House Museums

Historic House

Captain Frederick Pabst Mansion

Captain Frederick Pabst (1836-1904) arrived in Milwaukee from Germany in 1848. In 1892, the Flemish Renaissance Revival mansion of this world famous beer baron, accomplished sea captain, real estate developer, philanthropist, and patron of the arts was completed. From the day the house was inhabited, it was considered the jewel of Milwaukee's famous avenue of mansions called Grand Avenue. Today it is a splendid historic house and museum opened to the public.

Museum

Charles Allis Art Museum

This elegant 1911 Tudor-style mansion features period rooms with original furnishings and a worldwide art collection spanning 2,000 years. Changing exhibits, concerts, and programs take place in the Great Hall and English Garden.

Museum

Northpoint Lighthouse

Built in 1888 in what is now Lake Park, the lighthouse and keeper's quarters have been beautifully restored to the 1912 period as a museum of maritime artifacts and an enduring symbol of the region's rich Great Lakes maritime heritage. Climb the tower for a spectacular view.

Historic House

Ten Chimneys

Nestled in the rolling Kettle Moraine area 45 minutes southwest of Milwaukee, Ten Chimneys is the National Historic Landmark estate of early Broadway legends Alfred Lunt and Lynn Fontanne. The 60-acre estate is open to the public as a world-class house museum and national resource for theatre, arts, and arts education. The estate features a main house lovingly decorated by the Lunts, along with a charming pool and pool house, a creamery, a greenhouse, barns, and stables. Guests at Ten Chimneys over the years included Sir Laurence Olivier, Helen Hayes, and Noel Coward.

Iconic House

Villa Terrace Decorative Arts Museum

Situated on a scenic bluff overlooking Lake Michigan, this magnificent 1923 Italian Renaissance-style villa with formal gardens was built as the private residence of an early Milwaukee industrialist. The house features 15th - 18th century decorative arts, an extensive Cyril Colnik wrought iron display, and changing museum exhibits.