'Heights Dream Library'
Artist: Fred Kaems
@fredtheartist
Welcome to Art Tours MKE! We invite you to explore Milwaukee's vibrant art scene as you engage in our public art tours that explore our city's rich culture and creativity.
Our curated experiences showcase the city's artists, galleries and creative hubs, providing an unforgettable experience for art lovers of all ages.
Join us and immerse yourself in MKE's artistic landscape!
What to expect
Tour Experience
Art-Tours MKE is highly skilled at curating art itineraries that are ideal for art lovers who want to know more about MKE’s cultural arts landscape.
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We are committed to providing an immersive visual art experience from the moment you engage with us to the conclusion of your tour. Arts advocacy and attention to detail are at the heart of everything we do.
Our community art docents have decades of combined experience as artists, advocates and curators. Highly engaged in Milwaukee's arts and culture scene, their knowledge and insight bring a unique perspective to your art tour experience.
'Milwaukee Champions'
Artist: Jason Sterling (J-Bird)
@jbirdart
Walking Tours
Art-Tours MKE’s walking tours offer a street-level journey through Milwaukee neighborhoods, where participants explore murals on foot while learning the stories behind them. Each route is curated to highlight the cultural identity of a specific area—whether it’s the legacy of Bronzeville, the creative energy of the Near West Side, or the bold visuals of The Third Ward. Guests can slow down, observe details up close, and engage with the layered narratives of community, history, and artistic expression that shape the city’s walls.
'Welford' (Sanders)
Artist: "EGO' The Artist
@egotheartist
Transportation Tours
Art Tours MKE’s transportation-based tours offer a broader view of Milwaukee’s mural districts and cultural hubs weaving them into one cohesive experience. Traveling between neighborhoods, participants gain a deeper understanding of how public art reflects the city’s diverse communities, from industrial corridors to thriving business districts. Our guided tours offer insights that link murals across geography, theme, transforming Milwaukee into a unified, open-air gallery.
Voices of Today/Sounds of Tommorrow
Artist: Brad Anthony Bernard
@bernardarttstudio
​Group Experiences
Art Tours MKE provides an immersive art filled 'day retreat' experience for groups of 8 -15 people. These unique tour packages include transport, gallery / artist’s studio visit, maker space activity and or a community focused art engagement project . Refreshments and light meals are also provided by one of our partnering restaurant/cafe or food venture entities.
Immersive Neighborhood Experiences
Discover the vibrant art scene in Milwaukee through immersive experiences that engage from interactive installations to captivating exhibitions. Treat yourself and delve into the creativity that defines Milwaukee and let the art inspire you in unexpected ways. Join us on a journey exploring the rich cultural tapestry that makes this third coast city artfully unique.
Westview Mural Tour
Vliet Street
Explore Milwaukee’s Near West Side through a dynamic mural tour that transforms city streets into an open-air gallery. Traveling by tour vehicle or guided walking tours, guests experience large-scale artworks that honor neighborhood history, celebrate cultural identity, uplift youth voices, that reflect the creativity of the community. Each stop offers a vivid glimpse into one of Milwaukee’s most vibrant art districts
Downtown Art District Tour
Third Ward
Our guided walking tour experience through the city’s Historic Third Ward is where art, architecture, and urban energy meet. Stroll through a neighborhood of murals, public art and numerous art hubs such as The Marshall Building where numerous galleries and artists studios are located.
Along the way, guests learn how the Third Ward transformed from an industrial district into a cultural destination, with stories of artists, redevelopment, and design. This tour underscores the role art plays in shaping the area’s identity
Harambee Neighborhood
Bronzeville Milwaukee
The Bronzeville mural tour in Milwaukee offers a vivid look at one of the city’s most culturally rich and historically significant neighborhoods.
Bronzeville—once the heart of Milwaukee’s Black cultural and economic life—is now experiencing a powerful resurgence, with public art playing a central role in that story. Murals throughout the district serve not just as decoration, but as storytelling devices that honor legacy, amplify contemporary voices, and reclaim space through creativity.
Art Tours MKE Testimonies
"The tour introduced me to people and places in Milwaukee I never knew about. The experience provided a generative portrait of art on the near west side. Thank you to Brad and Erik for the wonderful opportunity!"
Kim Miller. - Art Professor / Filmmaker - MIlwaukee Institute of Art & Design
"My art tour with Brad and Erik was far more than I expected. Rather than a passive experience in which a guide simply presents and explains, we met individuals at each location who spoke passionately about their work. I discovered numerous initiatives I hadn’t previously been aware of and left feeling both hopeful and inspired. Each site seemed to hold space for community in unique and thoughtful ways.
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The tour takes place in neighborhoods not typically considered art destinations. As I discovered, however, that is beginning to change. Some of the most progressive and vital programs are happening here!"
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Debra Brehmer - Gallery Owner / Curator / Writer - Portrait Society, Gallery of Contemporary Art
The feature I most enjoyed about the tour was the in-depth and personalized explanation of the various neighborhood murals. Each mural has a distinct message for its surrounding neighbors. The tour highlights the messages and their unique artistic styles.
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Sande Robinson. - Art Patron / Collector