October 17 — December 17, 2026
Two of MPM's most beloved exhibits close out our year-long Greatest Hits celebration with a bang!
The walkthrough streetscape dioramas set between the mid-1800s and the turn of the 20th century will be decked out for Halloween and Christmas—the perfect backdrop to celebrate both holidays in style, all season long.
Special Events
The Intro: Streets Alive!
Saturday, October 17, 2026
11 a.m. - 3 p.m.
Back by popular demand, this fan-favorite event returns one FINAL time!
History will come to life in Streets of Old Milwaukee as Museum docents dressed in period attire share stories about Milwaukee of the past. Visitors can chat with a maid from the Pfister Hotel, a tavern owner, a pharmacist, and others from the early 1900s who will inhabit the exhibit, answer questions, and share fascinating insights about life and work more than a century ago.
Streets Alive! at NIGHT: Halloween Edition
Thursday, October 22, and Thursday, October 29, 2026
6-8 p.m. (Museum cafe open beginning at 5 p.m.)
Experience a hauntingly delightful adults-only social hour in the Streets of Old Milwaukee and European Village exhibits. Event highlights include:
- Festive fall sights in the Streets of Old Milwaukee, with replica turn-of-the-century Halloween decorations, vintage collections items, and seasonal props
- Scary stories told by Museum docents dressed in period attire
- Museum educators sharing the origins and curious customs of Halloween
- Vintage-inspired Halloween crafts
- Black-and-white classic Halloween flicks in the Streets' Nickelodeon Theater
- Flashlight tour of the Museum's Third Floor
- Cash bar (6-8 p.m.)
Food available for purchase (5-7 p.m.) from Noble Catering's cafe on the Ground Floor
Cost and Reservations
$35 per person
Sustainer + presale begins September 17; public sale begins September 21.
This is a 21+ event; IDs will be checked at the door.
Kohl's Thank You Thursday
Thursday, December 3, 2026
11 a.m. - 3 p.m.
All visitors receive FREE admission during the Museum's FINAL Kohl's Thank You Thursday, thanks to Kohl's Cares! Enjoy holiday decor and education stations (listed below) celebrating the Milwaukee of yesteryear.
Streets Alive! at NIGHT: Holiday Edition
Thursday, December 10, and Thursday, December 17, 2026
6–8 p.m. (Museum cafe open beginning at 5 p.m.)
Experience a nostalgic adults-only social hour in Streets of Old Milwaukee and European Village, full of holiday magic! Event highlights include:
- Both exhibits transformed into winter wonderlands of the past with traditional holiday decorations adorning businesses and homes
- Museum docents dressed in period attire sharing stories about European holiday traditions
- Victorian-era parlor games
- Live music by the Checkmate Barbershop Quartet
- Commemorative photo in a vintage-style holiday card
- Cash bar
Food available for purchase (5-7 p.m.) from Noble Catering's cafe on the Ground Floor
Cost and Reservations
$35 per person
Sustainer+ presale begins November 3; public sale begins November 7.
This is a 21+ event; IDs will be checked at the door.
The Finale: European Village Alive!
Saturday, December 12, 2026
11 a.m. - 3 p.m.
As our Greatest Hits exhibit celebration comes to a close, there is no better place to reminisce than in the European Village. Explore the wonder of the season during the FINAL European Village Alive! at Milwaukee Public Museum. Visitors can learn about the history of European holiday traditions from Museum docents dressed in period attire, sharing stories throughout the delightfully decorated exhibit.
Month-long Programs
Education Stations
Wednesdays-Fridays, October 21-30, and December 2-17, 2026 (MPM closed Tuesdays)
During the week, Museum experts will be at one or more of the following hands-on learning stations. Programming based on daily availability; times may vary.
Watson House
Visit Steets of Old Milwaukee to explore the life of the Watson family, cornerstones of Milwaukee's early Black middle class, and what their story, and its enduring legacy, can teach us about local history.
Streets Toys and Games
Entertainment looked a little different during the period represented in Streets of Old Milwaukee! Find your inner 1900s child by learning about (and playing with) a few toys and games popular at the time.
Milwaukee History Timeline
How much do you know about the history of Milwaukee? Test your knowledge in this interactive timeline game! We won't go all the way back to when Milwaukee was underwater, but we will look through the formation and early growth of the city.
Artifact Identification: Streets Edition
Investigate objects from a bygone era and use your archaeologist skills to discover what these items are and how they would have been used.
Guided Exhibit Tour: Holidays in History
Saturdays in December (5, 19, 26)
1-2 p.m.
Go on a guided exhibit a tour through the Streets of Old Milwaukee and European Village that explores how the holiday traditions brought over by European immigrants to Milwaukee blended to create our modern celebrations.
Capacity 25; meet at the top of the Grand Staircase (First Floor)
Streets & European Village Reading List
Want to learn more? We've curated a list of books for both young and adult readers! Download (PDF).
MPM's Greatest Hits features a lineup of five different month-long celebrations of special events and programs highlighting MPM's most popular and impactful exhibits—or “greatest hits.”