Drumming in the Domes, by Ko-Thi
2025-12-26 19:00 - 20:00 (America/Chicago)
The drummers of Ko-Thi Dance Company present performances in celebration of Kwanzaa. Light shows will take place between performances. The event is included in the price of Domes admission.

Live Music: Milwaukee Jazz Institute Ensemble (Jazz)
2025-12-27 13:00 - 14:30 | Mitchell Park Domes
Enjoy live music amongst the beauty of the holiday show at the Domes.

Winter in the Tropics: A Family Fun Fest!
2025-12-30 09:00 - 12:00
Winter in the Tropics: A Family Fun Fest!
Join us for an exciting event, “Winter in the Tropics: A Family Fun Fest!” where you can escape the cold and enjoy a tropical paradise right in the heart of the city. Get ready for a morning filled with fun tropical activities!
Escape the cold and step into Winter in the Tropics: Family Fun Fest! This festival brings warmth, wonder, and hands-on discovery to families during winter break — a morning designed to spark curiosity and connection in our Tropical Dome.
This year’s event is bigger, brighter, and even more immersive. Kids can blend their own tropical smoothies, meet our famous dart frogs with Rainforest Rick, and explore a real beehive learning station that celebrates the tiny pollinators that help our world grow. Families can enjoy a mix of activities, crafts, games, tropical fruit tasting, and a take-home kit to keep learning going at home.
Wear your favorite island-inspired shirts under your winter coats — we’ll handle the humidity.
Perfect for ages 5–10, but wonderful for all ages.
Join anytime between 9 AM–12 PM. Special lobby program at 10:30 AM.
What’s Included
Your Activity Kit gives you access to all Family Fun Fest experiences:

Entry to exclusive Education Center activities (closed to general visitors during the event)
A tropical-themed craft station
Tropical smoothie experience for kids (smoothies for purchase)
Meet-the-frogs moment with Rainforest Rick
Beehive exploration station (learn how bees support our global ecosystems)
Word-scramble scavenger hunt through the Tropical Dome
Educator-guided mini program in the lobby
Tropical fruit tasting (soursop, tamarind & more!)
Take-home activity
Discount on tropical houseplants in the gift shop

Tickets

Activity Kit: $10 per child
Neighbor Activity Kit (53215 residents): $5
Please include your ZIP code when purchasing.

Each kit includes all activities for one child.
Note: Entry to the Mitchell Park Domes is not included. Friends of the Domes members enter the Domes for free. Learn more: MilwaukeeDomes.org/membership
Why Families Love It
It’s a short, meaningful staycation moment that feels far from home — without leaving Milwaukee. Families get a beautiful burst of tropical joy during winter break, and kids deepen their connection to nature through tactile, sensory, and story-rich experiences.

Early Closure
2025-12-31 09:00 - 16:00, 2026-01-01 09:00 - 16:00
Last admission one hour before close.

Bilingual Storytime at The Domes
2025-12-31 10:00 - 10:30, 2026-01-28 10:00 - 10:30, 2026-02-25 10:00 - 10:30, 2026-03-25 10:00 - 10:30 | Mitchell Park Domes
The Friends host storytime every Wednesday. Join us for bilingual (Spanish/English) storytime the last Wednesday of the month! No pre-registration required.
Cost: Included with admission; Free to Milwaukee Domes Alliance members (become a member)

SPARK! Program
2025-12-31 10:00 - 11:30, 2026-01-20 10:00 - 11:30, 2026-02-17 10:00 - 11:30, 2026-03-17 10:00 - 11:30
SPARK! at The Domes is a program that provides older adults with memory challenges and their caregivers nature-based activities and experiences at Milwaukee’s most beautiful indoor setting: the Mitchell Park Domes.
SPARK! at The Domes is available at no cost to those experiencing memory loss and their caregivers. Each session is 1.5 hours.
Guests are encouraged to participate each month (or as often as possible), with new activities and themes offered at each session. Come learn about music, plants and nature — and share your memories of The Domes.
Cost: Free for anyone experiencing memory loss and their caregivers (pre-registration is required)
Location: Mitchell Park Domes Lobby
Submit Interest Form Here
If you prefer to speak with someone about the SPARK! at The Domes Program, please call (414) 257-5600.

Wacky First Wednesdays
2026-01-07 10:00 - 10:30, 2026-02-04 10:00 - 10:30, 2026-03-04 10:00 - 10:30 | Mitchell Park Domes
Join the Milwaukee Domes Alliance as we explore all things that frolic and fly! Join us in the Domes lobby on the first Wednesday of each month. Monthly themes relate to our current or upcoming Show Dome theme, plants, wellness and the great outdoors. No pre-registration required.
Cost: Included with admission; Free to Milwaukee Domes Alliance members (become a member)

Storytime at The Domes
2026-01-14 10:00 - 10:30, 2026-01-21 10:00 - 10:30, 2026-02-11 10:00 - 10:30, 2026-02-18 10:00 - 10:30, 2026-03-11 10:00 - 10:30, 2026-03-18 10:00 - 10:30 | Mitchell Park Domes

Member Only: Train Show Preview
2026-01-16 18:00 - 20:00
THIS EVENT HAS SOLD OUT
All members aboard!
Be the first to experience this year’s highly anticipated Train Show during an exclusive members-only preview.
Friday, January 16 | 6–8 PM
Mitchell Park Domes
Every winter, the Show Dome is transformed into a miniature train world, featuring:
• 600 feet of looping train tracks
• A brand-new theme each year
• Unique props and over 4,000 plants creating a stunning seasonal display
This year’s theme is another exciting surprise—designed to delight longtime fans and first-time viewers alike. Experience the Domes after hours and watch the exhibit come alive with a dazzling nighttime light display, accompanied by live music.
Admission is FREE for all current members. Registration is required.
Please RSVP by January 9 and include the number of guests attending (based on your membership level). This event is expected to sell out, so we encourage early registration.
Reach out to Info@MilwaukeeDomes.org with any questions.

2026 Train Show: Modern Wonders in the Dome
2026-01-17 09:00 - 2026-03-22 16:00 | Mitchell Park Domes
Modern Wonders in the Dome
January 17 – March 22, 2026
All aboard for a world tour like no other—right in the heart of the Show Dome. Watch in delight as model trains wind over 600 feet of tracks through vibrant beds of pansies, stocks and miniature azalea trees. Embark on a miniature expedition to the Seven Modern Wonders of the World–each stop is a dazzling destination!
Perfect for families, explorers, and dreamers of all ages, Modern Wonders in the Dome is your ticket to a global garden adventure filled with imagination, discovery, and botanical beauty—no passport required.

Indeed We Can: January Benefit
2026-01-27 14:00 - 23:00
Join us for the Indeed We Can January 2026 edition as we raise a glass to the Milwaukee Domes Alliance! Every Tuesday in January, Indeed will donate 100% of the day’s taproom proceeds to the Milwaukee Domes Alliance. This includes all sales of tap beer, to-go beer, growlers, crowlers, THC products, merch, and snacks! Get here: 530 S 2nd St, Milwaukee, WI 53204

All-Scale Train Show
2026-01-31 - 2026-02-01 | Mitchell Park Domes
All-Scale Train Show
The Train Show expands into the lobby and Greenhouse 7 for the All-Scale exhibit. Fun, food, and a whole bunch of model trains of all gauges.
Perfect for families, explorers, and dreamers of all ages, Modern Wonders in the Dome is your ticket to a global garden adventure filled with imagination, discovery, and botanical beauty—no passport required.
Please note that during the event additional parking will be available in the back parking lot (behind the Domes). We can’t wait to you there!

Winning Design Gala
2026-02-21 17:30 - 22:00
Winning Design: Treasures Through Time
A Gala to Preserve the Domes
In 1958, architect Donald L. Grieb’s visionary glass design was chosen as Milwaukee’s winning design for the Mitchell Park Domes. Over six decades later, Milwaukee Domes Alliance invites you to celebrate that legacy through an evening of art, design, and preservation.
On Saturday, February 21, 2026, step inside the Domes for an immersive gala where architecture becomes theater and every detail tells a story. Guests will experience three distinct natural environments alive with light, music, and design—from Art Deco to the Atomic Age.
Every ticket and auction bid provides the critical funds needed to preserve this architectural treasure and community anchor for generations to come.
Join us to honor Milwaukee’s past, celebrate design inspired by nature, and help shape a sustainable future for the Domes.
Event Details
Date: Saturday, February 21, 2026
Time: 5:30–10:00 p.m.
Location: Mitchell Park Domes, Milwaukee
Attire: Cocktail / Gala

Tickets & Tables
Secure your place at Winning Design: Treasures Through Time.
Individual ticket: $150
Table for 8: $1,200
Reserve Your Spot
Event FAQs

Thank You to Our Sponsors

Contemporary:

Postmodern:

Mid-Century:

Modernist:
Baird/Zoe Jenkins
McEnroe Consulting
Michael Best
Shannon Rose Photography
Wolter, Inc

Art Deco:
Associated Mental Health Consultants
Fehring, Larry and Liz
Rannow, Kevin
Visit Milwaukee

Become A Sponsor

Donate an Auction Item
Help make our live and silent auctions unforgettable. We welcome unique experiences, gift certificates, artwork, travel packages and other one-of-a-kind items that align with the spirit of the Domes and decades through design.
To discuss an auction item donation, please contact Monica Gorko at mgorko@milwaukeedomes.org

Bonsai Show
2026-02-22 09:00 - 16:00 | Mitchell Park Domes
Step into a moment of calm and craftsmanship at the Domes.
Join us for a Bonsai Show in the lobby of the Mitchell Park Domes— a one-day opportunity to experience the beauty, patience, and artistry of bonsai. Featuring carefully cultivated trees presented by the Milwaukee Bonsai Society, this quiet exhibition invites visitors to slow down and appreciate nature in miniature.
Bonsai is both art and meditation— a living expression of balance, time, and care. As you explore the Domes, pause to admire these remarkable trees and learn more about the traditions behind them.
What to Expect

A curated display of bonsai trees
Presented by the Milwaukee Bonsai Society
A peaceful, self-guided experience
A thoughtful complement to your visit through the Domes

A Moment to Pause
The Bonsai Show adds a quiet layer of reflection to your visit— a reminder that nature’s beauty can be found not only in vast landscapes, but in the smallest, most intentional forms.
The Domes are open on Sundays from 9am-4pm (last admission one hour before close).

Steampunk Faire
2026-03-07 09:00 - 16:00 | Mitchell Park Domes
Step into an alternate past— under glass.
On Saturday, March 7, the Domes transform into a world where Victorian imagination meets botanical wonder. Gardens & Gears: Steampunk Faire is a one-day immersive experience that brings together art, craft, costume, and creativity— all set within Milwaukee’s world tour under glass.
Wander through lush gardens filled with gears, goggles, and handcrafted details. Meet makers and artists inspired by the steampunk aesthetic. Admire inventive costumes, mechanical curiosities, and imaginative displays— all surrounded by living plants from around the world.
Whether you’re a longtime steampunk enthusiast or simply curious, this event invites you to explore a playful blend of history, fantasy, and nature — no time travel required.
What to Expect
Throughout the day, enjoy a self-guided experience designed for discovery and delight:

Steampunk-inspired art, decor, and displays throughout the Domes
Creative costumes and character moments
Handcrafted details and maker-driven design
Living gardens as the backdrop— where imagination and nature collide
Highly visual, photo-worthy moments at every turn

Costumes are encouraged but not required. Come dressed to impress— or simply come curious.

Show Dome Closed for Installation
2026-03-23 - 2026-04-03
From 3/23/26 – 4/3/26the Show Dome will be closed for installation of our Spring Show. The Desert and Tropical Domes will remain open.
