In fact, the health of Milwaukee County residents is nearly the lowest in the entire state, and there are extraordinary racial health disparities between white residents and people of color.

The Mitchell Park Domes represents a powerful tool for helping Milwaukee County overcome these challenges. According to public health researchers (Stamatakis, Mitchell), connecting to nature is not just a fun pastime, it is critical to the emotional and physical well-being of the community. In fact, being in nature reduces anger, fear, and stress and increases pleasant feelings. It also contributes to physical wellbeing, reducing blood pressure, heart rate, muscle tension, and the production of stress hormones. This is especially critical for urban youth who are often deprived of green space.

The Milwaukee Domes Alliance Education Department manages a wide range of programs geared toward helping the community connect with nature, including: adult workshops; family and youth programs; youth field trips; an onsite Education Center open to the public; and a Symposium that focuses on topics critical to the community’s health.

A few ways that Milwaukee Domes Alliance is helping create an inclusive and healthy community:

• Through the Dr. and Mrs. John Thomas Scholarship Fund, we ensure all students have access to the Domes School Field Trip Program. In Fiscal Year 2024, 50% of field trips qualified based on the percentage of economically disadvantaged families served by the school.
• We source local businesses and artists in the Gift Shop and as vendors at events. Currently, there are 25 local artists and businesses represented in the Gift Shop, several of whom live in the Clarke Square Neighborhood (the community adjacent the Domes).
• We provide library experience passes to Milwaukee-area libraries so that their members can access the Domes at no cost.
• We provide free passes and memberships to seniors, refugees, veterans groups, and community organizations.
• We host community events and provide scholarships for those unable to pay the entrance fee: Día de los Muertos is one example (250 scholarships).