MILWAUKEE — Demolition work began last month on the future home for the Milwaukee Public Museum. 

Staff at Milwaukee Public Museum already started the artifact process and said it’s no easy task. 

Jackie Schweitzer is the collection manager with the museum’s history department. As staff prepare to pack thousands of objects, she mentioned just how thoughtful they must be when dealing with each artifact. 

She said artifacts are stored in many storage rooms in the current museum, which houses a plethora of history. 

“In the history department we have about 350,000 objects,” said Schweitzer. “In the museum as a whole, we have about four million specimens.” 

When planning an entire museum move, she said it takes all hands on deck and certainly takes time. She estimates it will take five to seven years to move everything to the new building. 

“The costs associated with this are not only crates and packing materials, but it’s also hiring additional staff,” said Schweitzer.

Schweitzer started with the museum back in 1998 as an intern, so all of her years invested in it adds to her appreciation for the artifacts. 

“It’s my job to protect these pieces for the future,” she said. “With this move, I really see my responsibility as caring for these objects and making sure they get to the new building safely. “ 

The museum hopes to break ground on its new location near Fiserv Forum at the end of 2023. The expected opening date is in 2026. 

Schweitzer said she is excited about the next few years and giving Wisconsinites a new space to enjoy history.