Four Milwaukee museums announced they will reopen to the public in March.
Discovery World, the Harley Davidson Museum, Milwaukee Art Museum and Milwaukee Public Museum announced jointly each of their phased reopening plans.
The plans include:
- Beginning March 4, the Milwaukee Public Museum will be open Thursdays through Sundays, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Special Community of Curiosity programming on dinosaurs is available virtually before, during, or after guests’ visits.
- Beginning March 5, the Harley-Davidson Museum, including Motor Bar & Restaurant and The Shop, will be open Fridays through Sundays. The museum and shop will be open from 10 a.m. until 5 p.m. MOTOR’s hours are 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. A new exhibit, “Off-Road Harley-Davidson,” will be unveiled on March 5.
- Admission to the Milwaukee Art Museum will be free for all visitors on March 5, thanks to Educators Credit Union. The Museum will be open Fridays through Sundays, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., with galleries on the main and lower levels accessible to the public. The exhibition Susan Meiselas: Through a Woman’s Lens will be on view in the Herzfeld Center for Photography and Media Arts.
- Beginning on March 27, Discovery World will be open Wednesdays through Sundays, from 9 a.m. to noon and 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. The noon to 1 p.m. time slot will be reserved for deep cleaning. “Science + You,” a traveling exhibit designed to increase awareness and understanding of the role science and scientists play in the health and wellness of children and adults throughout the world, will be on display in the spring.
After reopening briefly in the summer of last year, all four museums have remained closed since the fall, when Wisconsin saw its peak of COVID-19 cases.
The museums said City of Milwaukee health officials have approved safety plans for each of their institutions.
The museums also called on the community to support them as they recover from a challenging year, citing an American Alliance of Museums report indicating one-third of all institutions are at risk of permanent closure.
“Milwaukee’s museums and cultural institutions are a major draw for visitors and locals year round, but their importance goes far beyond that,” said Peggy Williams-Smith, president and CEO of VISIT Milwaukee. “They are the keepers of our community’s culture, history, and traditions, which is why the pandemic’s effects on their resources have been especially devastating. They need all of Milwaukee to step up and show their support today through donations, admission, and membership if we want to preserve the institutions that are vital to our identity as a city.”
