MAM After Dark

5 tips for a late night at the Milwaukee Art Museum

Tip #1: If you live in MKE and love art, go to MAM After Dark. 
If you enjoy a side of cash bar and live music with your art, then you really should go to MAM After Dark. In case you don't know, the Milwaukee Art Museum hosts a late-night party once a month. Each event is themed, and not only are the galleries open for enjoying, but there's live entertainment, an arts-and-craft area, games, drinks and food for sale, and some complimentary eats as well. 

Tip #2: Buy your tickets ahead of time at mam.org. 
Online tickets are $10; tickets at the door are $12 — but you pay even more in other ways. Last Friday when we went to the Rio Carnival MAM After Dark, there was a line out the door. In the freezing cold. Adam and I spent a good 20 minutes or more waiting to purchase our $12 tickets. So save yourself a couple bucks and the annoyance of ticket lines (more on that in Tip #3). Or, become a member of the Art Museum and entrance to all MAM After Dark events is free!

Tip #3: Park and enter through the new east entrance. 
Did you know there's a new east entrance? Neither did I. Hence, Adam and I waiting at the main entrance for 20+ minutes. As you're driving north down Lincoln Memorial, drive past the museum and take a right near the War Memorial to get to the museum's east entrance. I haven't actually done this, but my friends explained it to me. Once there, you can park (they parked for free this past Friday, but we're not sure if that was a fluke or what) and walk right in, no ticket line.

Tip #4: Take full advantage of the coat check. 
That way you can also take full advantage of your evening. With how cold it's been, I've been lugging around my long puffy coat, big knit scarf, heavy gloves, and fleece-lined hat with a giant pom-pom everywhere I go. At MAM After Dark last Friday, I made the  mistake of not checking said wintry apparel, and ended up a trifle annoyed with myself later. There was live music and dancing — no one wants to be stuck holding their Wisco winter gear! I believe the coat check is free (plus tip), but if not free then it's just a nominal cost. 

Tip #5: Explore. 
The museum recently unveiled its newly-renovated permanent collection, and it's such fun to see. I plan to go back and take in more of the eye candy another time, but what I saw last Friday really got me excited. Make sure to venture into the basement where you'll find trippy interactive art like the Infinity Room and this crazy-cool light show and fog machine (I didn't catch the name of the piece or the artist). It will have you mesmerized for a good 10 minutes. Yep, the above photo is Adam's head in a pillar of light. Don't think of yourself as easily amused? Think again my friend.