Ethics Complaint: Destruction of Public Trust and Cultural Erasure at Milwaukee Public Museum

To Whom It May Concern,

I am writing to formally lodge an ethics complaint concerning the Milwaukee Public Museum (MPM) under the leadership of President and CEO Dr. Ellen Censky. I believe there are clear violations of the American Alliance of Museums (AAM) Code of Ethics and the fiduciary responsibilities outlined by both AAM and the International Council of Museums (ICOM).

Dr. Censky oversees a museum that manages—but does not own—a collection legally held in trust by Milwaukee County. Her leadership appears to undermine public trust, erase culturally significant exhibits, and misrepresent her authority under the museum’s lease agreements [1].

Specific Concerns

1. Erasure of Cultural Exhibits Under the Guise of “Equity” Updates

Dr. Censky has justified dismantling long-standing exhibits by citing $80–90 million in “equity updates,” with staff referring to them as “old and culturally irrelevant.” She has argued that the museum must evolve with “social, political, and economic changes.” This framing supports the exclusion or destruction of legacy exhibits, especially those representing European and Hispanic culture [4].

2. Destruction of the Streets of Old Milwaukee – A Beloved Cultural Treasure

The Streets of Old Milwaukee is a historically significant immersive exhibit depicting life in the late 1800s through storefronts and homes styled to reflect Milwaukee’s immigrant heritage—Polish, German, Czech, and others. It was not meant to be a chronological overview but rather a rich, evocative snapshot of the lived experiences of Milwaukee residents during a formative period in the city’s development.

Dr. Censky has dismissed the exhibit’s relevance by stating it “only represents seven years” of history, using that narrow framing to justify its exclusion from the new museum.

The exhibit’s so-called “spiritual successor,” Milwaukee Revealed, will be much smaller and lacks the detailed cultural representation that made Streets iconic. While marketed as a replacement, it is not a comparable cultural snapshot of the people of Milwaukee. Instead, Milwaukee Revealed emphasizes broader themes like the relationship between nature and urban life, prioritizing ecological and infrastructural elements over immersive, community-specific storytelling.

This shift away from cultural specificity has alarmed residents across the region:

• A Facebook group dedicated to preserving Streets of Old Milwaukee has grown to over 9,300 members [6].

• A petition demanding its preservation has gathered more than 11,000 signatures [7].

• Community members are now engaging in door-to-door education, organizing testimony, and urging oversight officials to act.

3. Disregard for Transparency and the Museum’s Legacy Mission

At a public meeting, I asked Dr. Censky to clarify her position that “MPM is not a history museum,” which directly contradicts how the institution presents itself on its website, in press releases, and in fundraising materials. I also cited the 2013 Lease Agreement, which clearly states that collections are owned by Milwaukee County. Rather than address these contradictions, Dr. Censky dismissed my comment as “disinformation” and refused to elaborate [5]. This reflects a pattern of evading public scrutiny and downplaying community input.

Further deepening concern is her public statement: “Nostalgia won’t carry us forward” [8]—a troubling remark from a leader entrusted with preserving one of the world’s most influential immersive history museums. Her 2025 declaration that MPM is not a history museum—despite its long-standing identification as both a natural and human history institution—suggests an intentional pivot. Under her leadership, MPM appears to be shifting away from its public mission and diverse cultural storytelling, toward a narrower focus aligned with her academic background in biology.

4. Structuring Around Accountability: The “Relocation Strategy” and Historic Haymarket Milwaukee, LLC

Dr. Censky presides over a plan to build a new, smaller museum by allocating $45 million in County funds to a private nonprofit, Historic Haymarket Milwaukee, LLC (HHM)—which now owns the land under the future museum.

The Third Amendment to the 2013 Lease officially redefined MPM’s “Relocation Strategy” to include not only MPM but also “entities affiliated” with it, like HHM—whose mission includes supporting museum relocation and seeking tax credits. Donations made to HHM were retroactively approved to count toward MPM’s fundraising targets, despite not being reflected in MPM’s own financials [1].

This structure appears to create an accountability gap:

• HHM is not consolidated into MPM’s reporting

• Its leadership is undisclosed

• It is not bound by Wisconsin’s public records or open meetings laws

Meanwhile, MPM is still obligated under its lease to:

• Submit budgets and audits (Section 5.9)

• Comply with state transparency statutes (Section 9.4)

• Provide deaccession records upon request (Sections 5.1(l), 5.5)

This approach may allow key decisions to be made by private entities beyond public oversight—while the museum continues to receive substantial taxpayer funding.

AAM and ICOM Code Violations

This situation appears to violate the following:

• AAM Code of Ethics [2]:

  • Museums must be stewards of cultural assets, serve the public good, and remain transparent.

• ICOM Code of Ethics [3]:

  • Article 2.7: Deaccessioning must not undermine public trust

  • Article 6.1: Transparency and accountability are essential

Summary

This is not simply about modernization. It is about the dismantling of an institution’s legacy under the guise of equity and sustainability, with decreasing transparency and increasing privatization.

Dr. Ellen Censky appears to be evolving the museum away from its public mission and cultural diversity—toward a narrowed, science-centered agenda—contrary to the public’s expressed wishes and without adequate oversight.

As Supervisor Sheldon Wasserman put it:“We are the voice of the people in this area… You have ten thousand people, go to your supervisors, go to the county executive… if people have concerns, talk to their supervisors.”

I respectfully urge AAM to investigate whether MPM continues to meet ethical and accreditation standards under Dr. Censky’s leadership.

Sincerely,

PresereMKE

References

1. Third Amendment to 2013 Lease and Management Agreement, Milwaukee County and MPM Inc.

2. AAM Code of Ethics, https://www.aam-us.org/programs/ethics-standards-and-professional-practices/code-of-ethics-for-museums/

3. ICOM Code of Ethics, https://icom.museum/en/activities/standards-guidelines/code-of-ethics/

4. Wisconsin Right Now, Inflated Renovation Estimates, Jan 2023

5. Milwaukee County Parks Committee Public Comment, March 2025

6. Facebook Group: Save the Streets of Old Milwaukee, May 2025

7. Change.org Petition: Save the Streets of Old Milwaukee, May 2025

Wisconsin Public Media, “Nostalgia won’t carry us forward”, 2023