Virtual Doors Open Offers 85+ Online Building Tours, Neighborhood Experiences and More

Historic Milwaukee’s 10th annual Doors Open will take place virtually beginning Saturday, September 26 – October 11, 2020. The event will kick off with a Facebook Live event at Milwaukee’s City Hall bell tower with Common Council President Cavalier Johnson.

There are several ways for the public to participate in the event this year:

Buildings: The public will be able to view 85+ Milwaukee buildings from September 26-October 11, free and on-demand. Tours are offered through a range of media including: photos, videos, and 360 virtual reality tours. There are over a dozen sites that have never participated in Doors Open before including the new BMO Tower, Dubbel Dutch Hotel, GRAEF, and more.

Neighborhoods: Families are encouraged to download the neighborhood activity book designed by artist CK Ledesma and available in English and Spanish. Historic Milwaukee has also created 16 neighborhood pages with recommendations of places to visit from parks to murals to businesses and more.

Water Passport: Virtual tours featuring Fund for Lake Michigan Water Passport sites will invite the public to explore the relationship between Milwaukee’s water and the city’s industrial, commercial, civic, and residential development. New this year, the water passport virtual experience also features several interactive maps in partnership with MMSD and Milwaukee Community Maps.

Virtual Events: Throughout the 16 day event, the public are invited to join free virtual programs. Events include behind the scenes access to the new Bradley Symphony Center with MSO’s Executive Director and President Mark Niehaus, a tour and live Q&A with actor John McGivern, and more.

Art Activity: Artist Sarah Gail Luther made a series of videos, in conjunction with Artists Working in Education‘s Art Truck Studio, that share creative ways to spend time and explore the place where you live.

Performances: Access Contemporary Music composed music for Milwaukee’s City Hall and the Wisconsin Black Historical Society and recorded performances there. The video tour, which features interviews with Mayor Tom Barrett, Clayborn Benson – founder of the Wisconsin Black Historical Society, and Jim Owczarski – Milwaukee City Clerk, will be available to view Sept 26 – Oct 11.

Visitors are invited to use hashtag #doorsopenmke as they explore Milwaukee’s neighborhoods.

Thanks to these generous sponsors for making this program possible: National Endowment for the Arts, Wells Fargo, Greater Milwaukee Foundation, Zilber Family Foundation, Fund for Lake Michigan, Johnson Controls Foundation, Northwestern Mutual, Veolia, MGIC, We Energies Foundation, Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra, Weather Tight Corp. And In-kind sponsors Tank Think, Bublr, Bay View Printing Press, Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service, Access Contemporary Music, Artists Working in Education, Tour De Force.

Visit doorsopenmilwaukee.org to participate.

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.