Search

Cosmic Curiosities

“It was an abrupt black body out of nowhere; it was a flat

Great Lakes Indian people depended on the food secured by hunting and trapping, and these foods formed a considerable part of their diet.

Deer and moose were hunted as well as several kinds of fox -- red, the black, and silver gray. Timber wolves, a large prairie wolf, and a smaller prairie wolf that was not considered very good eating were also hunted. The bear was not killed without a special ceremony and apology, for this animal was greatly revered.

Cosmic Curiosities

“It’s like winning a lottery. Although the odds are astronomical, most weeks, someone hits the jackpot.”
- Stephen Hawking, British Physicist

The Great 2020 Conjunction

Colonial Origins

In the mid-seventeenth century, the area known today as Suriname was settled by the British from Barbados, who began shipping Africans to Suriname as slaves to work on their plantations. At the Peace of Breda in 1667, ending the Second Anglo-Dutch War, Suriname was relinquished to the Dutch, and English settlers withdrew. Dutch plantation owners followed in the footsteps of the English and continued the importation of African slaves into the nineteenth century.

MPM's curatorial and collections staff have selected more than 100 important, unique or interesting objects to highlight from the more than 4 million items in the Museum's care. These items reflect the depth and breadth of the collections.  

Many of the items featured below are not on exhibit due to their fragile nature. One of the Museum's primary goals is to preserve objects for generations to come.

As a virtual exhibit, we can share with people around the world our most rare and intriguing items without harm to them.

MPM has always been shaped by the community.

The Nature & Culture Museum of Wisconsin will not just continue that tradition, but make it the heart of the Museum. 

Milwaukee Public Museum is filled with wonders to pique the interests of all visitors.

MPM currently houses more than 4 million priceless objects and specimens. Wander through our three and a half floors of exhibits to learn about many of these items. Visit Africa, Asia, Europe, the Arctic, South and Middle America, the Pacific Islands, a Costa Rican rainforest, and so much more!