Silurian Reef, Beaver Habitat and other Wisconsin Woodlands Animals, and Apothecary Items to Be Deinstalled This Summer

June 16, 2026 – The Milwaukee Public Museum’s Silurian Reef diorama on the First Floor will be deinstalled in late June/early-mid-July so that it can be prepared for installation in the new Nature & Culture Museum of Wisconsin (NCMW).

Around the same time, some of the animals in the Wisconsin Woodlands hall on the Second Floor, including the Beaver Habitat diorama, will be deinstalled for cleaning and repairs before going on display in NCMW.

In early August, the items and cabinetry in the Apothecary in the Streets of Old Milwaukee exhibit will be removed to be prepared for installation in NCMW. The Apothecary building facade will remain intact in Streets.

Timing

The majority of the deinstallations will take place when the Museum is closed to the public to reduce the impact on visitors. Any exhibit closures during public hours will be noted on the Tickets page.

While the timing is fluid, staff will likely begin deinstalling the items from the dioramas in late June, with the full deinstallations complete by late July. The Apothecary item removal is expected to take place over a period of a few days during the first week of August.

Exhibits in NCMW

The Silurian Reef diorama will be refreshed and installed in the NCMW gallery Time Travel. Learn more about the new plans for the Silurian Reef.

The Beaver Habitat diorama and the Wisconsin Woodlands animals will be on display in the Winifred & Spencer Kellogg Gallery: Wisconsin Journey. Learn more about the new plans for the Beaver Habitat and Wisconsin Woodlands wildlife.

The Apothecary items, including bottles of medicines and wood cabinetry, will be cleaned and installed in the Pharmacy exhibit in the Milwaukee Revealed gallery. Learn more about the new plans for the Apothecary items.