The Burke Brise Soleil has a wingspan of 217 feet, equivalent to a Boeing 747, and unfolds or folds in roughly 3.5 minutes.
The museum's oldest section, the Eero Saarinen-designed War Memorial Center, was completed in 1957.
The collection includes the largest repository of works by self-taught artist outsider Mary Nohl.
The museum holds a significant collection of Frank Lloyd Wright pieces and designs reflecting his Wisconsin roots.
The Quadracci Pavilion was Santiago Calatrava’s first completed project in the United States.
The museum's lakefront location is built on reclaimed land originally part of Lake Michigan.
The Milwaukee Art Museum is defined by the Quadracci Pavilion, a postmodern structure designed by Santiago Calatrava featuring the Burke Brise Soleil, a massive wing-like kinetic sculpture. The museum's collection spans over 30,000 works of art dating from antiquity to the present day. It houses significant holdings of 19th- and 20th-century American and European art, contemporary art, and American decorative arts. The facility is physically connected to the Milwaukee War Memorial Center. Its galleries are organized across four levels, providing a comprehensive survey of folk art, Haitian art, and photography. The institution serves as an anchor for the Milwaukee lakefront cultural district.
The Windhover Hall, looking upward through the glass ceiling toward the Burke Brise Soleil wings.
Visit the wind-dependent wing opening and closing ceremonies, which typically occur at the start and end of the day.
Check the online events calendar for docent-led tours, which provide deep context for the rotating special exhibitions.
Allocate time to walk the bridge connecting the museum to downtown for a panoramic view of the architecture against the lake.
Rushing through the permanent collection to see only the architecture; the decorative arts and folk art wings are often overlooked but contain rare, significant pieces.
Closed on Mondays.
No flash photography in designated restricted galleries; food and drinks are strictly prohibited in exhibition spaces.
