Kids 12 and Under Will Always Visit the Milwaukee Art Museum for Free, Thanks to an Anonymous Donor

MILWAUKEE, WI—December 3, 2024—Thanks to a generous donor, kids 12 and under will receive free admission to the Milwaukee Art Museum in perpetuity. The donor—a Milwaukeean who wishes to remain anonymous—gifted $3.54 million to establish an endowment at the Museum in support of its longstanding commitment to providing children with access to world-class art experiences.

The anonymous donor, whose philanthropy has supported a range of Museum education and outreach programs, shared fond memories of visiting the Museum with their family throughout their life. They expressed their wish for the endowment to foster similar experiences for future generations of families.

“This wonderful gift is a celebration of the way that philanthropy can have a significant and lasting impact for generations,” said André Allaire, Chief Development Officer. “Every day, our youngest Museum visitors will be able to access, engage with, and learn from world-class exhibitions and programs free of charge thanks to the generosity of an individual who believes in the power of art to strengthen our community.”

Effective immediately, the gift supports continued free access for kids 12 and under to the Museum’s collections, exhibitions, and youth and family programs. Signature youth and family programs include the semi-annual Kohl’s Family Sundays, monthly Play Date with Art, and weekly Story Time in the Galleries. Families can look forward to four days of Winter Break Fun this December 26–29, 10 a.m.–4 p.m., when the Museum will bustle with artful activities to engage and entertain all members of the family while on winter break.

“Since our earliest days as an institution, the Milwaukee Art Museum has provided free educational experiences for children,” said Marcelle Polednik, PhD, Donna and Donald Baumgartner Director. “The endowment established from this inspirational donation will keep that tradition alive for future generations of the communities we serve.”

“This gift allows us to always be an accessible, safe space where kids can express themselves, apply their critical thinking and imagination, build their visual literacy skills, strengthen their relationships with others, and learn through creative play—all of which are significant to early childhood development,” said Amy Kirschke, Barbara Brown Lee Chief Learning and Engagement Officer.

Free admission for kids 12 and under encourages families to visit the Museum whenever they can, knowing creative and fun activities are always available. Through ArtPacks and SketchPacks, Family Guides, costumes, and Museum Moments cards, families have a variety of opportunities to make art and learn together in the galleries. Kids and grown-ups alike can also engage in hands-on art activities every Saturday and Sunday in the Kohl’s Art Studio, where projects are inspired by the Museum’s collections and exhibitions and change every month.

For more information about kid-friendly activities and amenities, visit mam.org/learn/visiting-with-kids. To plan a family outing to the Milwaukee Art Museum, go to mam.org/visit.

About the Milwaukee Art Museum

The Milwaukee Art Museum is an essential destination for art and architecture and a vital cultural resource that connects visitors to dynamic art experiences and one another. Housed in iconic buildings by Santiago Calatrava, Eero Saarinen, and David Kahler on a 24-acre lakefront campus, the Museum is Wisconsin’s largest art institution and home to both broad and deep collections, with exceptional holdings in American painting, sculpture, and decorative arts; conceptual and minimalist art; prints and drawings; European art from the Renaissance through the nineteenth century; photography and new media; modern and contemporary design; folk and self-taught art; and twentieth-century Haitian art. A bold symbol of Milwaukee’s ambition and forward-thinking vision, the Museum is a place for community building, education, and celebration that fosters creativity, free speech, and critical discourse for audiences of all ages and backgrounds. For more information, visit mam.org.

NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. While it is believed to be reliable, Urban Milwaukee does not guarantee its accuracy or completeness.