‘Tis the Season: European Village Alive! Event and Adults-Only Streets of Old Milwaukee Party Return After Three-Year Hiatus

MILWAUKEE — Milwaukee Public Museum (MPM) is celebrating the holiday season with decorated exhibits and festive programming throughout December, including the return of two special events for the first time since the pandemic: European Village Alive! and the Old Milwaukee Mixer. This pair of offerings will make visitors feel like they’ve been transported to a whimsical scene from a holiday gathering during the turn of the 20th century—one in Europe and the other in Milwaukee—where they’ll learn about the history behind many of today’s traditions.

“It’s exciting to bring back two fan-favorite experiences after a three-year hiatus,” said Erin Goff, MPM Education Events Coordinator. “Our visitors always looks forward to our decorated Streets of Old Milwaukee and European Village exhibits, and we’re thrilled to be able to use those settings as inspiration for unique, holiday-themed activities this year.”

DECK THE STREETS AND VILLAGE
Now – January 21, 2024
Two of MPM’s most beloved exhibits, Streets of Old Milwaukee and European Village, have been transformed into winter wonderlands of yesteryear.

In Streets of Old Milwaukee—a walkthrough city streetscape that depicts life in Milwaukee at the turn of the 20th century—visitors will see Victorian-era garland, wreaths, bells and ribbons adorning streetlamps, businesses and homes as classic yuletides play in the background.

In the European Village, nine of the 33 units, each of which depict the home of a different European heritage set in the early 1900s, are decorated with culturally specific holiday items. QR codes in the windows provide information about the meaning behind the traditions.

EUROPEAN VILLAGE ALIVE!
December 8-9, 2023, 11 a.m. – 3 p.m.
During this two-day event, the European Village exhibit will “come to life” thanks to MPM docents and volunteers who will be dressed in clothing that represent some of the different countries during the turn of the 20th century.

“Our interpreters will share stories about traditions that were brought over by European immigrants that have shaped our modern-day American holiday season, including greeting cards, Christmas trees, wreaths, gingerbread, mistletoe, holly, nativity scenes and stockings,” said Amanda Kopp, MPM Collections Interpretation Manager.

As part of the event, visitors will be able to see behind-the-scenes, holiday-themed artifacts from the Museum’s collection and take home traditional recipes.

FLORENTINE OPERA HOLIDAY CONCERT
Monday, December 11, 2023, 2-3 p.m.
The Florentine Opera’s Baumgartner Studio Artists return to MPM to perform Christmas hymns and other classic holiday songs in front of the Butterfly Vivarium (First Floor). This event is part of the end-of-year celebration for participants of SPARK!—a program at MPM for people in the early stages of dementia and their care partners.

“Musical intervention has been found to have benefits for people with memory loss, as it often evokes emotion,” said Dawn Koceja, MPM Community Engagement & Advocacy Officer. “In past years of the performance, I’ve witnessed SPARK! participants sing along, move to the beat and even be moved to tears as memories come to the surface when they hear these songs.”

Anyone at MPM on December 11 is also welcome to attend the concert.

OLD MILWAUKEE MIXER
Thursday, December 14, 2023, 7-9:30 p.m.
During this after-hours adults-only party in the decorated Streets of Old Milwaukee exhibit, guests will enjoy appetizers and drink pairings while learning about the food, fashion and entertainment of Victorian-era parties.

“The Mixer will offer interactive activities that explore themes like parlor games, the menus that shaped the city’s culinary heritage, clothing staples and trends and the art of getting your portrait taken,” Goff said. The evening also includes a cash bar, a barbershop quartet singing holiday tunes and short holiday films playing in the Nickelodeon Theater. Tickets are $32.

HOLIDAYS IN HISTORY TOUR
Saturdays in December, 11 a.m. – noon
Visitors can join MPM’s free 50-minute Holidays in History tour each Saturday in December (no tour Dec. 9), where they will learn how the holiday traditions that were brought by European immigrants to Milwaukee blended to create our modern celebrations.

About the Milwaukee Public Museum
The Milwaukee Public Museum is Wisconsin’s natural history museum, welcoming over half a million visitors annually. Located in downtown Milwaukee, the Museum was chartered in 1882, opened to the public in 1884, and currently houses more than 4 million objects in its collections. MPM has three floors of exhibits that encompass life-size dioramas, walk-through villages, world cultures, dinosaurs, a rainforest, and a live butterfly garden, as well as the Daniel M. Soref Dome Theater & Planetarium. MPM is operated by Milwaukee Public Museum, Inc., a private, non-profit company, and its facilities and collections are held in trust and supported by Milwaukee County for the benefit of the public.

NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. It has not been verified for its accuracy or completeness.