What a nifty way to spend an afternoon. Provided that you're a vaguely cerebral (fair to say, "nerdy") older sort, especially if you're a fella (I wouldn't recommend the place for most kids - especially not a gaggle of tween girls). All manner of The Work of Man memorialized in sculpture and painting, with a particularly nice Carl Spitzweg side gallery (worth a visit if you ever admired Norman Rockwell's "The Bookworm" - the original of which is also there, right outside the Spitzweg room - because you'll find its inspiration). Oh, and it's five bucks (I didn't even ask about the Senior Rate). And be careful not to trip over the students sunbathing on the grass in bikinis when looking at the magnificent sculptures in the rooftop garden. read more

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Been living in the neighborhood almost a year and never gave thia place a secons thought. Realizing it was right next door to one of my favorite coffeeshops (Discourse) and that it was only $5, I gave it a shot. This is one of the best kept secrets in Milwaukee, honestly. The artwork on display is incredible, with some genuinely masterful pieces, as well as more modern interpretations. Mostly paintings with some sculptures, iron work, and videos. They even have a rooftop which offers incredible views of the skyline and features several large sculptures, just bw aware that it's closed for winter. I took an hour and a half to get through it, and that's just taking a peak at the rooftop. I would say you could spend upwards of 2 hours here with little difficulty. read more

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A great museum in Downtown Milwaukee that features historical works, as well as more modern pieces from local artists. The exhibits are well organized and span 4 floors including the rooftop. Be sure to check for updates on rotating featured works or events, including occasional free admission! read more

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Outstanding art museum, especially at such a low entry fee. Wonderful works of art spread across four levels. Definitely a a worthwhile experience. read more

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What an interesting idea- collecting art with work as your theme. The art is easy to access and is well organized. Do not miss the rooftop deck! read more

Grohmann Museum - Art Museums Near Me - Milwaukee, Wisconsin

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The Grohmann Museum is a hidden gem. Super easy to get to, tickets won't break your pocketbook at $5 for adult! a lot of street parking and near downtown. This is part of the Milwaukee School of Engineering (MSOE) rightfully the predominant theme revolves around "The Art of Work". Literally from ceiling to floors, art is all around you. Floor Mosaic, stained glass windows, ceiling murals, bronze sculptures and striking paintings. Many of the paintings depict actual historical events and places! There are 3 floors and an amazing sculpture garden on the rooftop. This museum was very well planned and laid out meticulously for all ages. Definitely we will be back to bring others to appreciate this fine example of Art at Work! read more

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Not your usual art museum! Most art museums' sculptures and paintings are focused on rich people, Jesus, politicans, royalty, and other elites, yuppies, and other selfish and awful people. The Grohmann's collection is focused on the working class, the poor, the tradesmen, the builders, the craftsmen, and skilled and educated workers of the upper class, but not the rich snobby elitists, or those whom were simply born into royalty, or a trust fund kid. All the art is very skillful and unique! And a great bargain at only $5. read more

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Gorgeous art! Free on weekends ! Very well maintained! Worth the visit. Staff was very knowledgeable.

Statues sitting on the edge of the roof of this building in downtown Milwaukee? That is all I knew about this building for years. Someone recently pointed out that there was a museum in Milwaukee with a rooftop sculpture garden and I connected the dots. I've always thought that university museums and art galleries were intended for students and alumni. While that is probably the audience that visits the space the most (no statistics to back up my claim though, haha), the public is able to use the space too. $5 admission felt like a fair price to be able to explore 4 floors of art. Granted, I didn't spend too much time looking at the art on floors 1 through 3. I wanted to see the art on the roof and take in the views. I will need to go back as there was a private party on half of the roof during my visit - but from what I was able to see, was enough to appreciate the museum for what it was. Also, right when you walk into MSOE's Grohmann Museum, there is a tile display on the floor and then a painting at the top of the open spiral staircase to the top. That entry way alone is worth stopping in to see too. read more

Grohmann Museum - View from the rooftop of MSOE's Grohmann Museum. - Art Museums Near Me - Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Really great sculptures and art about work. 3 floors, plus a rooftop with large sculptures and a mural. it's nice to see art with a focus on all types of work. beautiful building and affordable. read more

An amazing collection with a curated focus on people who work with their hands. I recommend visiting the roof top sculpture garden and then work your way down to each floor to take in the permanent collection. Stunning examples of oil on cardboard and subjects rarely portrayed such as, poets, potters, quacks, magicians and luthiers. read more

This place is absolutely fantastic to visit. There is so much history, so much art, so much creativity, so much beauty, and so so many sculptures. The displays change on regular basis.... They have special events, interactive activities, and great presentations. Staff is wonderful and you will enjoy the rooftop sculpture garden. read more

An art museum with a definative purpose* I enjoy looking at art, but more importantly, I enjoy looking at art that I can appreciate, which also has a purpose. Grohman checked both boxes. Here you'll see a fascinating look at the art of work. And also works of art. Wait, what? Yeah..Grohman's focus is on artwork that captures the toils of men and women from making metal to baling hay to shipworkers, etc. The art here spans 500 years of work and explicitely covers 100's of different topics. 100's of works including paintings, sculpture, glasswork, etc. Multiple floors and the best yet, a rooftop garden of large sculptures that makes this place a super cool spot to visit. Even if you aren't a big art fan I think most would enjoy and appreciate what Grohman has to offer. Cheers. read more

Grohmann Museum - Art Museums Near Me - Milwaukee, Wisconsin

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I've developed an appreciation for small museums ironically through visiting them in other cities. In other words, I've lived in Milwaukee for 5 years and didn't even know this was here. Located on the MSOE campus, it's a museum of art depicting human work, from alchemy to farming to iron forging. Lots of German, Dutch, and even Milwaukeean artists are represented, among others. The subject matter might not seem like everyone's cup of tea, but I found it engaging enough to occupy 1 1/2-2 hours on a summer afternoon. There are a few video displays interspersed throughout the galleries as well as a few QR code links to videos featuring blacksmithing or glass blowing. On the day I visited it was quiet but I overheard a staff member say it gets louder when the students are around. Post-COVID I've been more into exploring my own city, and this is another thing I might never have found because I didn't know to look for it. Worth checking out. read more

Our twin daughters went to MSOE. Very cool that this is right there. It looks awesome from the inside and out. I love that the men move on top of the building. Thank you! read more

Surprising! Wow! To be honest, I wasn't expecting much from this museum because its focus is on art related to work. What I found was a real treat. They have a large collection of sculpture, an large collection of paintings from a wide range of eras, and so many pieces that are so intricate that you can easily spend a hour or more to work your way through the collection. I will include a few pieces in the photos so you can see the detail in many of the paintings. I absolutely enjoyed my visit and would highly recommend it to you. (It is only $5 for adults and is very much worth it.) The main desk recommended starting at the top of the building, their outdoor sculpture garden, and working your way down. It is a good idea to do so. The main floor focuses on art with an industrial subject. It is very interesting, but my favorite are the upper floors where humans at work are the focus. The people who gathered this collection had a very good eye and did an excellent job of choosing pieces that draw you in because of their relatability. read more

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My visit to the Grohmann Museum was time well spent - from their rooftop garden to their wonderful videos and paintings and to their bronze statues on the 4th floor which are larger than life, this place depicts the history and evolution of the working labors humanity through the ages. The building itself is a beautiful work of art, with a mosaic floor at the entrance and murals on the ceilings. I was interested to learn that this museum is actually a part of the Milwaukee School of Engineering. There are faculty offices and classrooms within the same building as the museum. Tip: There's easily enough of interest here to justify setting aside 1.5 to 2 hours for a visit. read more

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We never knew about this museum, so glad we found it. Out of state family visiting is what brought us in. 4 adults for $5 each, around two hours of an enjoyable, self guided tour. Was a beautiful day. Peaceful place, we can't wait to visit again. You can get any paining in this collection turned into a poster, check with the greeter when paying or before exiting. I believe that my family member said 1 is around $20-$25 per copy. Pretty cool! read more

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The Grohmann Museum on the campus of MSOE is a great art museum dedicated to celebrating Man at Work, a comprehensive collection by Dr. Eckhart Grohmann, an MSOE regent. General admission is $5 and well worth it. Images of men and women working go back as far as the 1600's, and the collection is impressive. As you enter the museum, you cross a mosaic floor, while three stories above, an equally colorful mural by artist Hans Tylle represent great minds of science with the message to students and those entering "Seize the Day" and "Science Without Art is Nothing". The current Mills of Milwaukee exhibit features photos of Milwaukee's steel mills and lots of documentation about how the mills came about, videos about how steel is made, and paintings and sculptures of the steel industry. The standing Man at Work collection is very nicely done, separating paintings and sculptures by industry such as steel, physicians, wines and brewing, wool making, farming, and much more. Take the winding stairs up to the sculpture garden where large bronze sculptures of men and women of industry loom over the edge of the roof. One visitor talked with us, saying she had come all the way from Appleton just to see the exhibit. She put it very well that the sheer size of the sculptures on the roof are a testament to how important industry has been to the City of Milwaukee. And the same can really be said of the Grohmann Museum, as it's testament to representations of work and industry couldn't have found a better City as a home. read more

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What an amazing Museum to visit, the art pieces are so beautifully done and it's something that all will enjoy from the rooftop sculptures to the ceiling art pieces. If your in Milwaukee, please look them up it's a great afternoon thing to do with your family or loved one guaranteed. read more

Decent museum for what it is, which is a collection of art depicting work. It's mainly paintings from the 19th to early 20th centuries, with a few sculptures and photographs. The more impressive stuff is the big floor mosaic, the ceiling mural, and the rooftop sculpture garden. Even without the free parking, the price is pretty good. Gift shop is also nice, and may be worth a trip around the holidays for something different for those hard-to-shop-for folks. Went pretty soon after they reopened from COVID-19 lockdown, and social distancing was pretty good, though there were not many other parties visiting. The little ones with me seemed to like it the place well enough, but I don't think they'll be chomping at the bit to return anytime soon. I think everyone should visit atleast once. Show some love to small museums! read more

Grohmann Museum - Free parking for visitors! Look for this sign and give your plate # to the front desk - Art Museums Near Me - Milwaukee, Wisconsin

WOW! This place is amazing! Why had I not been here before? Start your tour at the rooftop and admire the sculptures and the city views. Then, go floor by floor taking in the beauty of the museum's collection. read more

Grohmann Museum - Art Museums Near Me - Milwaukee, Wisconsin

For a $5 admission, this place gives you a lot. As a first time visitor, I got a whole book on the pieces throughout the museum, which was a lovely perk I was not expecting. From the floor mosaic to the ceiling painting to the statues on the rooftop to every piece of art, it's impressive a museum managed to fill 3 levels with art about work. I'm a sucker for rooftops, so I would have paid $5 just for that. I loved seeing a history of every kind of work throughout the ages. In the medicine section, I learned a lot about how much medicine has changed....and not changed. We still look at pee quite frequently, just like the practitioners of back in the day. Only weird thing is MSOE has classrooms in here, so while you're browsing on a weekday, you might learn about whatever they're teaching in those rooms. Awesome collection! Definitely worth a stop to this small, beautiful museum. read more

Grohmann Museum - Man at work - Art Museums Near Me - Milwaukee, Wisconsin

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Way cool! From the inside to the rooftop sculptures! Interesting paintings! Lovely stained glass!

Very nice museum about the evolution of Iron and Steel Works. A collection of manufacturing art between paintings and sculptures. Their rooftop has an amazing view. Museum follows COVID-19 protocols. Masks is required at all times. I went on a Sunday and it was 3 people at the museum. It takes about 2 hours to completely appreciate all the art. read more

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What a find! I took a friend from out of town to this museum and it's a diamond. Only $5 per person for an admission fee and took about 3 hours to go thru it. Paintings and sculptures about the evolution of work from around the world and done by famous artists. A spectacular museum and well worth visiting. read more

We visited the museum today and we LOVED it. Dr. Grohmann had amassed an extraordinary collection of art & sculpture - and not only did he donate his entire collection to form this museum, but apparently he also bought the building (a former bank) and it was renovated during a three-year period. The interior is lovely, but the absolute highlight is the rooftop sculpture garden; there are myriad life-size sculptures of people and great views of the city. Admission is incredibly reasonable & it even includes a good-size booklet about the museum, and the two people working at the reception desk were very pleasant. We were there for 1 1/2 hours and that was barely enough time. read more

Very interesting art museum with a narrow focus on people at work. The collection of sculptures on the rooftop garden were excellent. And the view from the roof of downtown Milwaukee is excellent. We found some of the descriptions of the industries represented by the paintings to be very informative. This place is worth a couple hours of your time! read more

Grohmann Museum - Great view of downtown from sculpture garden - Art Museums Near Me - Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Truly one of Milwaukee's treasures. This is one man's (Dr. Eckhart Grohmann) collection of artwork that isn't remarkable because of the well known artists, it is remarkable for the theme of the collection - "Man at Work". All of the artwork has to do with men and women working. The art is categorized by the profession or job. It is very interesting to see art displayed in this manner, especially the medical section where you will see some paintings that will surely make you cringe. I am certainly glad I did not live in the days before general anesthesia. There are four floors and you'll go from foundry workers to brewers to bridge builders to grave diggers. Good descriptions are provided next to each painting or sculpture and you can also use the barcode scanners on many of the works to find out more detailed information using your smartphone. The fourth floor is one of the coolest places in Milwaukee - the rooftop sculpture garden features a dozen 9' tall bronze sculptures that can either face inward or outward based on the time of year or an event. The rooftop is available for parties and events. You feel like you found a great secret garden spot in the middle of the urban world. Dr. Grohmann's office is also on the fourth floor. If you are lucky enough to get inside, you'll see he has one of the best offices in the city. There are several beautiful stained glass windows made from some of the paintings that you'll see in the museum. The atrium area features a mosaic floor and a painting on the ceiling of some of the world's greatest scientists. Of course, everyone is at work. I bring many groups to the museum. It is not overwhelming and you tend to find an area or profession that may be of most interest to you. The docents are wonderful and everyone receives a really nice commemorative book. Thank you Dr. Grohmann for sharing your collection with us! read more

Grohmann Museum - Spring on the rooftop. - Art Museums Near Me - Milwaukee, Wisconsin

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Great Milwaukee gem! Don't miss the rooftop sculpture garden. Great way to spend a few hours on a hot afternoon.

What a wonderful museum! All the pieces revolve around the theme "Man at work." I easily get overwhelmed at museums that have no real direction or flow of their exhibits, but the Grohmann museum does a beautiful job of organizing their collection. They have plaques around each section giving facts and details about the the type of work that is being done in the paintings- very smart- helps put the paintings into context. They also have barcode scanners by certain paintings that lead you to an audio file about that painting. The highlight of the museum for me was the roof top sculpture garden- it is beautiful up there! The men sculptures are enormous-they look so much smaller from the street! For only $5, the Grohmann Museum is worth every penny, I honestly would have paid more. How lucky are the MSOEstudents that get to go to class in the museum each day! read more

Grohmann Museum - Beautiful rooftop sculpture garden - Art Museums Near Me - Milwaukee, Wisconsin

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Grohmann museum had just celebrated its ten year anniversary. For the last ten years I try to visit it every time I am in Milwaukee and I always discover something new. It is fascinating to see how different professions evolved from Middle Ages to modern days, or how ordinary people lived, or just look at different German landscapes. I also really liked the roof top terrace. It has statutes of workers and peasants from the beginning of twentieth century. Every time I come here, I feel transformed and fascinated by this comprehensive and magnificent collection of social realisic art. read more

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This is an amazing museum--stuffed full of carefully curated art in a fun space. It is also used for teaching, so you have a few classrooms thrown in. Every floor is worth your time, and of course the top floor's garden atmosphere and sculptures are fun because it is in the middle of some amazing MKE skyline. The focus on labor art is something everybody should see and appreciate. read more

Terrific. The art is pretty much to one person's taste: Mr. Grohmann. If you want to see art that depicts people at work, this is the best collection in the world. It is appropriate that it is in Milwaukee, which has a strong industrial history. People looking for variety might be disappointed, but not me. Every time I visit Milwaukee I go to the Grohmann. read more

"Home to the world's most comprehensive art collection dedicated to the evolution of human work." I hit up the Grohmann for the first time ever this past weekend while checking out WMSE's 13th annual Food Slam. Color me crazy impressed with this hidden Milwaukee gem! The Grohmann Museum is situated right in the heart of downtown/East Town on MSOE's campus. It's an MSOE joint, too. The Grohmann Museum features "more than 900 paintings and sculptures representing the evolution of human work." Works depict labor in all its many forms, from the manual/physical to the cerebral/innovative. Special events and exhibits are regular features at the Ghohmann; currently, the special exhibit features photography highlighting life and work on an American ranch by Milwaukee photographer Jim Brozek (runs through 12/13/2013). The space itself is pretty awesome; a super-quick + quiet elevator runs up and down a clear shaft that spans upwards the four (including the rooftop) floors of artwork. The rooftop: ... pretty flipping awesome. Giant metal statues of men at work (and one lady at work) define the space and are illuminated in all their super-tall/ornate glory by strategically placed floodlights that, in some way, don't feel like floodlights, even though they are. (read: it's bright but not blinding.) Benches for contemplative museum/event-goers, tiny patches of green space and gorgeous stained-glass in the "dome" portion of the rooftop complete the both lofty yet grounded nature of the rooftop space. The other three floors: are also pretty flipping awesome. Go and find out for yourself. I love the juxtaposition in concept; a museum dedicated to artistic depictions of human work. The juxtaposition of high-art and "low-labor," etc. You know. This museum gets five stars for the following reasons: -the amazing collection of work -the space itself is really quite impressive -the rooftop is out of this world awesome -niche subject matter/content that's perfectly suited to MKE civic identity -accessible to the community Yay Grohmann! read more

HIDDEN GEM This is a great little museum featuring paintings & sculpture about "Men at Work." The top floor has a delightful outdoor garden area. I found the other three floors of artwork to be fascinating, captivating. This place is well worth a visit. We spent 1 1/2 enjoyable hours there. The museum is well maintained by the Milwaukee School of Engineering, and has free parking. read more

I work at MSOE, so I have the good fortune of being able to visit the Grohmann whenever I want. We also have quite a few events here. I haven't spent that much time perusing the 3 floors of artwork, because I almost always head straight for the beautiful rooftop sculpture garden. It is absolutely gorgeous up there, with a 360 degree panoramic view of the city. I love taking my lunch up there on a warm sunny summer day. Another hidden gem is Dr. Grohmann's office on the rooftop. If you can arrange for a tour, it is definitely worth it. The entire office is surrounded with beautiful stained glass windows. The Grohmann Museum is just amazing. I don't know how more people don't know about it. read more

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I really enjoyed my visit to the Grohmann today -it is a really beautiful museum, location, and collection. It really seems like an integral part of the MSOE campus, with students and professors coming and going throughout my visit. Especially when the students were leaving class it was a little noisy, which some visitors might find distracting, but I thought it was cool how the university uses the beautiful building for multiple purposes. The collection is well organized according to various themes. The price was fair especially considering the book they give you, there is easy garage parking nearby, and the staff were very nice. They suggested I start on the top floor and make my way down and it made for a great visit. read more

Grohmann Museum - Art Museums Near Me - Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Wonderful niche museum. All art is about forms of working. Would have been nice to see homemaking too. But so many great images. The sculptures in roof garden are not to be missed. read more

This museum is really worth bringing your out-of-town visitors. It is so Milwaukee with all of the manufacturing artwork. I read that a quite famous artist was flown here from Germany to paint the ceiling in the foyer...really beautiful. Has anyone else noticed that the museum cupula resembles the cupula on the renovated Reichstag in Berlin, Germany? Really cool! read more