Backgrounder

MILWAUKEE:

THE IDEAL GETAWAY

MILWAUKEE, Wis.-- Bold, beautiful and spectacularly progressive - the perfect summation of Milwaukee today. Yet the city remains as genuine as ever. It's the kind of place where you can best experience the very spirit and values that built America. Our traditions of strong family values, proud ethnic heritage, warm hospitality and emphasis on cultural diversity make Milwaukee an ideal destination. 

NATIVE AMERICAN INFLUENCE

Long before the first settlers came to this area, the Algonkian Indians had a special name for the land: Millioki, which means "gathering place by the waters."  The Indians may have picked the name because they used the area for tribal gatherings or because they observed how three rivers (the Menomonee, the Kinnickinnic and the Milwaukee) met before flowing into the waters of Lake Mie-sit-gan (Michigan).

MILWAUKEE TODAY

Nestled along a magnificent bluff overlooking one of Lake Michigan's most beautiful bays, Milwaukee is the largest city in Wisconsin and the 22nd-largest nationwide.   The city is known for its cleanliness and safety.

Heralded as the "City of Festivals," Milwaukee celebrates its melting-pot heritage throughout the year with a delightful procession of ethnic and cultural events. Polish Fest, RiverSplash!, Lakefront Festival of Arts, Bastille Days,  Festa Italiana, German Fest, African World Festival, PrideFest, Arab Fest, Irish Fest, Mexican Fiesta, Indian Summer Festival and the Holiday Folk Fair are all colorful tributes to a cherished past.  This kaleidoscope of cultures also influences area restaurants, art galleries, museums and performing arts groups.

In addition to its ethnic festivals, Milwaukee is home to the nationally-acclaimed Summerfest, the "world's largest music festival." The "world's largest music festival" is an eleven-day event including 10 ground stages and the 23,000-seat lakefront Marcus Amphitheater featuring a variety of music, from national headline acts to up-and-comers. The Wisconsin State Fair combines agricultural traditions with the excitement of a contemporary event.

ARCHITECTURE    

Milwaukee boasts a wide range of historical and architectural landmarks, including the magnificent Captain Frederick Pabst Mansion, home of one of the city's influential beer barons; the St. Joan of Arc Chapel, originally built during the 15th century in Lyon, France; the Charles Allis Art Museum, a stunning English Tudor mansion and former home of the first president of Allis-Chalmers Company; Villa Terrace, an Italian Renaissance-style villa with a sweeping view of Lake Michigan and breathtaking lakefront gardens; Milwaukee's City Hall, a landmark of Flemish Renaissance design built in 1895; and Basilica of St. Josaphat's, an architectural masterpiece and the first Polish basilica in North America.

The Milwaukee Art Museum's $110 million expansion, designed by world-renowned architect Santiago Calatrava, is a signature masterpiece on Milwaukee's lakefront. Described as a moving sunscreen with a span larger than a Boeing 747, the wing-like brise soleil is a dynamic addition to Milwaukee's skyline. The museum has earned national acclaim in publications such as Smithsonian, Conde Nast Traveler, and Time magazines.

PERFORMING ARTS

One of the top cities in the nation for per capita donations for the arts, Milwaukee is home to a world-class symphony, ballet and opera. A wide range of theater venues and an exciting schedule of touring Broadway productions round out a performing arts scene that's second to none.

Milwaukee's Third Ward Arts Association features the fabulous Broadway Theater, an 18^th century replica of an Italian Baroque opera house. Audiences may enjoy performances by the Milwaukee Chamber Theater, Milwaukee's "enterprising theatre" company for world and Midwest premier productions, and the Skylight Opera Theatre.

The Downtown Theater District is home to the Marcus Center for the Performing Arts. The Center hosts celebrated performing organizations such as the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra, Florentine Opera Company, Wisconsin's only professional grand opera company, First Stage Children's Theater and the Milwaukee Ballet. Also located in this district are the Milwaukee Repertory Theater, the Pabst Theater, a lavishly renovated historic landmark, and the Milwaukee Theatre. Milwaukee is also home to Ko-Thi, the nationally celebrated African dance company.

MUSEUMS AND ATTRACTIONS

The Milwaukee Art Museum is Wisconsin's premiere arts institution. The museum's more than 20,000 permanent holdings span antiquity to the present, and include works by masters such as Monet, Picasso, O'Keeffe and Warhol. Its collections of American decorative arts, German Expressionism, folk and Haitian art, and American art after 1960 are among the nation's finest. It's 2001 expansion features dramatic gallery space, a lake-view restaurant, a 300-seat auditorium, museum store and elegant public gardens.

The acclaimed Milwaukee Public Museum invites visitors to stroll through the Streets of Old Milwaukee and then on to the lush, tropical gardens of the Puelicher Butterfly Wing, where more than 600 butterflies from around the world take flight.

The Museum is one of the country's best in natural history, featuring more than 6 million artifacts and specimens, including a Costa Rican Rain Forest, the world's largest dinosaur skull and a modern day powwow. Also housed in the downtown Museum Center Complex is the Humphrey IMAX Dome Theater, featuring a screen six stories high and a 12,000 watt, six-channel digital stereo surround sound, and the Daniel M. Soref Planetarium, a $2.6 million planetarium featuring cutting-edge technology for breathtaking cruises through the cosmos.

Milwaukee is also the proud home of the Harley-Davidson Motor Company. Founded in 1903, Harley-Davidson aficionados consider Milwaukee a mecca for motorcycle enthusiasts. New in 2008, the Harley-Davidson Museum is "hog heaven," featuring a procession of historic motorcycles, a replica of a 1920s board track and the opportunity to take a virtual "ride" among its many exhibits.

Discovery World is a spectacular 120,000-foot museum complex on Milwaukee's lakefront that connects innovation, science and technology with exploration, environment and our Great Lakes freshwater resources.

The Historic Third Ward is home to The Eisner - America's Museum of Advertising and Design, the only museum in the country exploring the synergy of advertising, design and culture, where visitors can record a radio commercial, enjoy changing exhibits and see communications history in a new way.

The Betty Brinn Children's Museum, located on Milwaukee's beautiful lakefront, provides interactive, hands-on fun and learning for children ages 1-10. 

Visit Menomonee Valley and find your favorite slot or bingo game or try your hand at blackjack and win big at Potawatomi Bingo Casino. The entertainment center features 3,100 slots, blackjack, craps, roulette, poker and bingo. Enjoy some of the hottest entertainment anywhere at the Casino's "Northern Lights Theater," a 600-seat, cabaret style dinner theater. Experience fine dining at one of the casino's five restaurants, including Dream Dance, an elegant restaurant featuring venison from Potawatomi's own Red Deer Ranch.

There's so much to see and do in Milwaukee. Don't miss a trip to the Milwaukee County Zoo, home to more than 3,500 exotic mammals, birds and fish. The 200-acre zoo is consistently ranked among the finest zoological gardens in the world. The Mitchell Park Conservatory, "The Domes," is comprised of three geodesic domes offering visitors a tropical rain forest, an arid desert or a seasonal floral display. Visitors to the Milwaukee County Historical Society will enjoy learning about the city's colorful past. The Pettit National Ice Center, the only facility of its kind in the Midwest and one of only 11 in the world, offers public skating along with a 400-meter speed skating oval and two international-sized ice sheets for Olympic training. Boerner Botanical Gardens in Whitnall Park and Villa Terrace Museum of Decorative Arts offer spectacular gardens and Wehr Nature Center feature peaceful nature trails.

Miller Park, the home of the Milwaukee Brewers, is the only state-of-the-art ballpark in North America boasting a fan-shaped, convertible roof and a natural grass playing field. The Brewers offer the finest in ballpark amenities and fan comfort, including our city's favorite baseball traditions: "tailgating" along the Menomonee River, "Secret Stadium Sauce" - a must on a bratwurst, Bernie Brewer's homerun celebration and the famous Sausage Race. Visitors have a reason to be out at the ballpark year-round - the Hot Corner, featuring The Walls of Honor, a salute to Wisconsin's baseball history, Friday's Front Row Sports Grill and a family-friendly Kids Zone with batting cage, pitching cage, replica Bernie Brewer slide and clubhouse, and interactive games.

Of course, a visit to Milwaukee wouldn't be complete without a brewery tour!  Miller Brewing Company provides an inside glimpse at the fascinating history of brewing in Milwaukee with daily free tours, as well as an opportunity to sample "the beer that made Milwaukee famous" and Sprecher Brewing Company and Lakefront Brewery, Inc. offer some of the best micro-brews in the world.           

RECREATIONAL ACTIVITIES

Milwaukee County Parks offer nearly 15,000 acres of recreational enjoyment. The Milwaukee County Park System offers year-round activities, including 16 outdoor and indoor pools, five beaches, nine community and recreation centers, 122 tennis courts, two family aquatic centers and more than 200 athletic fields for a variety of sports, including baseball, softball, rugby, soccer and volleyball. The Park System's 100+-mile Oak Leaf Trail is used for biking, in-line skating, cross-country skiing, running and walking.

Milwaukee's lakefront is a haven for fishing, boating and water sports. Sailing enthusiasts and windsurfers abound on the sparkling waters of Lake Michigan. Fully-equipped fishing charters offer an opportunity to bring home the day's catch - perch, salmon, bass and trout are common. More than 100 species of fish have been recorded in the lake, making Lake Michigan the largest sport fishery of all the Great Lakes.           

SHOPPING

Stroll the RiverWalk along the bustling Milwaukee River, complete with restaurants and eclectic retail shops. Milwaukee's SoHo, the Historic Third Ward, is a restored warehouse district that features art galleries, the Milwaukee Institute of Art and Design, restaurants, antique shops and the Broadway Theater Center. The Milwaukee Public Market is an indoor market hall featuring 20 vendors offering Wisconsin-grown products. From the ambrosia of home-made chocolates and pastries to freshly-ground coffee, it's a treat for all senses worth exploring!  Brady Street is lined with century-old buildings that harken back to its days as Milwaukee's little Italy. It boasts authentic Italian restaurants, markets and bakeries along with the "coffee house crowd" of students, artists and musicians. Old World Third Street captures the flavor of the "Streets of Old Milwaukee" with cobblestone intersections and famous landmarks such as Usinger's Sausage and Mader's Restaurant. The two-block area offers specialty shops featuring Wisconsin's finest cheeses, chocolates, spices and more.

The Shops of Grand Avenue is downtown Milwaukee's historic, four-block marketplace. The past and present meet in its stately, turn-of-the century architecture and glass skywalks. 

Additional shopping opportunities include Bayshore Towne Center, 5900 N. Port Washington Road (easily accessible from 1-43); Southridge, 5300 S. 76^th Street, Greendale; Brookfield Square, 95 N. Moorland Road, Brookfield; and Mayfair Mall, 2500 N. Mayfair Road, Wauwatosa.

10/08