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Honor & Memorial Gifts

Honor and Memorial Gifts

A commemorative gift to the Milwaukee Public Museum is a thoughtful way to honor family and friends, mark a birthday or other special occasion, or celebrate the memory of a loved one.

When your gift is received, the Museum will send a personalized card to the individual or family you have indicated, and you’ll receive a letter from MPM acknowledging your contribution.

The Collection

Starting with Adolph Meinecke's contributions at the turn of the century and ending most recently with Dr. Nancy Oestreich Lurie's additions in the 1980s and several additions in the 1990s, MPM's Sami collection represents a large span in the fascinating history of Sami culture.

Numbering just about one hundred pieces, MPM's is the only sizeable collection in North America at this time, and perhaps the only large Sami collection outside of Europe at all.

Museum Days

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Tickets to MPM are 25% OFF during VISIT Milwaukee’s Museum Days, January 22-February 1, 2026!

Enjoy MPM’s three floors of exhibits, plus special programming free with admission. Please note MPM is closed Tuesdays.

Purchase Tickets

Asia

Immerse yourself in the simple beauty and tranquility of Asian decorative arts.

templeVisit the newly refreshed exhibit Tian Chao, or “heavenly dynasty,” a selection of objects from MPM’s China Decorative Arts collection. See an intricately carved elephant tusk from the mid-19th century, a striking Late Qing Dynasty porcelain table top displaying nine colorful dragons, and other priceless and unique artifacts.

Catalog Number : 65291
Accession Number : 27301
Tribe : Winnebago
Region : Great Lakes Area
Material : Glass beads, cotton, yarn
This bag with a white bead background exhibits similar floral designs on both the strap and pouch. A tab fringe along the bottom ends with yarn pom-poms and one decorative tab on each side where the straps meet the pouch.
Source : Donated by Mrs. Richard Herzfeld and Friends of the Museum. Collected by James Howard, collector and anthropologist.
Catalog Number : 13981
Accession Date : 12/16/1913
Material : Panoanus leaves
combination of a raincoat and basket - long and wide with one end curving up to sit on an individual's head. made of pandanus leaves and split bamboo.
Catalog Number : E17361
Accession Number : 4615
Material : Wood, paint, seal hide, hair, metal nails, string
Though generally shy of people, Buk'wus is a fearsome entity in Kwakiutl mythology. Masks such as this one are generally danced during the T'seka ceremony, though this example is unique owing to the exceptional craftsmanship and the use of hair and hide on the mask. For more on Buk'wus, see the section entitled "Kwakiutl Cosmology".