Community Group Responds to Milwaukee Public Museum’s President and CEO Ellen Censky’s “Public Pushback” Comment in Milwaukee Magazine
Milwaukee, WI – April 10, 2025 – A growing coalition of Milwaukee County residents and preservation advocates is responding to remarks made by Milwaukee Public Museum CEO Dr. Ellen Censky in the April issue of Milwaukee Magazine, where she referred to citizen concerns about the museum’s controversial relocation and rebranding as “public pushback.”
“Let’s be very clear: what Dr. Censky calls ‘pushback’ is actually public feedback—and it deserves to be respected, not dismissed,” said a spokesperson for PreserveMKE, a grassroots initiative advocating to preserve the museum’s historic exhibits and public accountability. “This feedback began when the public first became aware of the museum’s true vision. People were shocked to learn that core exhibits like the Streets of Old Milwaukee and European Village could be dramatically altered or eliminated—and they’ve been speaking out ever since.”
In the Milwaukee Magazine feature, Dr. Censky described the museum transition as “exciting and frustrating and intense,” and listed “public pushback” alongside complex logistics and fundraising. But for many Milwaukeeans, her framing of widespread community concern as a hindrance—rather than a crucial part of a public process—was deeply dismissive.
“Indeed, Dr. Ellen Censky’s public comment on March 4, 2025, in which she clarified that ‘the Milwaukee Public Museum is a natural history museum, not a history museum,’ makes her magazine remark even more concerning,” PreserveMKE noted. “That statement revealed a fundamental shift in the institution’s identity—one the public was never clearly told about until millions in public funding were already committed.”
The Milwaukee Public Museum is a publicly funded institution. Milwaukee County residents not only own the building but also the more than 4 million artifacts and specimens that make up its collection. Taxpayers have contributed $85 million toward the new project—$45 million from the County and $40 million from the State—yet museum officials have declined to answer basic questions about which exhibits will be carried forward and how local cultural heritage will be reflected.
“This is not just a museum project. It’s a cultural inheritance,” the statement continued. “The residents of Milwaukee County are not passive observers. They are owners. They are stakeholders. And they are tired of being treated like a problem to be managed.”
PreserveMKE is calling on the Milwaukee County Board of Supervisors to intervene and ensure community voices are not only heard but respected in the planning process. The group maintains that the museum’s leadership has repeatedly failed to honor transparency commitments, despite growing public concern and widespread petitions.
“If the museum truly exists to serve the people of Milwaukee, then it’s time to act like it,” said PreserveMKE. “That starts by asking the most important question: whose museum is this? The answer is—and always has been—it’s ours.”
To learn more, support the movement, or review the timeline of events, visit www.preserveMKE.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.
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