10 Things to do in Milwaukee
(Last Updated On: 20. August 2018)
During my visit in Wisconsin I’ve seen a shirt with a slogan which was approximately like follows: “Wisconsin- the state of psychopaths and a good time”. Indeed, I had a good time there, but I asked myself: “What’s the deal with the psychopaths? And lived those guys in Milwaukee too? If you ask about it someone who lives in Milwaukee, you will indeed usually hear a name: Jeffrey Dahmer. But let’s talk not about psychopaths but about some places you should visit and about things to do in Milwaukee. I think, you will find here something for every taste because this city has a lot of things to do and to be visited. So read on, folks.
Harley-Davidson MuseumTM
If you are a Harley-Davidson fan, this place is of course an obligatory visit for you. Here you will find everything a Harley-Davidson fan can only imagine. From the origins of this company with the very first products of Harley-Davidson, over a so-called engine room with single parts of Harley-Davidson engines, towards the experience gallery. In the experience gallery you will find some motorcycles you can touch and sit onto. In total you will find at the Harley-Davidson MuseumTM* more than 450 motorcycles, and a walk through this museum is also a kind of a walk through the American history.
How to get to the Harley-Davidson MuseumTM
You will find the museum opposite of the corner of the 6th Street and the West Canal Street. In the first picture below you see the general location of the museum in Milwaukee. Scroll down to the second pic with more zoom-in.
Here you can see more details of the city map. By the way, just on the other side of the museum you will find a Harley-Davidson bar and restaurant. Right next to it you can buy some souvenirs in the Harley-Davidson souvenir shop, folks.
Lunch at the Miller Park
The Miller Park is actually a baseball stadium. I am not interested in baseball, but I’ve been there, nevertheless, because I had a lunch there. For inside of the stadium, there is a visitor’s center with a restaurant called “TGI Fridays“*. With a little luck you will get a place outside which is located at the inner side of the stadium and you will have the view of the whole stadium by enjoying your meal. Even though I am not interested in baseball, to see this was very impressive for me. And if you ask me about things to do in Milwaukee, you should go to this place, folks.
Location of the Miller Park
The Miller Park is located west of Milwaukee and the address is 1 Brewers Way, Milwaukee
Milwaukee Public Museum
In the Milwaukee Public Museum (MPM) you will find more than 4 million objects in several departments, like History, Zoology, Botany, Geology, Anthropology and so on. More information about the single collections you will find here. Besides that, at MPM you will not only find regular collection but also changing programs. Thus, you will discover from time to time new things like special exhibitions. More about the programs you will find here. Although you need to pay for the entrance, the MPM is a non-profit organization.
Location of the Milwaukee Public Museum
The MPM is located in the 800 West Wells Street. Just take a look on the map, folks.
The Pabst Mansion
The Pabst Mansion* belonged to the Pabst family which emigrated from Germany to the United States in the 19th century. In Milwaukee, they operated a brewery and also had a lot of pubs where they could sell the beer. Thus, they became very wealthy, like the other brewer families in Milwaukee. The construction of the Pabst Mansion has begun in the year 1890 and survived till now. After the heads of the Pabst family passed away, their descendants sold the house in the year 1908. From this point, the Pabst Mansion became an archbishop’s residence and was sold again in the year 1975 to a hotel. The hotel owner wanted to tear this place down because he needed space for parking lots. But after 3 years of a juristic fight for preservation of this house, it became a museum.
When you go there, you will dive into another period and get very close to the history of the living in the 19th century. When you are interested in American history, I am sure, you will like it, folks.
How to get to the Pabst Mansion
You will find the Mansion in Milwaukee at the 20th Street and Wisconsin Avenue on the west side of the Marquette University.
The Safe House
If you are looking for an unusual place to eat, I can recommend you the Safe House*. This place is not a normal restaurant but when you enter it, you would become a secret agent. I don’t want to talk too much about it. Otherwise, I would take away the fun. Just go there and see what happens 😉
If you have been there, please write a comment if you liked it and tell me if you knew the password.
You will find the Safe House in 779 North Front Street. As a den for secret agents, this place is not located along of the one of the main streets but it is hidden in a side street and you need to keep your eyes a bit open to find the door. Just look for the sign on the facade you see in the picture above.
Ladybug building
Not far away from the Safe House, there is an architectural attraction and if you should have a couple of minutes, you should go to the 622 North Water Street. There you will find an office building with three huge ladybugs on it. Each of them is almost as big as an ’68 VW Beetle.
The story behind it: in the 90ies, the government of Milwaukee wanted to beautify the architecture of the city, and this was one of their projects. Thus, the ladybugs handing on the building there since 1999. Actually, the name of the building is “Milwaukee Building”. But since the ladybugs were fixed on its facade, everyone is calling this building just “Ladybug Building”. I think, the most of the younger people even don’t know the real name and frankly, to me Ladybug Building sounds more pleasant than the “Milwaukee Building”.
Cat cafe “Sip & Purr”
What? Yes, it’s not a joke. In Milwaukee there is a cat cafe which opened in June 2018. What’s all about? The cafe Sip & Purr* is at first blush like other cafes, with a bar and table-side seating. The interior is held in an industrial mood with a blend of warm wood. On the walls you will find plenty of cat-themed art and metal accents. But now comes the difference: this place is not just a cafe but a shelter for cats, if you will. There are several cats sitting and walking around in the Sip & Purr and giving to this place something special. Besides that, all cats at Sip & Purr are adoptable. More details about the Sip & Purr you will find here. If you would like to watch a brief video, you can start it below.
The concept of this cafe is not completely new. In Japan you will find several cat cafes, especially in Tokio. But in Milwaukee it is, of course, an unusual attraction and I recommend you to visit this place.
Where is Sip & Purr located?
You will find this cafe at the East Side of Milwaukee at 2021 E. Ivanhoe Place, right adjacent to Black Cat Alley (funny, right?). More about the Black Cat Alley you will find in the next section below.
Black Cat Alley
As I already mentioned it above, the Black Cat Alley is right adjacent to the Sip & Purr. You will find this place when you leave the cat cafe and turn right into the next side street.
There you will find some street art of street artists of Milwaukee. Its not a big deal but to me it was a pleasant place and I hope you will enjoy it, like I did.
Here you can see a picture of one of those street arts:
Visit the Milwaukee Art Museum
If you are interested in arts, you also should visit the Milwaukee Art Museum*. You will find there works form different periods, from the antiquity to the present. Besides American paintings, you will also find there European ones. Besides that, you can watch in this art museum not only paintings but also sculptures, photographs, decorative arts and so on.
This place is an obligatory visit for every art lover, and I am sure, you will leave this place with a positive feeling.
Where is the Milwaukee Art Museum located?
You will find this art museum at the east side of Milwaukee at 700 North Art Museum Drive, very close to Lake Michigan, folks. Detailed information about the directions you will find here.
Visit one of the festivals in Milwaukee
Here’s another suggestion of things to do in Milwaukee; not far away from the Milwaukee Art Museum, there is a place belonging to the Milwaukee World Festival Corporation (also known as Henry Maier Festival Park). This corporation is a non-profit organisation (according to the statement). At this place there are a lot of festivals and events taking place. As I’ve been there, there was a German festival and it was a kind of Oktoberfest. But during the year you will find several other events at this place. Just check their calendar, folks.
The location of the MWF is south from the Art Museum at the and you won’t miss it. Check here for directions and parking.
Okay, folks. Those were a couple of suggestions of things to do in Milwaukee. Consider them as a stimulus for other things to do, e.g. visiting the Milwaukee Public Market, the North Point Lighthouse, the Potawatomi – Casino*, Milwaukee River Walk and so on. If you have any questions, please leave a comment.
*I don’t have any commercial agreements with this company and do NOT receive any benefits by mentioning it on this blog.
(Last Updated On: 20. August 2018)During my visit in Wisconsin I’ve seen a shirt with a slogan which was approximately like follows: “Wisconsin- the state of psychopaths and a good time”. Indeed, I had a good time there, but I asked myself: “What’s the deal with the psychopaths? And lived those guys in Milwaukee too? If you ask about it someone who lives in Milwaukee, you will indeed usually hear a name: Jeffrey Dahmer. But let’s talk not about psychopaths but about some places you should visit and about things to do in Milwaukee. I think, you will find here something for every taste because this city has a lot of things to do and to be visited. So read on, folks. Harley-Davidson MuseumTM If you are a Harley-Davidson fan, this place is of course an obligatory visit for you. Here you will find everything a Harley-Davidson fan can only imagine. From the origins of this company with the very first products of Harley-Davidson, over a so-called engine room with single parts of Harley-Davidson engines, towards the experience gallery. In the experience gallery you will find some motorcycles you can touch and sit onto. In total you will find at the Harley-Davidson MuseumTM* more than 450 motorcycles, and a walk through this museum is also a kind of a walk through the American history. How to get to the Harley-Davidson MuseumTM You will find the museum opposite of the corner of the 6th Street and the West Canal Street. In…
I’ll go to Chicago in a couple of weeks and Milwaukee is an option to be visited too. So thank you for sharing this information, Max. Do you know, if there another possibility than a car to go to Milwaukee from Chicago?
Yes, you can take the train. It is called Amtrak Hiawatha and the ride will take about 90 minutes. Just check it out, buddy 😉 The other possibility it to take the shuttle bus. But in this case you need to go to the Chicago Airport because the bus stations of the shuttle bus are only there. I hope, I could help you.