To: Wisconsin State Representatives
From: Scott Bush, PreserveMKE (A Preservation Group dedicated to preserving the Milwaukee Public Museum) Website: preservemke.org
Phone:414/870-1874
Subject: Request for Public Oversight and Preservation of the Milwaukee Public Museum (MPM)
Copied to: Milwaukee County Supervisors/Media
PreserveMKE respectfully requests that the Wisconsin State Legislature re-examination the state’s funding commitment and level of involvement and oversight for the new Milwaukee Museum projects. We understand that the new museum is being built. We are not suggesting a stop to that project. PreserveMKE’s focus is primarily on the preservation of the current Milwaukee Public Museum. We don’t believe the public’s views were properly represented when the votes were cast to fund the new museum and destroy the Milwaukee Public Museum along with the Streets of Old Milwaukee and thousands of historic and cultural treasures.
Please consider our concerns, as follows:
Ownership of the Milwaukee Public Museum
The current Milwaukee Public Museum (MPM) is a publicly funded institution. Milwaukee County residents not only own the building but also the more than four 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 Milwaukee County will no longer own the new museum, even though its taxpayers are footing the bill.
That is a major concern to over 10,000 members of PreserveMKE. Milwaukee County Supervisor Ryan Clancy warned in 2023, “The decision for Milwaukee County and the state to hand over money to a private entity now unaccountable to the public remains a serious mistake. We were misled.” His call for transparency and public control underscores the urgency to protect MPM’s historic artworks and ensure Milwaukee’s diverse voices shape their future.
Condition and Size of the Current Building
The new facility will be about half the size of the current museum, roughly 200,000 square feet compared to 414,000 today. The public has rarely heard this in plain language: we are paying full price for half a museum while losing control of what is inside.
MPM management has claimed the existing Eschweiler-designed building is beyond repair and would cost more to fix than to build a new facility. That validity of that claim has raised suspicion. Public records show the building is only 62 years old and has undergone significant repairs.
The rebranding of the new institution as the Wisconsin Museum of Nature and Culture represents a fundamental shift in mission that was never clearly communicated to taxpayers.
Destruction of Historic Works of Art and Dioramas
The public is deeply concerned about the desecration of county-owned artworks, murals, and dioramas—masterpieces crafted by skilled artisans to reflect Milwaukee’s history. These are not stage props but historic artworks and WPA-era installations. Over 140 murals and built-ins by renowned artisans, many within the Streets of Old Milwaukee and European Village, face destruction.
If museum management had been transparent about the planned destruction of these beloved exhibits, County and State votes may have differed.
“Everything is Moving Over”
When museum management tells the public and media that “everything” is moving over, that only includes its artifacts. It is the items not moving over that have fueled major public opposition and preservation efforts. The Milwaukee Public Museum’s famous dioramas and artwork are not moving over. Milwaukee County owns these collections. These changes allow a private nonprofit—contracted to serve the public—to unilaterally decide the fate of thousands of artifacts. It is not Dr. Censky’s to do what she pleases with. Her $80–$90 million plan to update exhibits for “current thinking” risks destroying these irreplaceable artworks The museum owns the non-collection items, and staff plan to give them away if the museum can’t repurpose them, according to a report from the county and museum.
Subjective Ideology and Erasure Risks
Dr. Ellen Censky has described the current museum as “culturally incompetent,” raising concerns about the potential rewriting or erasure of historical narratives. The museum has not disclosed which exhibits are targeted for removal under “cultural competency” standards. Many of these displays, such as the Milwaukee-style dioramas invented by Carl Akeley, are internationally recognized. The public believes that these exhibits are not merely decorations. The art and dioramas have grown to cultural and historic significance on their own and deserve respect and preservation. This world renown style was invented in Milwaukee. It is wrong and unusual that they marked for destruction in Milwaukee.
Transparency and Accountability
At recent public meetings, MPM leadership insisted that its process has been “very public,” yet the community’s specific questions about ownership and disposition remain unanswered.
Under Section 6.4 of the Lease, MPM is obligated to provide annual financial and operational reports to Milwaukee County, and under Section 9.3 the County has the right to inspect and audit MPM’s records. These are not optional—they are contractual duties.
Public Opposition and Preservation Efforts
More than 11,000 citizens have joined the movement to preserve the current Milwaukee Public Museum. Across petitions, postcards, and social-media campaigns, community voices continue to demand that the County uphold its stewardship responsibilities.
Reclassification and Ownership Concerns
Evidence shows that the museum’s Disposition Plan redefines the ownership status of exhibits built and paid for by Milwaukee County.
- The 2013 Lease and Management Agreement (LMA) define “Personal Property” narrowly as operational items such as office furniture, equipment, and materials used for display—distinct from “Artifacts,” which include all collection items and exhibits owned by Milwaukee County.
- In contrast, the Disposition Plan (2024) introduces the term “MPM-Personal Property,” expanding it to include “non-accessioned objects, such as non-collection exhibit items, tools, storage units, or built environments not attached to the building,” and asserts that “Milwaukee County has no authority over its disposition.”
This change materially alters ownership, allowing the nonprofit corporation to sell or destroy built exhibits that were created with public funds. Under the lease, Milwaukee County retained inspection rights and ownership of all artifacts and exhibit assets.
Sections 5.5 and 5.6 of the lease clearly state that MPM must maintain an artifact inventory and provide both artifact and personal-property sale records for County inspection.
This reinterpretation directly conflicts with the letter and spirit of the 2013 Lease and violates the principle that publicly funded assets remain in public trust.
Requested Legislative Action
PreserveMKE respectfully requests that the Wisconsin State Legislature:
- Hold hearings on the reclassification of publicly funded museum assets and whether it violates the 2013 Lease.
- Direct the Department of Justice and Department of Financial Institutions to review potential breaches of charitable-trust and contract obligations.
- Pause any further State funding disbursements until ownership and stewardship are legally clarified.
- Ensure permanent public oversight of all artifacts, exhibits, and dioramas funded by taxpayers.
Conclusion
The new museum may be under construction, but that does not justify the destruction of Milwaukee’s public museum, its dioramas, or its WPA-era artworks. The people of Milwaukee County deserve transparency, stewardship, and respect for the public trust they have funded for generations.
Thank you for your consideration and for your service to the State of Wisconsin.
