A Proven Path: How the Bell Museum Moved Its Historic Dioramas—and Why MPM Can Too

Courtesy of the University of Minnesota and Bell Museum A massive taxidermied moose is hoisted by crane, wrapped and secured for transport to the new Bell Museum.

When the Milwaukee Public Museum (MPM) insists that its large, historic habitat dioramas cannot be moved safely into the new Wisconsin Museum of Nature & Culture, it is worth looking north to a museum that has already done exactly that. In 2017–2018, the Bell Museum in St. Paul, Minnesota relocated ten full-size natural history dioramas, several massive taxidermy mounts, and decades of scenic art—successfully, safely, and without discarding its heritage.

The Bell relocation stands as a clear precedent: large dioramas can be moved. They can be protected. They can be restored. And doing so is often more cost-effective than recreating everything from scratch.

This blog post examines the Bell Museum’s process and how it can guide a smarter, more ethical approach to MPM’s transition.

Why the Bell Move Matters for Milwaukee

The Bell Museum’s former building on the University of Minnesota’s Minneapolis campus was aging, much like MPM’s current Wells Street facility. Yet instead of destroying exhibits, Bell Museum leadership chose a conservation approach—relocating historic dioramas into a new, state-of-the-art facility.

According to Bell communications director Andria Waclawski, “There are no other projects that have moved dioramas of this size, scale, age and method of construction.” Despite that challenge, the Bell team treated the dioramas as essential, irreplaceable assets.

Adrienne Wiseman, the Bell Museum’s business and marketing director, put the value plainly: “The paintings were really irreplaceable. They are masterworks.”

This philosophy—preservation first—contrasts sharply with MPM’s current plan to leave behind over 95% of its habitat dioramas.

How Bell Moved the “Unmovable”

1. Cutting the walls strategically—without damaging the art

Bell’s dioramas were never meant to move. Murals by famed wildlife artist Francis Lee Jaques were adhered directly to structural walls using lead glue. As Wolf Magritte crew member Luke Boehnke explained, “These paintings were obviously never intended to move.”

Instead of abandoning the murals, conservators cut the walls in sections where seams would be least visible. A steel lifting frame supported each giant segment.

2. Rolling out dioramas on steel dollies

Some diorama sections were too large to remove through doorways—sound familiar to MPM’s predicament? To solve this, Bell crews cut a temporary opening into the side of the building and rolled all ten dioramas out on steel dollies.

3. Transporting the dioramas across cities

Wrapped in protective shrink-wrap, the dioramas traveled by truck from Minneapolis to St. Paul. This was not a short hallway move; it was a multi-mile city-to-city relocation, across traffic, roads, and university campuses.

4. Restoring, cleaning, and upgrading upon arrival

For the first time in decades, the murals were unsealed and cleaned. Staff were astonished at how bright the colors were beneath dust and age. Jaques’ hidden details—tiny birds and creatures—re-emerged during the conservation process.

New lighting, modern environmental controls, and better sightlines elevated the dioramas, allowing them to shine in ways impossible in the old building.

Bell’s dioramas weren’t just preserved—they were improved.

Visual Evidence: The Bell Move in Action

Crews peel away tissue coverings and clean the murals—revealing original colors hidden for decades.

MinnPost photo by Briana Bierschbach 

Diorama walls being restored and prepared for reinstallation in the new building.

These images demonstrate engineering, care, and specialized craftsmanship—the same approaches MPM could employ.

MinnPost photo by Briana Bierschbach 

Why “Rebuild Everything New” Is Not the Only Option

MPM’s current plan leans heavily toward creating entirely new exhibits, leaving behind historically significant dioramas, WPA-era murals, artistic masterworks, and taxidermy specimens. This approach is:

• More expensive

• Less sustainable

• Less aligned with AAM/ICOM ethical standards

• Risky in terms of public trust and stewardship

In contrast, the Bell Museum’s relocation proves that reuse combined with restoration is not only possible—it is fiscally responsible and ethically sound.

A Smarter Path Forward for Milwaukee

MPM leadership, Milwaukee County Supervisors, and museum stakeholders should commission a formal reuse feasibility study—something the Bell Museum successfully executed. The Bell example shows that:

• Dioramas can be moved, even when originally built into walls.

• Expert crews can safely cut, lift, transport, and reinstall historic artwork.

• Conservation during a move can improve and renew aging exhibits.

• Costs can be controlled by preserving, not replacing, these masterworks.

The choice is not “destroy or modernize.” The choice is preserve and modernize—just as Minnesota did.

To Learn More: Bierschbach, Briana. “Bell on wheels: How Minnesota’s only natural history museum got from Minneapolis to St. Paul.” MinnPost, 17 Aug. 2017, https://www.minnpost.com/education/2017/08/bell-wheels-how-minnesotas-only-natural-history-museum-got-minneapolis-st-paul/.

Call to Action

Milwaukee deserves a museum that honors its heritage. If you believe MPM’s dioramas should be preserved—not discarded—add your voice.

Visit SaveMPM.org and PreserveMKE.org to learn how you can support responsible stewardship, conservation ethics, and a future museum that honors the past while building for the next century.