EXHIBITIONS
MCHS Exhibits are open Monday, Wednesday – Saturday from 9:30am – 5:00pm. We close early on select Saturdays, so we advise calling ahead.
Climates of Inequality: Stories of Environmental Justice
NEW EXHIBIT!
Climates of Inequality: Stories of Environmental Justice is an international traveling multi-media exhibition, web platform, and series of dialogues exploring the history and future of climate and environmental justice
Over the course of two years, Milwaukee joined communities across the hemisphere to explore the deep historical roots of climate inequality and environmental injustice in their localities, share personal experiences, and develop strategies for change. Through virtual reality, moving audio testimony, and historical imagery from each community, the exhibition explores how the climate crisis and environmental injustice is intensifying inequality—and how the experiences of the hardest-hit communities hold the key to confronting these issues and finding ways to move forward. These stories of environmental racism, resistance, and resilience also provide critical insight on how “front-line” communities are experiencing, and responding creatively to, the COVID-19 pandemic.
Climates of Inequality is a project of the Humanities Action Lab, a coalition of universities, issue-based organizations, and public spaces led by Rutgers University-Newark that collaborate to produce community-curated public humanities projects on urgent social issues.
The HAL-created exhibit will be supplemented by an exhibit created by UW-Milwaukee students under the leadership of Public History Professor Arijit Sen that will examine food and housing justice in Milwaukee. The exhibitions, located on the second floor mezzanine, will be open from April 3, 2024-June 1, 2024.
This project was made possible in part by Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation, the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, and Rutgers University-Newark School of Arts and Sciences.
Many Lives of Milwaukee: Objects of Identity
NEW EXHIBIT!
The MCHS 2024 exhibition, Many Lives of Milwaukee: Objects of Identity, features a collection of objects that represent the multifaceted identities and stories of Milwaukee. Through these tangible artifacts, the exhibit delves into the history, culture, and personal narratives that have shaped Milwaukee into the city we see today. From public art to everyday items and cherished heirlooms, each object becomes a portal into the rich and varied experiences of the people who have called Milwaukee home. Visitors are invited to discover the city’s vibrant identity through the lens of these evocative objects.
The exhibition, located on the second floor mezzanine, will be open from January 25, 2024-May 25, 2024.
Brew City: The Story of Milwaukee Beer
Now on exhibit.
Detailing the history of brewing in Milwaukee County, the exhibit explores the local culture of beer and its evolution over time. Featuring artifacts, photographs, documents, audio, and visual media from the extensive MCHS Brewery Collection visitors will get to experience why Milwaukee truly is Brew City.
Media and MCHS Members are invited to join us for an Exhibit Opening Celebration on August 11, 2022.
Meet MKE
Meet MKE is the newest permanent exhibit at the Milwaukee County Historical Society. Showcasing some of the most iconic artifacts in the collection, this exhibit explores Milwaukee history from bridges and breweries to founders and festivals.
presented by VISIT MILWAUKEE
Milwaukee County Historical Center
910 N. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Drive
Milwaukee, WI 53203