New Milwaukee museum shifts groundbreaking as it pursues fundraising goals

Milwaukee Public Museum officials said the new $240 million natural museum will break ground next spring and added they were on track to meet its next fundraising goal.

The museum wants to move the current building from 800 W. Wells Street and build a 200,000-square-foot, six-story museum in the nearby Haymarket neighborhood. At a Milwaukee County board meeting, museum officials said deferred maintenance added up to $100 million and noted aging infrastructure such as failing elevators, escalators and a water tower.

Dr. Ellen Censky, head of the museum, said another $35 million in private donations is needed to start new museum construction. The museum must raise $108 million by spring 2024, and she noted it was on track to meet that milestone.

Previously, the museum planned to break ground in December 2023. Officials said the timeline adjusted as design and construction of the natural history museum building was a long and complex process.

To pay for the $240 million price tag, Censky the museum secured $90 million in combined state and Milwaukee County funding. The museum plans to secure $150 million from private sources such as corporations and individuals by the end of 2026. Private fundraising was spread out into different goals over the years. It also sought $5 million in federal funding, Censky added.

The expenses for a new museum also included packing and moving four million items from the museum inventory, Censky noted.

Meanwhile, Mortenson crews were spotted at the construction site on North 6th and West Vliet Streets. In October, crews demolished a third building to make way for the new building, which was in the final phase of the design process. The museum was also waiting for environmental test results to come back from the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources.

Future site work will include removing utility poles and foundation walls and improving nearby alleyways.

Mortenson and ALLCON will lead construction management. In spring, New York-based Thinc Design released early designs of the museum galleries. Kahler Slater and Ennead Architects are also part of the design team.