MILWAUKEE — After more than a year of being shuttered due to the pandemic, the Pabst Mansion, a 129-year-old staple in Milwaukee, reopened to the public this weekend.

What You Need To Know

  • A 129-year-old staple in Milwaukee opened to the public Saturday
  •  The historic lndmark was closed for the last year due to COVID-19
  • The mansion has new additions

It was day director of guest experience for the Pabst Mansion, Gary Strothmann, has been patiently waiting for.

"It's been about a year and a week since we closed," he says.

Friends Sarah Phillips and Catherine Sawinski couldn't wait to finally get back inside.

"I missed it it is just wonderful seeing people enjoying it safely enjoying it, so it's a great day," says Phillips.

"The minute we heard it was reopening we decided we had to be here," says Sawinski. 

Meanwhile, Strothmann was excited to show off some of the mansion's new additions.

"The entire house has been rewired," Strothmann says. "We also have had some. donations that were made some paintings that were returned to the house."

Eventhough the historic landmark was closed to the public over the past year, Strothmannwas busy opening up the house for the workmen and moving around the furniture.

"We've never stopped being busy, but in my spare time," he says. "I love to translate correspondence and there were about, at least 200 pieces of correspondence in old German script, and I am translating them, and that gives us a huge insight into what their daily life was like."

For him, along with translating the letters, the best part of being back open is being back at work where he can show off a treasure with more than 100 years of Wisconsin's history right in Milwaukee's backyard.