After an extensive international search, the Milwaukee Public Museum announced the team that has been selected to bring the vision of its new museum to life in the coming years, as well as that of the Betty Brinn Children’s Museum, which will be co-located on the site.
Expert consultants chosen on January 28 to design and oversee construction of the new museum include the teams at Thinc Design, Ennead Architects, Kahler Slater, Mortenson, and ALLCON. Thinc Design will be charged with developing exhibit designs that bring together the cutting-edge style of exhibition Milwaukee Public Museum has been known for with technology to ensure visitors continue to be engaged and inspired for years to come.
Ennead Architects and Kahler Slater will make up the architecture team, bringing together national and international expertise with local knowledge and creative ingenuity. Mortenson will oversee construction of the new building, using their experience in constructing complex venues to bring the vision of the community, MPM leadership, and the aforementioned creative teams to life. Mortenson has teamed with ALLCON, a local, diverse, woman-owned general contracting firm on the project.
“As designing and building a new museum will have national and global significance and will be a point of pride for Wisconsinites for generations to come, we searched for the best talent both locally and globally,” said Dr. Ellen Censky, President and CEO of the Milwaukee Public Museum. “We are thrilled with the group we’ve assembled and feel they will capture the interconnection of nature and culture through time and space using design as part of this exciting process.”
After reviewing dozens of applications and following a thorough interview process, MPM leadership selected the expertise of this qualified, creative team. They were chosen based on their outstanding museum portfolios, their experience engaging with a diverse range of stakeholders, their ability to reflect accurate depictions of the unique and diverse cultures of individual communities in the work they produce, and their ability to work collaboratively toward a final vision.
The museum intentionally brought the exhibit and architectural design teams on simultaneously so that the building itself reflects the content inside. These designers will embark on a process that builds on the conceptual work the museum has been doing and centers on the heart of the museum experience — the four million objects and specimens that tell the interconnected history of our natural and cultural worlds.
The design teams will work collaboratively to create a museum experience in which the exhibits and building complement each other throughout the visitor’s journey in understanding the intersection of nature and culture. The Ennead and Kahler Slater team will additionally be focused on designing a vibrant space to house the Betty Brinn Children’s Museum within the complex.
Once the designs are in place, a highly experienced and locally focused team of contractors will build this vision from the ground up. The museum is committed to ensuring that diverse subcontractors are utilized and our local community is represented throughout the project.
Choosing the consultant team is the most recent milestone in what has been a carefully crafted, long-term plan for creating a new home for the Museum. The museum has been working with the Milwaukee Development Corporation to identify a suitable location and is expected to close on the acquisition of the site, located at the Northeast corner of 6th Street and McKinley Avenue, in February. The design will incorporate sustainable practices and exhibit planning will actively move forward. Final cost estimates will be determined during the design phase.
© Photo
Lee Matz
