Milwaukee Residents Rally to Demand Transparency in Public Museum Relocation

Milwaukee Residents Rally to Demand Transparency in Public Museum Relocation

MILWAUKEE, WI — Concerned Milwaukee residents will gather outside the Milwaukee Public Museum this Saturday, May 31st from 11:00 AM to 12:00 PM, to protest the dismantling of beloved exhibits and the transfer of public control to private interests in the museum’s relocation.

Organizers say that Dr. Ellen Censky, President and CEO of MPM, is presiding over the removal of historic cultural displays—such as most of the Streets of Old Milwaukee, the European Village, and dioramas—without meaningful public input. The new museum is being built on land owned by Historic Haymarket Milwaukee, LLC, with $45 million from taxpayers and is not subject to open records laws.

“This is not evolution—it’s erasure,” said one rally organizer. “Milwaukee’s working-class and immigrant heritage is being destroyed behind closed doors. The public paid for this museum, and we deserve a say in its future.”

Key Concerns

• Closure and deaccessioning of iconic exhibits

• $45 million in taxpayer funds to pay for a building we will not own

• Sudden exhibit closures with little to no public notice

• Refusal by leadership to address public questions at County Board meetings

The Rally Will Feature

• Statements from concerned residents

• Posters and petition signings

• On-site interviews with organizers and local advocates

Event Details

• WHAT: Rally to Save Milwaukee’s Public Museum

• WHEN: Saturday, May 31st, 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM

• WHERE: Milwaukee Public Museum, 800 W Wells St, Milwaukee, WI

• WHO: Community members, advocates, and cultural preservation supporters

Related Links

• Petition: https://shorturl.at/gvODA

• Website: http://preserveMKE.org

• Facebook: Save the Streets of Old Milwaukee

MEDIA ALERT

Rally: Milwaukee Residents Protest Public Museum Privatization and Exhibit Erasure

• WHAT: Rally calling for transparency and cultural preservation at the Milwaukee Public Museum

• WHEN: Saturday, May 31st, 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM

• WHERE: Outside Milwaukee Public Museum (800 W Wells St) near James Lowell

• VISUALS: Protest signs, historic exhibit photos, public statements

• INTERVIEWS AVAILABLE: Local organizers, petitioners, and cultural advocates

• WHY: Protest against the closure of historic exhibits and the use of public funds to support a privately controlled relocation