Milwaukee Art Museum Expands Digital Access with App in Partnership with Bloomberg Philanthropies

MILWAUKEE, WI—February 26, 2025—The Milwaukee Art Museum joins a global community of cultural institutions on Bloomberg Connects, a free and easy-to-use mobile app developed and funded by Bloomberg Philanthropies that connects people to arts and culture, anytime, anywhere. The Museum’s app launches today, February 26; audiences can access digital tools and behind-the-scenes insights and return often to find new, fresh content.

The app is part of the institution’s larger strategy to implement technology that enhances the visitor experience. Bloomberg Connects transforms both the in-person and at-home experience by providing audiences robust resources at their fingertips, such as interactive maps and audio guides with in-depth stories. This initiative is one of several ways the Museum is embracing technology, alongside the upcoming introduction of digital membership cards to streamline access and engagement for its Members.

“We’re creating more accessible, engaging, and entertaining experiences for our visitors,” said Scott Schwebel, Chief Experience Officer. “The app is a wonderful addition to this strategic priority.”

Whether wandering the galleries or accessing the app from across the world, people can experience the Milwaukee Art Museum through the platform. Audiences can explore thematic highlights curated by Museum staff and learn about singular works from the Museum’s renowned collection. In addition to the Museum’s existing audio library, the app will begin to feature new AI-generated “podcast-style conversations” for select works, an innovative approach Schwebel and his team developed.

Designed to be user-friendly and intuitive, Bloomberg Connects has built-in accessibility features including image zoom, screen reader, multiple font sizes, and captions and audio transcripts in more than 40 languages.

“The Milwaukee Art Museum is a destination sought out by people from across the globe,” said Schwebel. “Through Bloomberg Connects, we’re able to more easily communicate with visitors who speak multiple languages from afar as well as from Milwaukee’s diverse community.”

“We are excited to welcome the Milwaukee Art Museum to Bloomberg Connects. They are a wonderful addition to our portfolio of cultural institutions from across the globe,” said Kate Spellman, Project Director for Bloomberg Connects.

Bloomberg Connects is free to download and available in the Apple App Store and Google Play. The Milwaukee Art Museum is one of the 750+ worldwide cultural institutions on this dynamic platform, which is supported by Bloomberg Philanthropies.

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.