One of our favorite ways to explore the city is with a Milwaukee Tour and Tasting adventure.
That’s why we’re so excited for Doors Open Milwaukee, presented by Historic Milwaukee, Inc. It’s one of our favorite events of the year!
For this annual event, you can visit over 170 buildings around Milwaukee for free, and take more than 100 free tours of buildings around Milwaukee.
If you have kids, there are several locations that are designated as specifically child-friendly.
Here are five of the free tours you will not want to miss:
1. Milwaukee PBS
Saturday, September 23rd from 10:00 -5:00
1036 N 8 St.
Visitors will get a behind-the-scenes look at Milwaukee PBS. Along with a brief tour, visitors will get a chance to be on camera, learn about locally-produced programs and find out what’s coming up this fall.
Families can learn more about PBS KIDS, make a craft, and take advantage of great photo opportunities.
Enter at 1036 N. 8th Street at the intersection of 8th and Highland. Take the elevator to the 4th floor for the studio tour. Visit the remote trucks on the street and stop by the PBS KIDS Korner in the lobby just inside the door.
2. Firehouse Station 21
2050 N. Palmer St.
Saturday, September 23rd from 10:00 – 5:00
Firehouse Station 21 was designed in 1894 by Milwaukee Fire Department foreman Sebastian Brand. Firefighters will be on site to talk about firefighting and answer questions.
3. Firehouse Station 1
784 N. Broadway
Saturday, September 23rd from 10 am – 5 pm
Home to Engine #1 and TEMS (Tactical EMS Team), this is the oldest company in the Milwaukee Fire Department, founded in 1839. Take a guided, behind-the-scenes tour of the oldest firehouse in Milwaukee, talk to firefighters, and see the equipment housed there as well as view historic photos of past crews and fire engines.
Firehouse Station 27 will also be open for the first time this year.
4. Havenwoods State Forest
6141 N Hopkins St.
Saturday, September 23rd fro 8:30 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Havenwoods is Wisconsin’s only Urban State Forest.
Visitors of all ages can drop in any time from 8:30-4pm to see their reptiles and amphibians and participate in family-friendly activities.
Join a naturalist on a 45-minute nature hike at 9 a.m. Adults and older kids can discover Havenwoods’ fascinating past in a 20-minute presentation at 10 a.m., 12 p.m., and 3 p.m.
5. MPS Survive Alive House
Saturday, September 23rd fro 10:00 – 5:00 p.m.
2059 S 20th St
The Survive Alive House educates thousands of Milwaukee Public School students on how to escape a fire in their home.
Visitors will see videos on how to escape a burning building safely. Kids can learn how to make an escape plan of their own house to be prepared and see a pretend house where they can actually practice escaping a pretend house fire.
The House opened its doors in 1992, and each year over 13,000 Milwaukee children visit each year.
Ticketed Tours
These tours are also free, but they require pre-registration. Here are some that are great for kids:
Lulu & Rocky Family Tour
Check back in September for more information!
Milwaukee City Hall
Take a rarely-offered climb up five steep, narrow flights of stairs. Get a chance to ring the “Solomon Juneau” — the 11-ton bell named after Milwaukee’s first mayor. Learn about how and why the bell is ringing again after over 75 years of silence. This tour is not wheelchair accessible.
Jones Island
Capable of treating more than 300 million gallons a day, the facility is owned and governed by the Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District (MMSD) and operated and maintained by Veolia Water Milwaukee.
Visitors will learn about the history of Jones Island, the water reclamation process, MMSD programs, the making of Milorganite®, and Veolia North America.
And kids won’t want to miss the “workhorses of wastewater,” collecting a set of “bug” cards, and getting up close and personal with the big trucks! Visitors will receive a free 5lb. bag of Milorganite® upon their exit, while supplies last. Learn more about the site here.
For the Kids:
- Explore the Big Trucks
- Learn about the Workhorses of Wastewater
- Collect all 9 “good bug” cards
- Visit the giant coloring wall
Find out more about Doors Open Milwaukee here.
Calie Herbst, Editor-in-Chief of Milwaukee With Kids, has spent over a decade combining her experiences as a parent of three to create a hub for Milwaukee’s family adventures.
Her decade-long teaching career in Milwaukee Public Schools and academic background, including a Master’s in Teaching from Marquette University and dual B.A.s in Sociology and Spanish from the University of Wisconsin – Madison, fuel her passion for inclusive and engaging family content.
Calie is also a recognized voice in local media, contributing to WISN Channel 12 News, WTMJ Wisconsin Morning News, Fox 6’s Real Milwaukee, and B93.3.
Discover more about Calie’s journey and editorial approach on her About Page and Editorial Policy Page.
