up the Quadracci Pavilion in 2001, Jay and I went to check it out. That was the first time I had been to the Milwaukee Art Museum and I was pretty impressed.  We returned a few times over the years for different exhibits we wanted to see, but once we had LJ I never really thought about bringing him to the museum.

Earlier this year, his class took a trip to the symphony and to the Art Museum.  He came home full of excitement and asked if he could go back to the Art Museum again as he didn’t feel like he had enough time to look around during the field trip.  We were invited by the Museum to come back on a recent day off and explore as well as take advantage of their interactive iPod Touch tour.

Honestly, I wasn’t sure how much the Museum would hold LJ’s interest when it was just he and I.  I figured we would spend an hour, maybe 90 minutes and be on our way.  Boy, was I wrong!! LJ absolutely LOVED it.  We checked in and got ourselves an iPod Touch for the interactive tour.  (Got your own iPhone or iPod Touch?  Just download the free app from iTunes and you are all set!)

The Milwaukee Art Museum offers interactive iPod tours.

LJ loved being able to learn more about specific pieces of art – some lessons are audio, some are on screen.

milwaukee art museum 94

We spent time looking at the paintings on the main floor. That area was where his class had spent most of their time and he enjoyed being able to tell me about the different paintings and what he had learned.

milwaukee art museum 6

Next, we ventured over to take advantage of some of the hands on activities.  LJ had a blast trying to pick out what frames worked with which paintings and was actually really good at it!  When you hold up the frame, a voice comes on and describes why it might or might not be the best choice.

milwaukee art museum 4

 

We took a look through the current exhibit, Uncommon Folk.  LJ enjoyed seeing all of the different types of art.  The next exhibit is a Kandinsky retrospective that starts June 5th. We will be coming back to see that one as well!

Eventually, we made our way up to the third floor to the Kohl’s Art Generations Gallery which was full of all kinds of hands on opportunities.  The theme of illusions is one that naturally appeals to kids and it is presented in a way that help kids (and adults too) understand the fundamental principles artists use to create depth and perspective in their drawings and paintings.  LJ had learned some of this at school and the activities at the museum really brought his understanding to the next level.  We both had a blast creating our own sketches, drawings, and even stop-motion movies. (Scroll through the slideshow below to see some of what we created.)

Our entire visit lasted over three hours and we still could have done more!  I love how the Milwaukee Art Museum makes art really come alive for kids and how much their is for them to do there.  The museum also offers ArtPacks! These are self-guided activities created to help families connect with art in fun ways. Current highlights include Sketchpacks—carry cases filled with a variety of paper and artist’s materials for drawing in the galleries, an Architecture Scavenger Hunt (complete with a prize!), Reading with Art—picture books with cue cards developed to be read in front of works of art.  ArtPack activities are free and available from the ArtPack attendant stationed in the Kohl’s Education Center, in the Collection Galleries, Main Level.

Admission is:

  • $17 Adults
  • $14 Students (w/ID), Seniors (65+)
  • Free to Members and Kids 12 & under.
  • Free to Active Military and Reservists (w/ID) and up to five family members, Memorial Day through Labor Day, in conjunction with Blue Star Families.
  • Free to Wisconsin K–12 teachers with valid school ID or pay stub.
  • Free the first Thursday of every month (excluding groups), sponsored by Target®.

 

You and your family can take advantage of  Kohl’s Art Generation Family Sundays where families can enjoy hands-on art activities, interactive performances, family tours, visiting artists, and more! These events are free with Museum admission and for children twelve and under.  For the budget conscious, museum admission is free the first Thursday of each month.

Thanks so much to the Milwaukee Art Museum for having us!  We had soooo much fun and can’t wait to come back again.

 

Comments | 17 comments

About Maureen

Maureen Fitzgerald is a Milwaukee, Wisconsin freelance writer, social media marketer, community manager, and brand enthusiast. She helps brands reach more potential customers through targeted consultation sessions, press coverage, product reviews and campaigns both at WisconsinMommy.com and by leveraging her blogger network, the Wisconsin Mom Squad.

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Comments

  1. Cat @ TOTS says

    May 30, 2014 at 4:19 pm

    This place looks great. I bet my (almost) 9 year old would love it as well. Thanks for the motivation to get moving and get my kids some culture!

    Reply
  2. Digna D. says

    May 30, 2014 at 4:50 pm

    Very nice museum. Not sure I could get my son to one like that but he does like ones like the Smithsonian.

    Reply
  3. Andrea Kruse says

    May 30, 2014 at 6:38 pm

    Neat! We don’t have an art museum locally, but I love that yours has so much for children to do.

    Reply
  4. Mel {MamaBuzz} says

    May 30, 2014 at 9:50 pm

    Wow, I love how interactive the museum is. Maybe I need to check out our local art museum just a bit more.

    Reply
  5. Michelle says

    May 30, 2014 at 10:00 pm

    Looks like a cool place to visit! Now I wanna visit my local art museum.

    Reply
  6. Virginia @thatbaldchick says

    May 30, 2014 at 10:59 pm

    My daughter would love it. Not sure what my son would think .

    Reply
  7. Heather Lawrence says

    May 30, 2014 at 11:29 pm

    Wow! How cool is that?!?
    I love that the museum has an app!
    My son is 9 and he would love to check out a real mummy!

    Reply
  8. Beth says

    May 31, 2014 at 7:24 am

    How fun that ti is interactive! We are headed to a few museums next week that are interactive. I hope they are this much fun!

    Reply
  9. Liz Mays says

    May 31, 2014 at 8:35 am

    I would really enjoy all those illusions myself. Those are super cool!

    Reply
  10. Shell Feis says

    June 2, 2014 at 2:46 am

    Okay that is SO cool! My mom used to drag me to local art exhibits when I was a kid & I was always so bored because I didn’t really GET the art. Having the iPhone app to tell me more about the pieces would have been so nice!

    Reply
  11. Marina says

    June 2, 2014 at 11:02 am

    I love the ArtPacks. My kids would love this museum.

    Reply
  12. Melinda says

    June 2, 2014 at 11:28 am

    we’re headed to our local art museum soon. hope my kids have fun

    Reply
  13. Valerie Remy-Milora says

    June 2, 2014 at 5:21 pm

    I grew up i nParis and loved spending hours on end in museums but somehow I have not spent much time in our museums here in LA with my girls. I’m not sure why. My husband has taken them and they’ve gone with school… I think it’s time we share some quality time together exploring some of the wonderful collections LA has to offer. The Milwaukee Museum sounds fabulous!

    Reply
    • Maureen says

      June 4, 2014 at 9:38 am

      Growing up with the museums in Paris must have been amazing! I know when I was visiting there I loved walking through all of the smaller museums as much as the Louvre!

      Reply
  14. Stacey says

    June 14, 2017 at 2:20 pm

    Although I’ve taken my seven-year old daughter to many museums, I’ve never taken her to an art museum. I just assumed she wouldn’t be interested. But after reading this, I think I will look into some area art museums to see what they offer for kids. Thanks for the inspiration!

    Reply
    • Maureen Fitzgerald says

      June 15, 2017 at 1:30 pm

      I know the Milwaukee Art Museum makes a real effort to be relatable to kids of all ages. Yours might have a similar program as well.

      Reply

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Maureen Fitzgerald of Wisconsin Mommy

Maureen Fitzgerald is a Milwaukee, Wisconsin influencer, brand enthusiast and strategist. She helps brands reach more potential customers through targeted consultation sessions, press coverage, product reviews and campaigns both at WisconsinMommy.com and by leveraging her blogger network. You can also see Maureen hamming it up on her YouTube channel at WisconsinMommy.tv. READ MORE...
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