Are there any big events in the Baraboo hills region this weekend? No? Well, why not take a day this weekend to battle the winter blahs with a trip south-east to the Milwaukee Public Museum.  After all, you belong in a museum!

The Milwaukee Public Museum is a 3 floor, hodge-podge mix of stoic old museum displays surrounded by dioramas and themed environments topped off with a coffee bar, Planetarium & IMAX Theatre.  Museums are just that way. Over the years they tend to grow up and out while retaining that 1800’s feel somewhere in the middle.

Like in any large museum, it’s a challenge to see everything in one day. It helps to browse the website well ahead of time and have a plan of attack.  Certain areas are much more kid friendly than others and parents will want to keep that in mind as well.  You may find a family day, and a separate “mom & dad” day are in order.  Museum hours are 9-5pm with slightly extended hours on weekends. Parking & food are available on site so there’s no need to leave once you’ve arrived. Basic Admission is $12.00 for adults and $8-$10 for kids 3 and up. Cost go up if you include special exhibitions or IMAX programs. Advance tickets can be ordered online, however you will pay additional “convenience” fees.  (Don’t get me started on “convenience” fees…)

If you have younger children, I’ll tell you right now to plan to spend time at Puelicher Butterfly Wing. Your kids will find the Butterfly Wing a thousand times more interactive than the IMAX can possibly compete with.  After you walk through the airlock-like process of closing one door before opening the next to enter you will be in a room filled with butterflies of all shapes and sizes.  Children will love having butterflies land on their hands, in their hair and on their noses.  The trick here is to get out of the line and find a little quiet nook to sit in.  If you can settle in for a bit, there is a much better chance of having butterflies land on and around you and your children.  It is worth noting that the Butterfly Wing is not the tranquil, soothing room described on the website, at least not on a busy weekend. It’s more of a loud, noise filled (and butterfly filled), chamber where people are packed in a long slow moving line from the entrance to the exit.  Off hours or a quiet corner are key to making the Butterfly Wing positive and memorable experience for your family.

The rest of the museum is filled with exhibits covering everything from rain-forests to the streets of old Europe and everything in between.  In addition to the butterflies, you’re children will love the Third Planet exhibition which is filled with walk through caves, glaciers, and dinosaurs (Many updated enough to have feathers). The T-Rex display is the showcase of the exhibit and must be seen from the upper deck to truly appreciate the details.

Speaking of upper decks, your kids will also love rain-forest exhibition where black stairs will lead to maze of upper level paths through the dark canopy.  The trees are filled with surprises and it’s worth the time to stand still and just look around.

Some sections of the museum of course are probably best saved for the grown-ups solo visit.  We were fascinated by the jumble of objects that were displayed as part of the “Cabinets of Curiosity” which felt a bit like rummaging through the Museum’s attic for treasures often overlooked. The Wisconsin and American history sections were interesting at a glance but would take more dedicated time to really get the most out of.

The Milwaukee Public Museum is also home to the infamous Corpse Flower which is a native of the island of Sumatra and when in rare 2-day bloom offers one of the most disgusting odors on the planet. The smell is described as that of rotting flesh. You can see the draw right?  The flower generally blooms in January. Information is posted on the MPM website as well.

Looking out through a hole in the walls of Masada toward the dead sea, Israel.

Lastly in our quick overview of the Milwaukee Public Museum I want to touch on the current “Dead Sea Scrolls and the Bible” exhibit that drew us to re-discover the museum ourselves.  To attend the exhibit as well as the rest of the museum (not including the IMAX) you should plan to pay $22 per person.  The “Dead Sea Scrolls and the Bible” exhibit has been advertised for some time in our area and I’m sure a major draw for people interested in the history of Israel and the bible.  Having been to Israel and the Dead Sea region in 2008 I was certainly interested myself. The exhibition contains wonderful photographs and artifacts displayed in a dark and moody atmosphere, fitting given the religious connotations these artifacts and this part of the world hold for many. Some will feel deeply moved being in the presence of the scrolls in such a sobering ambiance. Some will be touched by the idea that this is as close as they will ever actually get to the real “holy lands”.  This why we wish that the museum would have made more clear what Dead Sea Scroll displays are authentic and which are facsimiles.  The beautifully displayed 24 foot long Isaiah scroll for instance is a high grade facsimile and not the actual historic scroll.  That information is available in various print materials, but not readily obvious to those in attendance.  Clearly the average person has no means by which to sort the authentic from the re-creations.  Given the nature of the Dead Sea Scrolls, it would probably have been wise  to make those distinctions as clear as possible.  That said however, the “Dead Sea Scrolls and the Bible” was certainly a worthwhile and moving presentation.

The drive to the Milwaukee Public Museum is almost 2 hrs to the second from our base camp here in the Baraboo hills and less than an hour from Madison.  The drive is a small price to pay for a day’s adventure, an opportunity to blow off winter and to get the kids away from the Xbox.  Why not start planning a trip right now?

More

• Our Milwaukee Public Museum Photo Gallery on Flickr
• Milwaukee Public Museum
• Dead Sea Scrolls & The Bible Press Release
  

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