Celebrations of Culture

Supported by Target

The Milwaukee Public Museum houses an extensive collection of objects and artifacts from around the world. Through the Celebrations of Culture series, visitors of all ages can explore the Museum's vast collection through an array of interactive activities, such as:

Celebrate cultures from around the globe as you learn through:
  • Performance
  • Stories
  • Take-home art projects
  • Self-guided Discovery Hunts
  • Artifact Information Stations
  • Interactive Video Conferencing
  • Music

Celebrations of Culture events take place from 9am - 1pm on select Fridays and Saturdays, and are FREE with museum admission.

Future Celebrations of Culture

European Cultures-Holiday Style

December 4 and 5, 2009
Celebrate the winter holidays in the European Village. Make and take traditional crafts, interact with docents dressed in traditional attire, and hear stories of holidays past.

Make-and-Take Crafts
  • Norwegian Rosemaling Ornament
    Rosemaling is a traditional Norwegian folk art style used to decorate walls, ceilings, trunks, and other items in rural homes. Each district developed its own style of rosemaling, with that from Telemark and Hallingdal districts becoming the most highly developed and enduring. These various styles have been passed down through generations of painters, thus preserving this unique art in its original form.
  • Holiday Cards
    Sending greetings to one another on special holidays is a tradition that is thousands of years old, but the first commercial Christmas card was not produced until the mid-1800s. Today more than two billion Christmas cards are exchanged annually in the U.S.
  • Paper Chains
    Add to the Museum’s paper chain garland. The garland created this year will decorate next year’s Polish Christmas tree.
Docent Interpretations

Docents will be interpreting and sharing the traditions of winter holidays in Germany, Norway, Poland, England, and Czechoslovakia in the European Village. Holiday characters such as La Befana, St. Lucia, Father Christmas, and Scrooge will be joining us in celebrating the European cultures.

Storytelling

Hear the story of the famous “Christmas Tree Ship” as you make your own storytelling ornament. Then become the storyteller as you share the story with friends and family with your new storytelling ornament.
Friday, December 4, 10am - 1pm and Saturday, December 5, 10:30am - noon

Streets of Old Milwaukee

February 5 and 6, 2010