This spring, our most popular member event returns!
Date and Time
Friday, April 25, 2025
6:00 – 9:00 p.m.
Cost
Free members-only event; limited capacity
Sustainer-level+ members are allowed two guests not covered by your membership for free! Reservations are required and are encouraged as early as possible.
Reservations
Stay tuned for ticket reservations!
For Sustainer+ members using the extra guest privileges, please call 414-278-6170 or 888-700-9369 to make your reservation.
details
Speak with the staff, researchers, students, and volunteers that keep MPM thriving:
Animal Architecture - Come see the diversity of animal-built structures in the collections.
Artifact Inspired: Learning the Exhibit Process - Twelve UW-Milwaukee Museum Studies Graduate Students have chosen exhibit topics inspired by their semester-long artifact research projects. See their intriguing table-top exhibits, which highlight their work on label writing, object selection, and exhibit design. (The Museum Studies Program is a collaborative venture between MPM and UWM, now in its 61st year.)
Dark Side of the Dome – Tour what goes on beyond our huge 73-foot hemisphere. See how we make our shows come to life and engage our audiences.
Early Learning at MPM – See an Educator-led demonstration of our Early Learning program, where K4 and K5 classrooms enjoy the wonders of MPM. Take part in fun butterfly activities!
Education Workshop - Join Educators for a hands-on workshop in one of our classrooms where we’ll take a trip back in time to the Mesozoic Era and learn all about dinosaurs and the scientists who study them!
Exploring South American Flutes - Delve into the MPM collection to view unique flutes and panpipes that date back thousands of years as well as more recent flutes, and find out why they’re more than just musical instruments.
Five-Star Reviews: How Insects Rate Their Habitats - Online reviews help us make informed decisions. Similarly, insects and other invertebrates tell us about their homes, so we can manage and conserve natural habitats. In this demonstration, you’ll assess the quality of a stream habitat by examining aquatic insects and other invertebrates.
Horn-in on Torosaurus - Meet Triceratops’ less famous cousin, Torosaurus. See this rare dinosaur up close and learn about its unique features.
How Can a Fruit Be a Vegetable? - Is a tomato a fruit or a vegetable? Come learn the botanical science behind some of your favorite foods, and discover the diversity of fruit types within the plant kingdom.
How Do We Decide? Choosing Items for the Future Museum - Learn how we are selecting Anthropology artifacts for the new Museum, and get a preview of some of the items we are considering.
The Lure of Crystals - Crystals dazzle us with their luster and symmetry. Explore how their beauty reveals the structure of nature—from atoms to the cosmos!
Mazon Creek Fossils: Brought to You by Coal, Concretions, and Collectors - Learn about the famous Illinois Carboniferous Mazon Creek fossils and how a combination of preservation, coal mining, and amateur collectors brought them to science.
Nampeyo: The Snake That Does Not Bite - Explore the connections of heritage, cultural hybridity, identity, and art through a collection of Nampeyo’s Sikyátki Revival-style pottery.
Orthocone Nautiloids and Wisconsin’s “First” Paleontologists – Orthocone Nautiloids are a fossil type commonly found in Wisconsin. These unique fossils have been found in locations with similar-looking effigy mounds of Woodland Native culture. Were they Wisconsin’s “first” paleontologists?
A Peek Behind the Curtain: The Magic of MPM’s Exhibit Artists - See the real tools and models MPM exhibit artists use to create the life-like displays that transport us around the world.
Photographs of Milwaukee and Beyond ca. 1900 - Explore the United States through the eyes of a turn-of-the-century travel photographer! Dive into the archives to discover some of Sumner Matteson’s most evocative images.
Re-imagining the Solomon Juneau Fur Trade Outpost - Before paper tissues, people used squares of cloth—but cloth handkerchiefs did more than keep you clean. They were status symbols, advertisements, and had other purposes too. View examples of handkerchiefs and bandanas from MPM’s Textile Collection.
Digitization of MPM Mesoamerican and Central American Collections - Explore the impact of technology on cultural heritage and accessibility. Hear how communities worldwide are being digitally connected to their ancestral artifacts, creating new educational opportunities and furthering appreciation of Mesoamerican history.
Gender Differences in Aging Among Animals - As animals age, their bodies change in different ways. In some species, males and females age at the same rate. But did you know that some animal species age differently depending on gender? Learn more!
Stay Cool: How Honeybees Collectively Regulate Colony Temperature - A small group of honeybees perform a critical task for the survival of the colony by “fanning” to circulate cool air and prevent overheating. This is one example of how social animals, working collectively, can be resilient to a changing environment. By understanding how honeybees manage their environment, we can help create tools to enhance their heath and survival.
Tackling the Tully Monster: What Is It and What Did It Do? - The Tully Monster has confused us for generations, but we are beginning to understand more about this unique organism. See several of MPM’s well-preserved Tully Monster fossils that show fish-like characteristics and several strange anatomical traits related to swimming.
A Thing of Beauty - MPM has a large and diverse Decorative Arts collection. You will see a stunning selection, from some of the Museum’s earliest acquisitions to contemporary studio glass, and learn more about their history and artistry.
Thinking Inside the Box: How to Pack a Museum - Moving a museum collection is not like moving houses. Learn how we’re keeping objects safe and organized, how we keep track of everything, and see one of our big moving crates. Then try to wrap and pack a prop yourself!
Virtual Tours of MPM Exhibit Halls and 3D Models of Collection Specimens - Learn how MPM’s virtual tours and 3D models help us engage with teachers, researchers, and those with visual disabilities. You’ll also explore how these digital offerings (audio, films, files, photographs, and models) can help enhance your onsite visit!
Volunteer Opportunities at MPM - Learn about volunteer opportunities from two of our Education staff members. They’ll be happy to answer any questions you may have!
Watching Plants Breathe - When you look at plants, you might think they just sit there. But they are constantly active, taking in carbon dioxide and breathing out oxygen. Come watch plants breathe life into the atmosphere in real time using a state-of-the-art photosynthesis measurement system.
Wisconsin Statewide Community Science - Have you seen something in a park, garden, or your own backyard and thought, “What IS that?!” Learn about identifying Wisconsin’s biodiversity and how to contribute to scientific research at MPM by observing wildlife in your own community.