Milwaukee Central Library — Attraction in Milwaukee

Absolutely stunning library. So so pretty. Friendly staff. I appreciate their text message service any time I get confused. Their selection of film & book is amazing. I recently rented a foreign film that has been impossible to find, plus a book I've been searching for a many years. Found it there without any issues.

I love the selection of Native American books they have. So many books in different languages. I'm fascinated with the little kits they have for music, kids, book clubs, etc. Their business center upstairs is amazing!!! Comfortable seating. They always have great events. I just discovered they have a bookstore in the front called "The Bookseller" & it's AMAZING!!!

They also have a wonderful & hilarious social media presence. I strongly suggest following them, because it legit is the greatest account of all time. You can thank me later. ;)

If you are visiting Milwaukee, I highly recommend stopping in just to admire the architecture & art. They have an area with free magazines & brochures, perfect for anyone looking to discover Milwaukee more.

SUPPORT THIS GEM! Your local library needs foot traffic to stay funded, so come on in. It's a wonderful building!

EDIT: forgot to mention parking! You do have to pay for street parking, but exactly 1 block south on Michigan Ave there is are a few spots with free 1 hour parking. Also, Monday & Tuesday the library is open until 8pm (& there is free parking after 6pm so that gives you 2 hours!) AND Saturday, Sunday parking is...

This library is quite lovely. It clearly demonstrates that Milwaukee is a town where its art and history are shared in addition to its literature. After today, I won't go back, though. The supervisor and security guard at the library made me feel more criticized and stigmatized than ever. I did absolutely nothing. I simply fell asleep unintentionally during my daughter's IEP testing. I sincerely apologize to the security guard, but he still dispatched his supervisor to speak with me as though I were a problem. She then gave me a menacing expression as if I were a menace. I was immediately exonerated of lying or smoking marijuana as the cause of my seeming lack of motivation to stay awake. I did not insult anyone, use foul language, or even become enraged.

So, I enquire of the world: What went wrong? I exercised maturity in handling the matter since I am aware that if I had lost my temper, there would definitely have been another BLM incident. In this case, I don't even observe the other libraries acting that way. I've never been so insulted in my life, and I'll never bring my kids back here.

I give the library five stars in my eyes for the cleanness and beauty of the library. However I'm giving it one star for the unwanted and judgemental atmosphere given off by the security guard and...

Historic, stately, lovely. Besides the regular stuff the library is known for - mainly, a enormous amount of books to check out, once COVID is over, check out some of these other gems inside the library: The bookstore and café on the 1st level (hallway to the right before walking in main inside doors). Sheet music, albums and other media are available to buy in there - those items are in the back room of the bookstore.

The library’s 2nd floor has the fantastic Humanities room, with an enormous selection of historic books, maps, photos, and documents about Milwaukee, about Wisconsin, about maritime topics, and a zillion other things. It’s a genealogist’s and historian’s dream come true. (Note: Items in the Humanities Room can only be looked at IN that room, and its hours vary from the main library’s hours.)

Also on the second floor are tons of microfilm with old newspapers, tax records, vital records, and other topics. All available for free viewing in the section at the end of the 2nd floor. They have “old school” microfilm readers as well as a few new digital ones where you can save what you’re looking at to a USB flash drive or a memory card (which you need to bring with you).

Staff throughout are very helpful and friendly, in person as well as online through...