Milwaukee is for Art Lovers. Yes, you read that right.
Sure, it’s a blue-collar brewski city too but it also flaunts top-tier art galleries, some serious local talent and a pretty rad street art culture, all against a Lake Michigan backdrop. If you’re looking to dive into Milwaukee’s art scene, then we’ve got you covered. In this post we write about some of our favorite spots in Milwaukee to escape the daily grind and get inspired by other’s artistic work. Get ready for a mix of traditional art museums, outdoor displays, and small, rotating exhibits. Each with its own personality, pull and prestige.
We love each of the 7 spots shared below but if you twisted our arms and told us to rank them, this is how that ranking would shake out. What factors shaped our ranking process? We took into consideration things like cost, quality of the artwork, accessibility, if we learned new things, and overall vibes (chill vs. uptight).
1. Latino Arts Gallery
Latino Arts, Inc is a little known, often overlooked, treasure trove of art and culture. Located in Milwaukee Walker’s Square neighborhood, Latino Arts Inc is the only fine arts institution in Wisconsin that is dedicated to spotlighting works by Hispanic and Latino artists – including those who call Milwaukee home. The gallery is small and offers rotating exhibits. There’s typically a variety of visual art forms on display at once. The first exhibit we were fortunate to check out was this solo exhibit by Ellia Anna Hill. We found out about Latino Arts Inc. through their Café con Arte event which is where their Artistic Director takes guests through the gallery and discusses the work, the inspiration behind it and more. You get to sip café and munch on churros during the tour too! Check out the Special Events page for upcoming Café con Arte events and others.
General Info on Latino Arts, Inc Gallery
Cost
$1 is the recommended donation per visitor. There is a large donation box on-site. While donations are not monitored, we personally think the quality of the art on display here is worth way more than $1.
Hours
Open Monday through Friday from 10:30 am – 7:30 pm.
How much time do you need?
If you’re visiting on your own and not for a special event you will need at least a solid 30 minutes to walk the space, read the artwork descriptions and absorb the experience.
Bonus things to do here
In addition to the gallery inside, you can take a self-guided tour of their main lobby space and outdoor murals. The self-guided tour leads you around the Latino Arts Inc campus and includes 9 different stops. The lobby – which you will pass through when accessing the main art gallery space – doubles as a Heritage Center and features the History of Latinos in Milwaukee. It’s worth checking out during your visit and FREE.
Is a visit worth it?
YES! Oh my gosh, YES! We highly recommend a visit to Latino Arts, Inc or joining one of their special events. They’ve been around since 1986 and do an excellent job at shining a spotlight on our city’s rich Hispanic & Latino culture, heritage and legacy. We learn something new each time to stop by which keeps us returning!
2. Black Cat Alley
One of the best outdoor art spaces in the city is Black Cat Alley. Located in the city’s East Side there is a small private alley that is decked out in colorful murals done by 20+ artists from all over the world. The first mural we typically notice when visiting is “Glitch Frog.” It’s a large work that faces towards the Oriental Theater. It was painted by a French graffiti and street artist in July 2016. Hard to believe it will be 10 years old this year! Another mural we have an affinity for is “Backdrop Project” which was installed in 2020. It makes for an awesome Milwaukee keepsake photo spot.
General Info about Black Cat Alley Black Cat Alley is free to visit, open 24/7, 365 days a year (unless there is a planned/ticketed event). It’s a place that we hope will always be and serves as a serious nod to Milwaukee’s street art scene. Here is the location of Black Cat Alley on Google Maps.
3. Sculpture Milwaukee
Any day of the year, if you take a stroll down Wisconsin Avenue you’ll be treated to an al fresco art exhibit. The MKE Sculpture Walk is yet another free, accessible art exhibition downtown. The organization that puts this on is Sculpture Milwaukee, a non-profit who brings different world-class sculptures to the city of Milwaukee. Some pieces stay around while others come and go. And not all sculptures on display live on Wisconsin Ave. There are several nearby streets and even some places in the Historic Third Ward where sculptures may be at. There is always a map of current sculptures around the city up on Sculpture Milwaukee’s website and we’ve also seen free paper maps out along Wisconsin Ave in the summer. Each piece of art can be identified by a small informational plaque near the piece. You’ll quickly come to realize that the artists behind these works are from all over the world, not just Wisconsin.
General Info on Sculpture Milwaukee
FREE. Open to everyone, 365 days a year. Rain or shine. Most sculptures can be seen from a vehicle but best enjoyed up close (it’s also much safer to take these in from the sidewalk). Metered street parking can be found along Wisconsin Ave. and there are parking garages all over the city too.
4. Haggerty Museum of Art
The Haggerty Museum of Art is located on the campus of Marquette University. This museum is free and open to the public. It also keeps things fresh with 8 to 9 different exhibits a year across its three gallery spaces:
Lower Gallery
Lower Gallery: Image In Dispute. When we visited this gallery displayed Dutch & Flemish Art from the Haggerty Museum of Art’s Collection.
Upper Gallery (Main Floor): rotating exhibit
Second Floor Gallery: Dynamic Range. During our most recent visit, photographs by Milwaukeean and Marquette Alum, Bill Tennessen, were on display. Unbeknownst to us at the time, this exhibit became one of the most popular ever at the Haggerty Museum of Art. Today you can enjoy these photos and the visual journey Bill Tennessen crafted from behind the lens in the book, Dynamic Range.
Three cool things to know about the Haggerty Museum of Art
Something very few people know is that a Salvador Dali original is also in the Haggerty Museum of Art collection: Madonna of Port Lligat (1949). It isn’t typically on display, but you can contact the museum staff and set up a private viewing session of this artwork and other works in their permanent collection that might not be publicly displayed.
The Haggerty Art Museum is a teaching museum. As such it engages undergraduate students from all majors at Marquette University and helps them think critically about their area of student through the lens of art.
Lastly, not only does this art museum show various forms of visual art from around the world, but it takes great care to shine a spotlight on Wisconsin artists frequently.
5. Milwaukee Art Museum
There’s a good chance that one of the first places folks think about when they talk about Milwaukee’s art scene is the Milwaukee Art Museum or MAM. With about 35,000 works of art, this museum is the largest art museum in the state of Wisconsin. It’s also situated on the lakefront and is arguably one of the most photographed buildings in the city.
Exterior features of MAM not to be missed
Part of the Art Museum building is called the Burke Brise Soleil and it looks like a giant pair of wings or – as we think – like a giant sailboat about to cruise across Lake Michigan. It’s eye-catching architecture from the outside and we think it is one of the most recognizable landmarks in Milwaukee. Functionally, it serves as the museum’s pavilion and is the main entrance to the art museum via Wisconsin Ave.
Another fun feature of the museum located outside the walls of the art museum is “The American Love” statute by Artist, Robert Indiana. This cool, well-known piece is from the 1960s Pop Art Generation. It’s located at 700 N. Art Museum Dr (behind the Art Museum, along the Oak Leaf Trail, facing the lakefront). While the sculpture is technically a permanent part of the art museum’s collection, you don’t need to pay museum admission to check it out and snap a photo with it.
A look inside the Milwaukee Art Museum
Inside the museum you will find the art collections and exhibits in a space that was originally designed as a war memorial. As for the actual artwork, there is something for everyone here and the collections spans from “antiquity to the present” (MAM Collection online, 2026). Some of the collection areas on display include European, American, Mediterranean, folk and much more. We highly recommend you spend some time perusing the Haitian artwork – that collection was a true standout for us.
Some world-class artists with works permanently on display at MAM are Georgia O’Keeffe (Wisconsin-born), Kandinsky, Roy Lichtenstein and Monet (among others). The collection at MAM is ever-growing as the museum acquires new pieces. There are also rotating exhibits and special temporary events featuring different works or themes throughout the year.
General Museum Info
Admissions
The Milwaukee Art Museum is open daily and thanks to a very generous donor, kids 12 years and younger get in for free. They also offer free days periodically throughout the year and pay what you wish admission every Thursday from 4-8 p.m. Be sure to check out the official Milwaukee Art Museum website for the most up to date admission information.
How much time do you need?
We suggest you plan to spend at least 3 hours here, if you’re interested in seeing most of the collections on display.
Parking
The most convenient location for parking will be this parking garage located just north of the museum off of Lincoln Memorial Drive. This is another parking garage, south of MAM at the intersection of E Michigan St and N Lincoln Memorial Drive, that’s also convenient.
6. Milwaukee Art Gallery Inside Saint Kate
Inside Saint Kate – a hotel inspired and created around art – is where you’ll find the Milwaukee Art Gallery. The displays are ever-changing and completely free to check out, which keeps us coming back several times a year. In total there are five gallery spaces. Oftentimes Milwaukee or Wisconsin-based artists have their work on display but that’s not always a guarantee. You’ll also find a wide range of artistic mediums represented in these collections. We’ve seen sculpture, collage, photography, painting and more during our visits over the years.
One of the most unique aspects of this gallery is the collections are chosen by a Curator in Residence. You will also find an Artist in Residence here. These artists have a special on-site studio located near the art gallery and offer various events throughout their residency, related to their work. For more information on the Art Residency program and to see who currently holds these, click here.
General Gallery Info
Location
In Milwaukee’s creative theater district, it’s a prime downtown location!
Cost
FREE. You don’t need a hotel reservation or be dining/drinking at the hotel to enjoy this gallery or check out the on-site studio (if open during your visit).
Exhibits
For current exhibit information visit Saint Kate the Arts Hotel website.
7. Villa Terrace Museum & Gardens
While technically part of the Villa Terrace is an arts museum, the real superstar here is the Villa and its grounds. From the moment you step into the courtyard – complete with an impressive sculpture of Mercury – you’re going to feel as though you were transported to a home in a small Italian village. It’s an exquisite time capsule of a place. And the views of Lake Michigan stretching out from the terrace are the cherry on top.
Entrance to the museum grants you access to both floors, the courtyard, the outside terrace and the grounds that you can walk down. There’s a permanent art collection that focusses on sculpture/ironwork paired with a small art exhibit that gets rotated out every few months. We’ve seen a wallpaper exhibit and a music poster exhibit.
General Museum Info
Admission
$15 per adult and children 10+. Free admission for military personnel and their families.
How much time do you need?
We typically spend 1 hour or less here.
Is a visit worth it?
This is not the best place in the city to visit for art. We find the exhibits underwhelming. However, it’s a distinctive venue with an old-world charm. It is fun to experience the Terrace first-hand at least once – preferably in the spring/summer when the grounds look their best. When it comes to admission, we think the ticket price is high. We would not pay full admission to this museum. Thankfully, this museum has been known to offer a free day each month and sometimes your MAM ticket will also grant you access to the Terrace.
Final Thoughts
We can never get enough of Milwaukee’s art scene. We find it ever-evolving and always inspirational. Accessible and affordable. Be sure to let us know if you’d rank these the same. Or tell us which of the galleries you would like to visit first in the comments below. If you ever are looking for recommendations of things to do or checkout while in Milwaukee, feel free to email us any time.
Here’s to being inspired to create and/or explore in full color!
– Justin, Alyssa & Our Little Art Lover
Disclaimer: Parks and Planes LLC has taken great care to ensure accuracy of this post as much as possible. However, over time, things like hours of operations, prices, even names of places may change. As always, all photos, content and opinions are our own. We only recommend places, products and experiences we love!
