Milwaukee Public Museum announces holiday activities

MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) -- The Milwaukee Public Museum is creating yuletide magic and transforming the Streets of Old Milwaukee and the European Village exhibits into holiday wonderlands where you can discover holiday traditions of the past and make new memories with your family. Deck the Streets will kick-off a season of merry memory-making, including seasonal activities for the whole family on Black Friday and discovering European holiday customs at European Village Alive! in December.

Deck the Streets Kick-Off Celebration
Visions of sugar plums, holly and mistletoe come to life as you step off the streetcar and into turn-of-the-century Milwaukee! Your favorite businesses and storefronts will be decked out with Victorian-era seasonal flair. Take a peek into how Streets’residents celebrated the holidays. Want to know if Granny is hanging stockings up in her house? Download the Streets of Old Milwaukee app to find out how Milwaukee’s favorite grandma celebrates the season. View rarely seen artifacts from the Streets era, make a holiday craft, interact with costumed docents and hear holiday performance from the Wisconsin Conservatory of Music at noon and again at 1:00 p.m. Santa Claus will also be making a special appearance at our Kick-Off Celebration!

The holiday magic continues outside of Streets! Step into the European Village to celebrate Hanukkah at the Jewish House or Christmas in the courtyard. You can even blast off for an out-of-this-world holiday edition of Wisconsin Stargazing at the Dome Theater.
When: Saturday, November 18 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Black Friday Fun
Stroll through the splendor of the decorated Streets of Old Milwaukee and European Village exhibits and then join our educators for fun family programming on the first floor. Make your own themed thaumatrope, an optical toy popular in the early 19th century, decorate a streetcar postcard to send a friend a special holiday wish and create your very own ornament.
When: Friday, November 24 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

European Village Alive!
Discover what traditions have endured, as well as those that have been forgotten when costumed enactors and interpreters bring to life European holiday practices of the past. Immerse yourself in the spirit of the season, see holiday artifacts not usually on display, talk with costumed interpreters about holiday traditions and participate in fun, hands-on activities.
When: Friday, December 1 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and Saturday, December 2 from 11 a.m to 3 p.m.

MPM holiday events are included in general admission or free for MPM members. The Streets of Old Milwaukee and the European Village will be decorated in holiday splendor until January 2018.

For more information on holiday happenings at MPM, go to www.mpm.edu/holidays.