The Milwaukee Art Museum, 700 N. Art Museum Dr., added new lighting capabilities that bring it in line with other skyline features, and it unveiled the rainbow of illumination in late December.
Now, MAM has announced a new wings schedule beginning on Valentine's Day, Wednesday, Feb. 14, when the new hours will be unveiled in glowing pink.
The wings will open when the museum opens in the morning (10 a.m. daily except Monday) and then will "flap at noon" and – weather permitting – remain open until 10 p.m. The wings will be lit from sundown until their closing at 10 (even on Mondays).
Although the museum’s Santiago Calatrava-designed Quadracci Pavilion has long been illuminated, it had been with what pretty much static white light. During awareness and fundraising efforts for breast cancer research, the museum has sometimes also glowed pink.
But now, the new lights offer the kind of flexibility that has made Light the Hoan so striking and popular.
The new lights, which have the capabilities for changing hues and for movement, illuminate the entire Quadracci Pavilion but are especially eye-catching on the Burke Brise Soleil “wings.”
“The new enhanced lights under our wings ... will add fun and more visual interest to the skyline of Milwaukee going forward,” said Milwaukee Art Museum Chief Experience Officer Scott Schwebel when they were unveiled.
“We’re also celebrat(ing) the enduring community significance of the Quadracci Pavilion, the beautiful globally recognized cultural institution ... designed by world-renowned architect Santiago Calatrava; an iconic achievement that's been highlighting Milwaukee skyline for over 20 years.”
Initially, the lights were active nightly through the end of 2023 and then again every Thursday night, when the museum remains open until 8 p.m.
At the time, museum officials said the schedule could change and now it has!
One of the best spots for viewing the lights is from Museum Center Park at the foot of Wisconsin Avenue, and on the footbridge that connects the park to the museum.
The lights also look pretty great inside the museum's Windhover Hall (see photos in the embedded post below).
“One of the wonderful aspects of being able to light the building in the way that we can now is that we can participate more fully in Downtown and all the external work that our Downtown partners are able to do,” said MAM Donna and Donald Baumgartner Director Marcelle Polednik, at the December launch.
“The show of solidarity and the show of continuity between the work that we all do together as partners is really clear.”
Beth Weirick, executive director of Milwaukee Downtown BID 21 echoed the sentiment.
“Our citywide lighting program is just one of the many ways in which our Downtown buildings and property owners have delighted our visitors and our residents and our guests, whether in moments of celebration or solidarity, a unified message from Downtown's landmarks speaks volumes of our community's pride of strength and our resiliency.
Winter Solstice lighting switched on Thursday night at the Calatrava addition to the Milwaukee Art Museum is spectacular. Make sure to look through windows to see the glow falling from above the atrium into the interior & across the walls, floor & even the Calder mobile. pic.twitter.com/4DVuMfbigS — James Rowen (@jer45) December 22, 2023
“The enhanced lighting capabilities of the Quadracci Pavilion and the Burke Brise Soleil will absolutely enhance the skyline of one of the most beautiful cities and coastlines for the entire world to see. So let us celebrate together the end of shorter days and the victory of light over darkness.”
In January, Associated Bank River Center, 111 E. Kilbourn Ave., along the river Downtown finished augmenting the lighting on its building, with green horizontal strips of light on the tower.
Born in Brooklyn, N.Y., where he lived until he was 17, Bobby received his BA-Mass Communications from UWM in 1989 and has lived in Walker's Point, Bay View, Enderis Park, South Milwaukee and on the East Side.
He has published three non-fiction books in Italy – including one about an event in Milwaukee history, which was published in the U.S. in autumn 2010. Four more books, all about Milwaukee, have been published by The History Press.
With his most recent band, The Yell Leaders, Bobby released four LPs and had a songs featured in episodes of TV's "Party of Five" and "Dawson's Creek," and films in Japan, South America and the U.S. The Yell Leaders were named the best unsigned band in their region by VH-1 as part of its Rock Across America 1998 Tour. Most recently, the band contributed tracks to a UK vinyl/CD tribute to the Redskins and collaborated on a track with Italian novelist Enrico Remmert.
He's produced three installments of the "OMCD" series of local music compilations for OnMilwaukee.com and in 2007 produced a CD of Italian music and poetry.
In 2005, he was awarded the City of Asti's (Italy) Journalism Prize for his work focusing on that area. He has also won awards from the Milwaukee Press Club.
He has be heard on 88Nine Radio Milwaukee talking about his "Urban Spelunking" series of stories, in that station's most popular podcast.
