As the biggest city in the state of Wisconsin, Milwaukee is a melting pot of cultural, social and ethnic groups. Once known as a blue-collar Midwestern city famous for its brewing traditions, Milwaukee has seen construction boom, making it the main economic and cultural center in the state. Along with the many art galleries, museums, theatres and restaurants that celebrate the city’s wide diversity, Milwaukee holds a number of festivals as well, deservedly receiving the nickname “City of Festivals.”
Milwaukee has a number of art galleries and museums that has made it one of the best cultural arts communities in the area. It was even nationally ranked by association partnered with the National Endowment for the Arts. Among the 40 + galleries throughout the city, Milwaukee also has some of the best Museums in the country as well:
Milwaukee Art Museum
As one of the largest museums in the country, visitors can view almost 35,000 works of art. You’ll find sculptures, drawings, paintings, photographs, prints and paintings from some of the most famous artists in the world, including Andy Warhol, Frank Lloyd Wright, and masters of modernism, Claude Monet and Pablo Picasso. It’s also home to the largest collection of works by Georgia O’Keeffe.
Grohmann Museum
Located at the Milwaukee School of Engineering, the Grohmann Museum houses the world’s most extensive collection of art dedicated to the development of human work. You’ll find over 1300 paintings, drawings and sculptures from America and European artists depicting different forms of work.
Milwuakee Public Museum
Located in the downtown area, the Milwaukee Public Museum is run by a non-profit organization and features works representing natural and human history.
Milwaukee is home to a wide variety of different ethnic cultures that have brought diversity and traditions from all around the world.
Every year, major festivals are held to celebrate the unique foods, music and entertainment these different ethnic and cultural groups bring to the city, attracting more than half a million visitors annually. These festivals include German Fest, African World Festival, Indian Summer, Festa Italiana, Polish Fest, Irish Fest, and Mexican Fiesta just to name a few.
Music plays a major role in the culture of Milwaukee and is one of the few places in the state where you’ll find live music just about every night.
The city has a thriving nightlife with bars, pubs and clubs featuring a number of talented local artists playing everything from country to rock. Top venues such as Marcus Amphitheater, Marcus Center for Performing Arts and Pabst Theater attracts some of music’s biggest names. Events like ‘Jazz in the Park’ and ‘River Rhythms’ provides free live music during the warmer seasons. However, the most well-known music event in the city is Summerfest. Considered one of the largest music festivals in the world, the festival attracts hundreds of artists and over a million music fans annually.