A portion of Milwaukee Public Museum’s (MPM) The Third Planet gallery on the First Floor will be temporarily closed to the public February 9-20, 2026, to deinstall the Torosaurus skeleton at the entrance of the gallery and the Ice Age bestiary fossils at the end of the gallery. These fossils, which contain real bones of dinosaurs and prehistoric mammals, need to undergo significant cleaning, potential repairs, and, in some cases, repositioning to get them ready for display in the Nature & Culture Museum of Wisconsin (NCMW).
During this period, the Haida boat replica, which hangs above the Sense of Wonder exhibit on the First Floor at the top of the Grand Staircase, will be removed. This boat will go on display in NCMW and needs to be moved into the new building before the glass for the windows is installed during the first quarter of 2026. The object is too large to fit through the doors of the new Museum and cannot be taken apart. The Haida boat will be stored at MPM in the Butterflies Alive! play area for a few weeks, until crews are ready to safely transport it to the new building. As a result, the play area will be temporarily closed beginning February 9. It is expected to reopen sometime in March.
Beginning February 17, the two Ancient Egyptian mummified individuals and their coffins will also be deinstalled from the Crossroads of Civilization exhibit on the Third Floor. The coffins require a thorough condition assessment so that they can be stabilized and cleaned before future display in NCMW. Items of this nature are intrinsically delicate and require significant time to properly conserve.
FAQs
What is deinstallation?
Deinstallation in this context refers to the removal of museum artifacts and specimens that are on exhibit.
How many objects will be removed during this temporary closure?
The Torosaurus skeleton, Ice Age bestiary fossils (mastodon, moa, long horn bison, Smilodon, peccary, and Irish elk), Haida canoe replica, and two Ancient Egyptian mummified individuals and their coffins will be removed.
Are any objects that are being deinstalled going to be on display in the new Museum?
The Torosaurus skeleton and the Ice Age bestiary fossils (except for two Ice Age specimens that were on loan from the Smithsonian) will be going on display in the Nature & Culture Museum of Wisconsin’s Time Travel gallery.
The Haida canoe will be going on display in the Living in a Dynamic World gallery.
The two coffins will be going on display in the new museum’s Deserts Hall within the Living in a Dynamic World gallery. The mummified individuals will rest off exhibit at the new building.
Who is doing the deinstallation?
Restoration Casting International (RCI), a company based out of Ontario, Canada that specializes in museum specimen restoration, casting, mounting, exhibit fabrication, and transportation, will be deinstalling the Torosaurus skeleton, Ice Age bestiary fossils, and Haida canoe.
MPM’s Collections Move team is handling the deinstallation of the mummified individuals and coffins.
What happens after deinstallation?
RCI will disarticulate (take apart) the Torosaurus skeleton and Ice Age fossils and pack them into crates for eventual treatment back at their workshop in Canada. This treatment will entail cleaning, conservation, and in some cases, remounting. RCI will then ship the fossils to the new Museum, where they'll assist in reconstructing and installing the specimens.
MPM’s Collections Move team will carefully clean and stabilize the Ancient Egyptian coffins so that they can be put on back display in NCMW. Items of this nature are intrinsically delicate and require significant time to properly conserve.
Are any other exhibits or galleries closed at MPM?
The Pre-Columbian America Mezzanine above the Third Floor permanently closed for packing in spring of 2025. You can take a virtual tour of the space here.
Will more exhibits be closed ahead of the move?
More temporary exhibit closures are expected throughout 2026 as the Museum continues to pack its 4 million collections items. The temporary closures will be staggered and limited to specific areas in the Museum to reduce the impact on the public and ensure visitors still have an enjoyable Museum experience throughout our three floors of exhibits. The vast majority of object deinstallations will take place after MPM’s last day of operation on January 3, 2027.
Which exhibits will be temporarily closed next?
MPM’s curatorial and collections staff are currently assessing deinstallation plans. Once we have more information, we will notify visitors and members.
How will visitors be notified about future closures?
MPM will alert the public to exhibit closures via our website, social media, signage in the Museum, and email communications.