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Streets of Old Milwaukee

The Streets of Old Milwaukee was originally opened in January 1965.

This exhibit created one of the first walk-through dioramas in the world, transporting the visitor back to a fall evening in Milwaukee at the turn of the 20th century. It was an immediate hit and continues to be the most visited spot in the Museum. In honor of the Streets 50th anniversary, the exhibit was reimagined by further incorporating themed storytelling and a heightened sensory experience to give the visitor a different perspective on every visit.

Storyteller figure

This impressive ceramic storyteller was made by renowned Southwest artist Mary E. Toya of Jemez Pueblo in the early 1980s. At 19 inches tall and with 115 children attached, this is one of the largest and most intricate pieces of its kind. Storyteller figures symbolize the wisdom of elders and illustrate the importance of contact between generations. The value of stories is highly prized by American Indians and oral history is still a means of educating young people in the traditional knowledge and values of their cultures. The Museum acquired this piece in 1997 through the generosity of the late Donald S. Ackerman, his son Mark Ackerman, and his daughter Francine Huxley.

Item Image
storyteller figure
Catalog Number
66371
Accession Number
28709
127

BioBlitz 2016

Grant Park

June 10-11, 2016

Property Description

Grant Park, a unit of the Milwaukee County Park System, is a 381-acre park located at 42.918056 N 87.845982 W. It is a multi-use park with a golf course, tennis courts, soccer fields, and natural areas.

The Mexican Kickapoo: A People of Two Nations

The Mexican Kickapoo are a band related to the original Kickapoo tribe that was first encountered by Europeans in the Great Lakes region during the 1600s.

With an innate will to preserve their heritage and a determination to keep out foreign influence, the Kickapoo embarked on a remarkable 250 year migration to their current location just outside the village of Muzquiz in the state of Coahuila, Mexico.

Peter Glass Marquetry Table

A German immigrant, Peter Glass, crafted wooden tables with extremely intricate wooden veneer designs, which led him to win two major awards -- one at the Massachusetts Charitable Mechanic Association exhibit in 1850 and one from the American Institute of New York in 1856. Shortly thereafter, Glass moved to Sheboygan, Wisconsin and began one of his greatest feats: A table containing nearly 20,000 pieces of wood. This design depicted faces of military and political heroes, with floral motifs. Today, very few Peter Glass Marquetry tables survive. Similar tables crafted by Glass are located at the Smithsonian Institution and the Illinois Governor's Mansion. The table depicted here is on display in The Streets of Old Milwaukee exhibit, but remains covered to protect it from the damaging effects of the lights.

Item Image
Marquetry Table
Catalog Number
N24913
Accession Number
24949
10

Oneida History

Life in New York

The Wisconsin Oneida are an Iroquoian-speaking Indian tribe currently residing on a reservation in northeastern Wisconsin near Green Bay. They originally came from upstate New York. The Seneca, Cayuga, Onondaga, Oneida, Mohawk, and Tuscarora make up the Six Nations League of the Iroquois. The Oneida refer to themselves as Oneyoteaka -- "People of the Standing Stone." According to Oneida traditions, there was always a large, red boulder near the main Oneida village in New York.

Lakota Girl's Dress

Children's clothing from North American Indian cultures, other than moccasins, is unusual to find in many museums. This little girl's dress is in exceptional condition and is among the earliest items to be cataloged in the Museum.

Item Image
dress
Catalog Number
E28
90