Edward Green and his team didn’t just design an exhibit — they built a world. To recreate Milwaukee’s past, they salvaged authentic materials from buildings demolished during urban renewal and freeway construction. Ornate doors, stained glass, and lamps were rescued and given new life inside the museum. Granite blocks from an old downtown street became the cobblestones under visitors’ feet.

Green’s vision was more than accuracy — it was atmosphere. Gas lamps glowed against dim light to create the mood of a crisp autumn evening. Every detail was chosen to transport visitors back in time and give them the feeling of truly walking the streets of turn-of-the-century Milwaukee.

For generations, these choices made the Streets one of the museum’s most beloved and enduring experiences — proof of what happens when history is treated as something to live inside, not just look at.