Betty Brinn Children’s Museum seeking new, bigger Milwaukee location

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Betty Brinn Children's Museum

MILWAUKEE - Betty Brinn Children’s Museum is planning for a new, future location, which it anticipates will be double in size with space for outdoor exhibits and rotating exhibit spaces.

The museum says that while details are still being worked out, the new museum will accommodate a greater number of children and families and will include new early learning and play-based experiences.

The museum is working with MC Group, Colliers, and other experts to finalize the site that supports the physical and accessibility requirements within the City of Milwaukee and will have this finalized in 2026. It's all part of the museum's large-scale, multi-year master planning process that kicked off in 2025.

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What they're saying:

"Betty Brinn Children’s Museum is being completely reimagined through a multidimensional, holistic Master Planning Process," said Tina Quealy, CEO of the Betty Brinn Children's Museum. "The new museum is being entirely reimagined to feature the United States’ newest, best-in-class children’s museum experience. It will be a bold expression of our mission, a vibrant regional destination serving as a vital part of early childhood education. Designed with intention, warmth and accessibility, it will be a space where all children and families can grow and thrive through play-based learning. By enriching the city’s cultural landscape, it will attract visitors from across the region, boosting tourism, supporting local businesses, and contributing to the overall vibrancy and economic development of the city."

(Courtesy: Betty Brinn Children's Museum)

Current state of the museum

Local perspective:

Today, between 32-35% of visitors experience the museum through significantly reduced or free admissions and programming. The new museum will continue to offer accessible admissions given Milwaukee's high child poverty rate. Milwaukee has exceptionally high child poverty — 32% of children under the age of 12 in the city live below the federal poverty level — creating a barrier for many families to experience organizations like a children’s museum.

Since the museum’s current building lease with the Milwaukee Art Museum expires in 2032, its New Museum Task Force is developing a comprehensive master plan. Areas of focus include: the future development and vision of the current and new museum, site analysis, programmatic needs, community impact, facility and exhibit design, educational strategy and overall operational strategies for many years to come.

Members of the New Museum Task Force include BBCM board and executive leadership and experts in all aspects of human-centered design of museum and cultural institutions, including Skyhouse Studio, Future Found and Wisconsin Policy Forum.

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About the museum

Big picture view:

Betty Brinn Children’s Museum is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that has welcomed more than 4.9 million children and families to exhibits, programs, and experiences since its founding in 1995.

The museum has been in existence for more than 30 years and currently operates on a significantly smaller scale than similar metropolitan areas. It averages about 170,000 visitors per year at its current downtown Milwaukee lakefront location (929 E. Wisconsin Avenue) at Museum Center Park. The museum has outgrown its current space, which has about 10,500 square feet of exhibition space. A new and bigger space will allow the museum to better accommodate and grow its attendance.