Doors Open Milwaukee Celebrates its 50-Year Anniversary; Here’s Ten Historic Places to Visit this year
Doors Open Milwaukee is celebrating 50 years of sharing Milwaukee’s historic architecture, museums and local businesses with the public through offering free tours and family-friendly activities.
This year, over 150 locations all over Milwaukee, including the freshly completed Baird Center North Building, will open their doors to the public. To celebrate its 50th Anniversary, here are our picks for ten historic places you should visit this year.
217 North Broadway
217 North Broadway is a former coffee roasting mill that was commissioned by Wm. Rohnert in 1912. Much of its original machinery is still on display on the second and third floors including coffee roasters, coffee bean storage hoppers, cup electors and drop chutes.
One Hundred Percent Milwaukee is opening the building for the first time this year to feature ten different artists including painters, writers, sound engineers and professional photographers who can take your portrait. There will also be an exhibit of Dan Capp’s bug collection along with an interactive virtual reality experience run by Antonio Gustin from Creepy World VR.
One Hundred Percent Milwaukee is also hosting mini yoga classes for adults and children, painting classes for children and live music throughout the weekend. With an artisanal blend of new arts and old crafts, 217 North Broadway is sure to be a great place to start your weekend.
Arts @ Large
Arts @ Large resides in the former Patrick Cudahy Building, which was built in 1890 as a retail and apartment building. Throughout its life, the building has served many purposes including a tavern, the St. Vincent de Paul Society and a youth recreation and art center named “The Polish House.”
Guests will be able to tour the historic building, and take part in a variety of activities including screen printing, chalk art, mural making and more. The Green Baked Goods Cafe on the first floor will also be serving fresh baked goods, sandwiches and specialty drinks.
The building is located at 1100 S 5th St.
Mitchell Street Arts
Mitchell Street Arts resides in the former Kunzelmann-Esser Furniture Company which was built in 1900. According to MiSA, their central purpose is to make bridges: to utilize art as a vehicle for cross-cultural connection.
For Doors Open Milwaukee, MiSA will have a creative makerspace with a wood shop, ceramics studio, photo darkroom, street art room and more. Their stage will host theater, slam poetry, standup comedy, dance, jazz shows and more throughout the weekend.
MiSA will also have a gallery to promote the work of local artists, and a community art project for Doors Open Milwaukee visitors.
Mitchell Street Arts is located at 710 W Historic Mitchell St.
Direct Supply Innovation and Technology Center
The Direct Supply Innovation and Technology Center is home to engineers, data scientists and more, working to develop and improve technology for senior health. Direct Supply’s building was originally built in 1891 as The German-English Academy.
Doors Open Milwaukee guests can take self-guided tours of the office, where they’ll find original flooring and cream city brick mixed in with new installations such as Betty White, a Mario Tube, a hobbit Door and a Mine Shaft.
The Center is located at 1020 N Broadway.
Best Place at Pabst “BOO” Ribbon Brewery
Best Place at the historic Pabst Brewery was originally built in 1858 as a public elementary school across the street from the Best Brewing Company. In the late 19th century, Captain Frederick Pabst bought the Best Brewing Company as well as the public school which he used for his offices.
For Doors Open Milwaukee, Best Place is offering an all-new spooky experience at the Pabst “BOO” Ribbon Brewery. Visitors can get a password for the speakeasy from the barista at Best Place Coffee and Spirits, and see the Haunted Jail Cell and newly-opened “Back Vault.”
The building is located at 917 W Juneau Ave.
Benjamin Church House
The Benjamin Church House was built in 1844 and is the oldest house still standing in Milwaukee. The building was moved in 1938 by WPA workers, the Milwaukee County Historical Society, Milwaukee County Parks and the Colonial Dames of Wisconsin.
Doors Open Milwaukee visitors can take guided or self-guided tours to explore the building’s early Milwaukee exhibits, 19th century artifacts and Greek Revival Architecture.
Benjamin Church House is located at 4250 N. Estabrook Parkway in Shorewood.
David Barnett Gallery
The David Barnett Gallery is Wisconsin’s longest-standing art gallery, housing over 6,000 artworks that represent more than 600 artists from around the world. The gallery resides in the former Button Mansion which was built by Edward Townsend Mix in 1875 for Dr. Henry Harrison Button.
Doors Open Milwaukee visitors can take self-guided tours through the gallery’s first and second floors. With a $5 donation to the David Barnett Gallery’s non-profit sector Artist Resource Transnational, visitors can ascend to the building’s rooftop to take in a scenic view of Milwaukee.
The gallery is located at 1024 E State St.
Forest Home Cemetery and Arboretum
Forest Home Cemetery and Arboretum is the largest green space in the City of Milwaukee with nearly 200 acres of land. The cemetery was established in 1847 by members of St. Paul’s Episcopal Church.
The cemetery and arboretum is open to the public year round. For Doors Open Milwaukee, visitors will get to tour the Landmark Chapel and Crematory which was designed by famed architects George Ferry and Arthur Clas, known for the Pabst Mansion and Central Library.
Visitors can also tour the Cemetery Office, and see the vaults and historical records used to find burial locations for family members, historical researchers and genealogists.
It is located at 2405 W Forest Home Ave.
Jazz Center
The Jazz Gallery Center for the Arts was originally built in 1887 as a tavern. From 1978-1984 the building was the Milwaukee Jazz Gallery which hosted some of the greatest artists in the history of jazz such as Dizzy Gillespie, Art Blakey, Sun Ra, McCoy Tyner, Dexter Gordan and Stan Getz.
In 2008, it was purchased by the Riverwest Artists Association as a gallery and community center. According to their website, “Here we celebrate experimental efforts along with more traditional takes, and everything in between.”
It will be open on Saturday, Sept. 28, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. There will be live jazz performances throughout the day and an art exhibit featuring local fine artists.
The Jazz Gallery Center for the Arts is located at 926 E Center St.
America’s Black Holocaust Museum
America’s Black Holocaust Museum was founded in 1988 by lynching survivor Dr. James Cameron. The museum’s exhibits encompass over 400 years of African-American history from pre-captivity to the present.
Its exhibits include African people before captivity, the trans-Atlantic slave trade, auction blocks, the civil rights movement from past to present and more. The museum is offering free admission on Saturday, Sept. 28, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
America’s Black Holocaust Museum is located at 401 W North Ave.