Remember dioramas? Maybe you made one for a school project or have seen the many large-scale versions at the Milwaukee Public Museum, home to the first habitat diorama, created in 1890.
Diorama-Rama celebrates this art form with a lighthearted showcase of shoebox-sized scenes. For its 10th anniversary, the event is headed to the motherland – MPM – on March 31.
Founder Danelle “D” Kirschling’s love for dioramas started as a wintertime hobby, which she quickly turned into a community event that supports nonprofits like this year’s Walker’s Point Center for the Arts. “I keep outgrowing my spaces,” she says. “I move every few years because it’s getting bigger and bigger, which is really terrific.” Having grown up visiting MPM, Kirschling calls its historical dioramas her “favorite part of living in the city.”
It’s time to pick your Milwaukee favorites for the year!
Roughly 35 to 40 dioramas are submitted each year, all tied to a unique theme. For this year’s edition, the miniature scenes will be inspired by the museum’s own classic displays to celebrate its final year in the beloved building.
Past assemblers have transformed everyday items like cardboard, paper, fabric and trinkets into whimsical worlds out of a storybook. Or, say, a miniature Pizza Hut with tiny tables and toy animal patrons.
Submissions are open only to adults, but the family-friendly event encourages people of all ages to lean into their imagination. As such, participants don’t need to be masterful artists. “My favorite dioramas are the ones that are made by just our regular folks,” Kirschling says. “My only tip is that you just create it for yourself.”
Attendees vote for their favorites by placing $1 chips (for charity) into the small boxes in front of each entry, with a winner announced at the end of the evening. For the future, Kirschling hopes to continue growing Diorama-Rama and expanding its reach. “I want people to enjoy looking at these dioramas, and I want to raise money for people that need it,” she says.
“The older we get, we tell ourselves ‘no’ more often, and our worlds get a little smaller,” she adds. “I want adults to do something that’s fun and creative, just for the heck of it.”
Diorama-Rama is March 31 from 6-8:30 p.m. at the Milwaukee Public Museum.
