TRAVEL GUIDE

Wisconsin Car Rental and Milwaukee Art Museum

Imagine walking up to a building that has wings. There is a glass-enclosed reception hall and this wing-like sun screen is the most prominent feature of the building you are looking at. As you step inside of it, who knows what could happen? Who knows what kind of magic and experiences are awaiting you? This building is the Milwaukee Art Museum and you are staring at the Burke Brise Soleil. When the museum opens at 10am, these wings spread open as well and when the museum closes at 5pm, so does the Brise Soleil. At noon each day, the wings "flap" to provide entertainment for the visitors. On your upcoming Wisconsin car rental trip, visit the museum and be sure to take your camera for this unique experience. The wingspan of the Brise Soleil is 217 feet and weighs 90 tons. It is one of the most unique and incredible designs ever to be seen. You don't want to miss this opportunity.

A Few Fast Facts

The Milwaukee Art Museum is a building like no other. It has undergone many, many changes throughout the years and become one of the most recognizable structures today. Wisconsin car rental customers may be interested in some fun, informational facts to help learn more about the museum.

• About 20,000 cubic yards of concrete was used in making this building
• If you put the concrete in a 1-by-1 foot square column, it would go 102 miles up into the sky
• Because some of the building is built below water, it would float if it were too light and the level of the lake got too high
• A standard sized two-story house would fit in the reception hall alone
• The pedestrian bridge is about 280 feet long and the longest tension cable that holds it up is longer than a football field
• The wingspan of the Brise Soleil is longer than that of a Boeing 747-400 wingspan
• The museum's structural mast length is longer than the height of the Leaning Tower of Pisa

See a Piece of Picasso

There are many different exhibitions on display at the museum. One of the most popular ongoing exhibitions is the Bradley Collection. Mrs. Bradley donated this collection to the museum and it has been presented for 13 years. This collection of paintings has been arranged into different periods like the Art of France, the German Expressionists, post-WWII Art in Europe and many more. Her collection is constantly being reinstalled and it is known as the "enduring jewel of the Art Museum". Another popular exhibition that Wisconsin car rental customers might enjoy is the Chair Park. This is a display of chairs that have been around for more than 300 years. It shows many unique styles of chairs and demonstrates how the chair has evolved over the years. These are only a couple of the many great exhibitions at the museum. Why not come enjoy the experience for yourself?

The museum is open seven days a week from 10am-5pm, except for Thursday when it is open until 8pm. It is closed on Thanksgiving and Christmas. Admission to the museum is $8 for non-member adults, $6 for seniors and $4 for students. Children under 12 get in completely free when they are with an adult. Milwaukee County residents also get in free every Wednesday if they show a valid ID. Feature exhibitions call for a separate ticket. They can be purchased at the price of $14 for adults and $12 for seniors. Students pay $10 and children under 12 get in free. Visit the Milwaukee Art Museum on your Wisconsin car rental vacation for a fun time with the whole family.