A peek into Milwaukee’s architecture and more
Photo by Kirsten Schmitt
The Catholic Financial Life building, a first year participant, provides beautiful views of the Milwaukee skyline.
An event that allows public access to more than 165 doors, Doors Open Milwaukee, celebrated its sixth year. Historic Milwaukee Inc. organizes the event that takes place every September and is free-of-charge to the public. The event offers access to buildings from churches to theaters, museums to universities, and so much more.
Doors Open includes more than access to buildings. There are also tours, family activities and music opportunities throughout the two-day event.
While Doors Open Milwaukee is free to the public, the event also offers tours that require tickets and some tickets cost $10. One of the most popular tours is the City Hall bell tour. The ticket is free, but the tour seems to reach capacity long before the event! Tours include architecture, but also food, ecology and more.
Doors Open has 24 sites of special interest for families with children. The children can then collect stamps from the different sites; there is also a free coloring book.
One site included in this opportunity is Jones Island Water Reclamation Facility. The facility offered free transportation from the parking lot to the building. In the building, the facility offered mini-lectures on water treatment and had free swag, “stuff we all get.” Outside the kids had the opportunity to participate in crafts or check out different trucks used in the process of water treatment. Kids of all ages (including adults) could climb up into a big truck as long as they were wearing the proper safety gear.
The beautiful mosiac is apart of the entryway at the MSOE Grohmann museum, which houses a statue garden on top of the building.
Doors Open offers access to contemporary music performances. The performances feature music pieces written specifically for the location where the music is performed. This year’s locations included the Central Library, the Ambassador Hotel, Burnham Block Frank Lloyd Wright-American System Built Homes, and ASQ Center.
This year, Doors Open Milwaukee hosted a block party outside the Historic Milwaukee Inc. office, which included live music, and Historic Milwaukee partnered with Ex Fabula to present a story slam.
This special event is only offered once a year, but invites the public to explore Milwaukee’s art, architecture, culture and history.
Milwaukee City Hall stands as an important part of the Doors Open tour, now in it’s 6th year.
My name is Kirsten Schmitt. I joined the MATC Times because I was on my high school paper and really enjoyed the experience. I wanted to enhance my experience...
