Milwaukee County Historical Society — Local services in Milwaukee

We had the wedding of our dreams at the Milwaukee County Historical Society. From the day we saw the venue a year ago, we fell in love with how elegant and unique it was, and were so excited to showcase it to our guests. About halfway through planning, we found out that the venue event space had changed ownership, which could have been very stressful in wedding planning. However, Two Birds took over and made the transition absolutely seamless, all while honoring any prior agreements we had. Bella in particular was so easy to work with and communicated well with us and all our other vendors to set everything up, which was greatly appreciated as we were planning the wedding out of town. Bella worked so well and closely with our day-of coordinator as well that it was hard to tell that they were from two separate teams, the day could not have gone any more smoothly despite so many moving parts, and she really made it our dream wedding. We held our ceremony in Pere Marquette park directly behind the society, followed by a cocktail hour on the society’s patio (which is conveniently shaded in the summer, making it very comfortable for guests). Dinner was on the second floor, and guests were floored by the gorgeous and intricate ceilings as they walked up the stairs. The size of the first floor was more than enough room for our wedding of 165, and the shape of the room allowed for easy flow between dancing, mingling, and the bar. Almost every guest has commented to us about how unique and gorgeous this venue is, and they especially loved the bank vault behind the dance floor. We truly had the most perfect day in a stunning venue, and cannot recommend this venue or Bella and the Two Birds...

Beautiful building. However, the most unprofessional staff I have ever encountered. The wedding I attended there started off with the Event Manager asking me (a wedding guest) what time dinner was being served and what time will the band start. This "Event Manager" seemed completely unphased by my shock that she did not know this information. The unprofessional behavior continued throughout the evening, the worst being a man in shorts and t-shirt walking into the wedding claiming to be the manager/owner of the building cursing and pushing people. My 15-year-old nephew and 14-year-old son were the first of many guests this man came up to cursing and pushing. Highly recommend to stay away for a...

Friendly and helpful staff, rotating exhibits, and a great location all recommend this place. I am going there primarily to access the archives for a personal project and Steve, the archivist, has gone above and beyond to assist me. I was leery about making my first appointment due to experiences at other places with staff that almost crossed their eyes looking down on me as a dilettante hobbyist but that most definitely did not happen here! Masks were required and are now requested if you have not been vaccinated. Capacity for the archives is limited and you must make an appointment. There is a great riverside park just outside the door with picnic tables and an active boat...