Doors Open Milwaukee is the Super Bowl for anyone who’s walked past a cool building and thought: What’s inside? On Sept. 27 and 28, some of the city’s most dazzling and historic spaces open up for tours with extensive access. “I call it your key to the city,” says Grace Fuhr, the events director for Historic Milwaukee, which runs the program.
The best itineraries are carefully planned in advance and take the geography of the city into consideration. Fuhr recommends using the Doors Open website to flag favorite sites and map out your route. And if you’re looking for a well-rounded agenda, go somewhere with…
It’s time to pick your Milwaukee favorites for the year!
1. Exclusive Access
MILWAUKEE CITY HALL | 200 E. WELLS ST.
Get your (free!) tickets early if you want the opportunity to ring the bell in City Hall’s historic tower. This lively tour is a perennial favorite for visitors because it takes you through the rotunda, up a steep spiral staircase to the 22,500-pound Solomon Juneau bell, where your group can pull the thick braided rope to sound loud and clear. Tickets are released on Sept. 10 – and they go fast.
Another Option: Milwaukee Manhole, for those wondering what goes on down in the sewers
2. A Garden
ALICE’S GAREN URBAN FARM | 2136 N. 21ST ST.
This community garden was founded half a century ago, but its roots go back to the Sauk tribe and the Wisconsin Underground Railroad. Reflect on that long history as you explore the labyrinth trails, which include blooms of edible and floral varieties. After your wandering, Fuhr recommends downloading a Lindsay Heights neighborhood tour on the Historic Milwaukee app.
Another Option: Sanger House Gardens, for the themed, room-like garden design
3. A Skyline View
KENILWORTH SQUARE EAST | 1925 E. KENILWORTH PL.
This industrial building was once an automotive plant, but today it serves as UW-Milwaukee’s creative factory, with more than 100 artists set up in airy studios. After viewing the art, head upstairs to Jan Serr Studio’s event space, where you’ll be treated with a panoramic overlook of Milwaukee’s historic East Side. “There’s nothing obstructing your view,” Fuhr says.
Another Option: Hyatt Regency, for the 360-degree formerly rotating overlook
4. Historic Significance
GRAIN EXCHANGE ROOM | 225 E. MICHIGAN ST.
Tucked on the corner of Michigan and Broadway, the Mackie Building is one of the most historic intact blocks of architecture in the city. Inside, you’ll find this former trading pit, where the price of wheat was set in the late 1800s and early 1900s. Now it’s an event space with a grand ballroom, elaborate murals and frescos depicting Wisconsin’s agriculture, industry and commerce.
Another Option: Frank Lloyd Wright’s Burnham Block, for the architect’s housing vision
5. An Activity
RIVER PRESS MILWAUKEE | 2351 N. HUMBOLDT BLVD.
For something new, Fuhr recommends this Riverwest art shop, studio and gallery, which opened just last month. River Press is offering a printmaking activity for Doors Open visitors. Make sure to peruse the Wizard’s Print Snacks – a row of old-fashioned mechanical vending machines serving local artwork with a satisfying kerplunk.
Another Option: Best Place at the Historic Pabst Brewery, for a “haunted stories” tour
