VISIT Milwaukee 648 N. Plankinton Ave. Milwaukee, WI 53203 (414) 287-4254 (414) 273-5596 (fax) Population 628088 Time Zone Central Latitude/Longitude 43.04° /-87.92° Today's Forecast HIGH: 72 LOW: 46

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Attractions

Perched on the western shore of Lake Michigan, Milwaukee takes full advantage of its lakefront as a setting for parks, museums and festival grounds. Overlooking the water from Veterans Park, the War Memorial Center is home of the Milwaukee Art Museum and its extraordinary winged sculpture that opens and closes with the museum's daily hours. The galleries here feature works by both contemporary American artists and European masters. Located at Pier Wisconsin, Discovery World houses aquariums, hands-on exhibits on science and technology, and a sailing ship. Just a few blocks away, youngsters will find lots more interactive exhibits at the Betty Brinn Children's Museum. Further south, Henry Maier Festival Park hosts Milwaukee's annual Summerfest. Billed as "The World's Largest Music Festival," it brings a host of special events and well-known entertainers to the lakefront in June and July.

The excellent Milwaukee Public Museum is noted for award-winning exhibits like The Streets of Old Milwaukee and the Tropical Rainforest. Realistic natural habitats are prized at the outstanding Milwaukee County Zoo. Take a ride on the miniature railroad that spans the zoo's 220 acres. If you love plants, don't miss the remarkable triple-topped Mitchell Park Horticultural Conservatory, popularly known as "The Domes."

For stark architectural contrast, the city offers a number of jewels -- the 15th-century Joan of Arc Chapel that now stands reassembled on the campus of Marquette University, the strikingly contemporary Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church which was one of the Frank Lloyd Wright's last designs, and the Pabst Theater (1895) and Pabst Mansion (1893), both of which have been beautifully restored.

One of the city's main cultural destinations is the Marcus Center for the Performing Arts, where the symphony orchestra, ballet, opera and First Stage Children's Theatre all perform. Major sports and music events take place at U.S. Cellular Arena found in the Wisconsin Center District. Nearby, the Bradley Center hosts the NBA's Milwaukee Bucks, the AHL's Milwaukee Admirals, and the Eagles of Marquette University. For big league baseball, catch the Milwaukee Brewers at Miller Park.

Milwaukee maintains its German heritage in its many fine German restaurants and breweries. The Miller Brewing Company offers free behind-the-scenes tours that include free samples to those over 21. Beermaking -- although on a much smaller scale -- also takes place downtown at Lakefront Brewery.

The immense Whitnall Park encompasses a restored prairie at the Todd Wehr Nature Center as well as the superb Boerner Botanical Gardens where rose and wildflower gardens are featured. The Schlitz Audubon Center encompasses 220 acres of undisturbed shoreline, grasslands, bluffs, and woodland habitats for desultory lakeside wandering.

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