Past Friends Newsletters

February 2026

I’ve always been fascinated by the Zodiac. As a kid I loved comparing myself to the list of traits I was supposed to embody as determined by my birth sign. I’d rejoice over words like “creative” and “compassionate” and balk at others like “dreamy” and “emotional.” But how in the world did this enemy of the life aquatic end up being represented by a couple of fish? Wanting a do-over, I was delighted to discover the Chinese Zodiac, only to realize my animal was a snake. And while I am delighted to claim “wisdom,” “elegance,” and “determination,” the visuals just don’t speak to me.

How lucky, then, that an upcoming exhibition is all about the horse! In “Year of the Horse: Hoofbeats through Time,” you’ll see the power and beauty of this noble animal while learning about its symbolism in Chinese culture. Opening February 17, the show explores the horse as both real creature and cultural emblem. Come see these treasures! Then visit gallery 214 to see the charming fellow above, small enough to hold in your hand, but with personality to spare.

In the meantime, please join us for our next Friends Lecture. It is unusually early this month, Thursday night, February 5, at 6 p.m. Award-winning poet Michael Kleber-Diggs will be in conversation with Milkweed publisher Daniel Slager on “The Art of Poetry, the Voices to Hear.” A reception and book signing follow. The next day we have a Friends member outing to The M (Minnesota Museum of American Art) for a private tour. Book club this month discusses James by Percival Everett. As always, the discussion is followed by a book-themed tour.

Finally, please renew your Friends membership! We hope many of you have already renewed for 2026, but if not, please renew. There are so many wonderful events coming up, and we’d love to see you there.

In gratitude,

Liz Short
President, Friends of the Institute

Important February Dates

• February 5, 2026: Friends Lecture: “The Art of Poetry, the Voices to Hear” with Michael Kleber-Diggs and Daniel Slager
• February 8, 2026: Mia Family Day Volunteer Opportunity
• February 19, 2026: Coffee & Scones
• February 20 and 21, 2026: Friends Book Club: James

February Friends Lecture: “The Art of Poetry, the Voices to Hear”

• Michael Kleber-Diggs, award-winning poet, in conversation with Daniel Slager, Milkweed Editions publisher and CEO
• Thursday, February 5, 2026, 6 p.m., followed by a book signing
• Target Reception Hall
• Free; registration required

Please join us for an evening of thoughtful conversation about the place for marginalized voices in today’s publishing landscape. We look forward to welcoming these literary leaders as they share their expertise with you at our upcoming Friends lecture, held in Mia’s Target Reception Hall, with a book signing to follow.

Get free tickets for this lecture.

About the Panelists

Michael Kleber-Diggs is a celebrated poet, essayist, literary critic, and arts educator. He is the author of Worldly Things, which won the Max Ritvo Poetry Prize and was published by Milkweed Editions in 2021. His essay, “There Was a Tremendous Softness,” appears in A Darker Wilderness: Black Nature Writing from Soil to Stars, edited by Erin Sharkey (Milkweed Editions, 2023).

Daniel Slager is publisher and CEO of Milkweed Editions, an independent, nonprofit publisher of literary fiction, nonfiction, and poetry. He’s led the press to great success over the past 20 years. Prior to joining Milkweed as editor-in-chief in 2005, he was an editor at Harcourt Trade Publishers in New York. Before joining Harcourt, he was the associate editor of Grand Street, a leading quarterly magazine of literature and fine arts.

Friends Pre-Lecture Tour

• Thursday, February 5, 2026, 5 p.m.

The Friends offer free tours the hour before each lecture. These tours are themed to align with the lecture topic. Attendance is limited to 30 participants (15 per guide), and participants meet outside the Friends Office. Reserve your spot by calling Mia’s Visitor Engagement at 612-870-3000.

Volunteer Opportunity: Lecture Ushers Needed

This is already our second lecture of 2026 and takes place on Thursday, February 5, at 6 p.m. The speaker is poet, essayist, and critic Michael Kleber-Diggs.

We’re always looking for volunteers to usher these events. It’s a great way to meet new Friends and be a part of our community. If you’d like to volunteer, email us.

Volunteer Opportunity: Mia Family Day

• Sunday, February 8, 2026

We’re looking for volunteers for Mia’s Family Day to help families with art projects. The shifts are just two hours, and the atmosphere is fun and casual. No art experience is needed, just a desire to assist families in their exploration of the arts!

If you’re interested, please email Family Day.

February Friends Book Club

• James by Percival Everett
• Friday, February 20, and Saturday, February 21, 2026, 10 a.m.
• Museum Tour, 11 a.m.
• Friends Office
• Free; registration required

Join us in February as we read James by Percival Everett. Goodreads calls the book “a brilliant reimagining of Adventures of Huckleberry Finn—both harrowing and satirical—told from the enslaved Jim’s point of view.”

“When Jim overhears that he is about to be sold to a man in New Orleans, separated from his wife and daughter forever, he runs away until he can formulate a plan. Meanwhile, Huck has faked his own death to escape his violent father. As all readers of American literature know, thus begins the dangerous and transcendent journey by raft down the Mississippi River toward the elusive and unreliable promise of the Free States and beyond.”

James was a Goodreads 2024 Choice Award Nominee for Readers’ Favorite Historical Fiction novel and 2024 Nominee for Readers’ Favorite Audiobook.

We’ll discuss the novel over coffee at 10 a.m. and head to the galleries at 11 a.m. for a guided tour of the artworks selected to complement the book’s themes.

Attendance is limited to 10 participants. If you’ve been curious about our book club, join us. All are welcome! You’ll find the Friends office on the first floor of Mia, located in the hallway between the museum gift shop and Agra Culture Cafe. Reserve your spot by emailing the Friends Office or calling 612-870-3045.

Looking ahead to March, we’ll read The Bohemians by Jasmin Darznik, with discussions scheduled for March 20 and 21.

Join the Friends Book Club

Our December book club selection was the historical novel Wolf Hall, based on political, religious, and marital events of the Tudor Monarchy in 16th-century England. For one of our discussions, we surrounded ourselves with symbols of the British Isles and the world of the Tudors.

Because the complicated story is driven by conflicts and alliances of the main characters, it was helpful to display reference portraits of the main characters: King Henry VIII, Queen Catherine of Aragon, future queen Anne Boleyn, advisor Thomas Cromwell, Cardinal Thomas Wolsey, and Sir Thomas More.

Peckish (British slang for “hungry”) attendees enjoyed a few treats from contemporary Great Britain—Hobnob cookies, Scottish thistle shortbread, After 8 dinner mints, and Cadbury chocolates—presented on an iconic tartan plaid tablecloth.

The Friends Book Club cannot wait to share thoughtful discussion with you in 2026. Friends member Sue Droegemueller, and our group leader for December’s discussion, knocked it out of the park with her discussion of Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel with English treats for all, photos of the characters in our book, and even an English inspired tablecloth to round out the inspiring presentation. Such thoughtful presentations await you at our book club table all year long! Please consider joining us for future discussions. Reach out to the Friends with any questions. See future book selections and dates.

Save the Date: The Friends Great Gatherings Series

• Thursday, March 5, 2026, 5:30–7:30 p.m.

In early March, will you be yearning for spring, maybe thinking of some outdoor color and flowers? Then join us for a floral feast for the senses!

• • Learn about the seduction and symbolism of flowers presented by special guest and former news anchor Diana Pierce.
• • Mingle and chat with friends as we emerge from a Minnesota winter.
• • Enjoy a curated floral cocktail, along with wine and appetizers.

This event is open to all and requires a paid ticket. Proceeds help support the work of the Friends. Watch your email for more blooming details!

February Friends Member Outing: The M (Minnesota Museum of American Art)

• Sunday, February 8, 2026, 2–3 p.m.
• No cost
• RSVP by January 30, 2026, to Lezlie Pinske

Enjoy a private tour of the M’s permanent collection featuring the inclusive community arts and culture in the Twin Cities. Open to 25 guests.

Preview future Friends Member outings.

Meet New Friends: Coffee & Scones

• Thursday, February 19, 2026, 10 a.m.
• Friends Office

Curious about the Friends of the Institute? Join us on Thursday, February 19, at 10 a.m. in the Friends Office for coffee, scones, and conversation. Learn about our 2026 events, explore volunteer opportunities, and connect with fellow Friends. RSVP today.

Mary Olson and Polly Bullock: 50 Years of Friendship through Friends

Mary Olson and Polly Bullock have been friends for 50 years. They both had an interest in the arts and found that the Friends gave them a way to volunteer and become directly involved at Mia.

In the late 1970s, Mary and Polly accepted Friends board positions. Polly began with co-chairing the newsletter, and Mary chaired Arrangements. The Friends monthly newsletter continues to keep members informed of Friends and museum activities of interest to its members.

As chair of Arrangements, Mary planned a luncheon following each of the monthly lectures. She worked with Erwin Dick of Town and Country Caterers of Wayzata to plan the menu. Dick founded his catering business in 1952, and among his guests he counted royalty, U.S. presidents, movie stars, business leaders, and last but not least, the Friends.

After monthly Friends board meetings, many continued their conversations over lunch at Mia’s restaurant on the mezzanine. Mary and Polly built their lasting friendship with time spent with Friends and museum activities. And today they continue to attend Friends lectures each month.

Mary and Polly credit the Friends for taking them on a journey of lifelong learning in the arts and for being the glue that’s held them together over the years.

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January 2026

Happy New Year! What a joy it has been to spend time with you this year and to be greeting 2026 together. I think Helen Frankenthaler found the same joy in greeting the new. Here she is, above, celebrating in Grey Fireworks, which seems relevant to the season.

We are caught in a time of endings and beginnings. A time of turnover, with both anticipation and a little anxiety. A time when the snow and the sky in Minnesota create days of grey, and in which we humans, with our bustle and busyness, our hopes and dreams, provide the color. Let’s try to add a little more color to the world this year, shall we? Being a Friend, sharing smiles, laughter and community, helps make that wish a reality.

As always, we have a number of ways to spend time together this coming month. Our Friends Member Outings visit the Minnesota State Capitol building on January 7. On Sunday, January 11, we have a lecture by Alison Saar, an important contemporary artist whose work is in Mia’s collection. Meet other Friends members at our monthly Coffee and Scones, January 15. You’ll learn about Friends and how you can get involved. Of course, our Friends Book Club is near and dear to many. We’ll discuss The Wager: A Tale of Shipwreck, Mutiny and Murder on January 16 and 17.

Finally, be sure to read all about the upcoming Friends Art and Architecture trip to Santa Fe! The deadline to register is December 30, so don’t put this off if you’re interested. We expect this to be very popular and have decided to use a lottery system to determine participants. Read all about it below and register soon!

Remember, too, to renew your Friends membership! We hope many of you have already renewed for 2026, but if not, please renew. We have so many wonderful events coming up, and don’t want you to miss out.

Thank you for being a Friend,

Liz Short
President, Friends of the Institute

Important January Dates

• January 7, 2026: Friends Member Outing to the Minnesota State Capitol Building
• January 11, 2026: Friends Lecture: Alison Saar
• January 11, 2026: Mia Family Day Volunteer Opportunity
• January 15, 2026: Coffee & Scones
• January 16 and 17, 2026: Friends Book Club: The Wager: A Tale of Shipwreck, Mutiny, and Murder

January Friends Lecture: Alison Saar

• Sunday, January 11, 2026, 2 p.m.
• Target Reception Hall
• Free; registration required

Alison Saar will give a lecture about her artistic practice, which spans sculpture, painting, and printmaking. She’s renowned for her powerful explorations of cultural identity, spirituality, and the African diaspora. Drawing inspiration from a variety of sources, including mythology, history, and personal experience, Saar’s work often incorporates found objects and traditional materials such as wood, metal, and glass.

Her evocative sculptures frequently address themes of resilience, transformation, and the complexities of race and gender. Saar discusses the importance of confronting sexism, racism, and bigotry, emphasizing that truly engaging with these complex issues requires striving to understand their essence. She explains that only by reaching this deeper understanding can we begin to dismantle the forces of racism and bigotry.

Saar’s art has been exhibited in major museums and galleries across the United States, and she’s recognized for her ability to intertwine narrative and symbolism in visually compelling forms that invite viewers to reflect on the human condition.

Get free tickets for this lecture.

Volunteer Opportunity: Lecture Ushers Needed

Happy New Year! Alison Saar is our first lecture for 2026, on Sunday January 11 at 2 p.m.

We’re always looking for volunteers to usher these events. It’s a great way to meet new Friends and be a part of our community. If you’d like to volunteer, email us.

Volunteer Opportunity: Mia Family Day

• Sunday, January 11, 2026

We’re looking for volunteers for Mia’s Family Day to help families with art projects. The shifts are just two hours, and the atmosphere is fun and casual. No art experience is needed, just a desire to assist families in their exploration of the arts!

If you’re interested, please email Family Day.

January Friends Book Club

• The Wager: A Tale of Shipwreck, Mutiny, and Murder by David Grann
• Friday, January 16, and Saturday, January 17, 2026, 10 a.m.
• Museum Tour, 11 a.m.
• Friends Office
• Free; registration required

Join us in January as we read David Grann’s book The Wager: A Tale of Shipwreck, Mutiny, and Murder.

From Goodreads: “From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Killers of the Flower Moon, a page-turning story of shipwreck, survival, and savagery, culminating in a court martial that reveals a shocking truth. The powerful narrative reveals the deeper meaning of the events on the Wager, showing that it was not only the captain and crew who ended up on trial, but the very idea of empire.”

The Wager won the 2023 Goodreads Choice Award for Best History and Biography book.

We’ll discuss the novel over coffee at 10 a.m. and head to the galleries at 11 a.m. for a guided tour of the artworks selected to complement the book’s themes.

Attendance is limited to 10 participants. If you’ve been curious about our book club, join us. All are welcome! You’ll find the Friends office on the first floor of Mia, located in the hallway between the museum gift shop and Agra Culture Cafe. Reserve your spot by emailing the Friends Office or calling 612-870-3045.

Looking ahead to February, we’ll read James by Percival Everett, with discussions scheduled for February 20 and 21.

Friends Buy-A-Bus Donation

One of the programs the Friends are best known for is our School Bus Grants Program. Over the last 30 years, the grants have brought more than 50,000 students from the Twin Cities and the surrounding region to the museum to experience the wonder of art.

Recently, the Friends have expanded our transportation funding to provide support for bringing community partners to Mia. While the bulk of our transportation funds remain with school programs, the outreach to other community partners allows the Friends to support Mia’s mission of making the museum accessible to all.

In this season of giving, would you consider helping to defray transportation costs for schools and other community partners? Your generosity will sustain this vital Friends initiative for years to come.

Donate

Announcing a New Friends Series!

Friends have been enjoying a series of special fundraising events for the past few years. They’ve been held in lovely homes from Victorian to Mid-century Modern, a wine shop, a historic basilica, and Mia’s Wells Fargo Room, each spotlighting a Mia curator or special speaker and featuring great appetizers, good wine, and sweet treats. Intimate in size, popular with guests, and affordable in price, these events deserve their own name—and now they have it!

The Friends Great Gatherings Series will be sponsored by long-time, faithful Friends member Mary Olson, from January 2026 through June 2027. We’re grateful to Mary for believing in the value of this special series and underwriting it to foster its success.

Mary Olson has a way of showing up and making a meaningful gift to ensure that something special happens. She was a generous donor to our Delacroix fund and sponsored the beautiful “Friends For 100 Years” history book, paid for an Art in Bloom mailing, and generously shares her well-thought-out ideas to help us keep learning and growing.

Many thanks to Mary Olson for being the inaugural sponsor of the Friends Great Gatherings Series. We hope to see you at our next event so you can thank her in person!

Meet New Friends: Coffee & Scones

• Thursday, January 15, 2026, 10 a.m.
• Friends Office

Curious about the Friends of the Institute? Join us on Thursday, January 15, at 10 a.m. in the Friends Office for coffee, scones, and conversation. Learn about our 2026 events, explore volunteer opportunities, and connect with fellow Friends. Please RSVP.

Recap: Celebrating “Angels,” Past and Present

By Robin Keyworth

Friends dressed in their holiday finest to celebrate angels in art and needlepoint at the November 20 Great Gathering “A Legacy of Angels.” The evening featured 75 stunning angel ornaments created by Friends members in 1997 to celebrate our 75th anniversary—and admired for years on our Christmas tree at Mia. Rescued from a storage bin, these unique pieces found new homes as guests scrambled to purchase every one of them, all to the magical sound of a harp!

President Liz Short introduced original artists Sheila Morgan, Patty McCullough, Linda Goldenberg, and Barbara Goldner, shown with their angels, and thanked the evening’s sponsors, Sheila Morgan and Mary Olson.

Learning is always part of our Great Gatherings, and it’s a special pleasure when Tom Rassieur is the teacher. Tom narrated a slideshow of angels in Mia’s collection with his usual grace and humor.

As always, the evening included appetizers, wine, sparkling water, and angel sugar cookies as a special touch. Congratulations to Beverly Hauschild-Baron and the Fundraising Events Committee for following up “Gatsby & Friends” with another festive evening!

Save the Date: Friends Spring Trip to Santa Fe

The Friends at “The City Different”: Santa Fe

Our stay: The historic La Fonda on the Plaza Hotel

• Monday, April 6–Saturday, April 11, 2026

Our visit: Museum tours, Canyon Road gallery tour with Robyne Robinson, and artist studio visit with Cara Romero, as well as a historic walking tour of the city. Full schedule details upon arrival.

Our food: We’ll enjoy local, much-loved owner-created restaurants: the El Flamenco Spanish Cabaret and the internationally renowned four-star establishment Geronimo’s.

The cost: $2,200 (does not include airfare). Includes:

• Five hotel nights, double occupancy. A limited number of single-occupancy rooms are available for an up-charge.
• All museum tour fees.
• Four lunches and four dinners, with all tips and taxes. There will be one day where you’ll be “on your own” (except for hotel breakfast).
• Airport bus shuttle from ABQ Sunport – La Fonda, Santa Fe.

Airfare: You’re responsible for making and paying for your own flight arrangements. No flights are included in the trip. We can make suggestions for airlines so you may book accordingly to arrive at a specific time at the Albuquerque Sunport (airport) for our scheduled shuttle. Shuttle details to come.

Registration & Payments Due

• Friday, January 9, 5 p.m.: First payment of $1,100 due
• Friday, January 21, 5 p.m.: Second payment of $1,100 due

You may pay the full amount on January 9 if you wish.

We anticipate a lot of interest for this trip, so we’ll use a neutral, lottery system from the sign-up for determining the travelers. We have a limit of 25 travelers.

Enter the lottery by filling out the sign-up sheet, emailing us, or calling 612-870-3045 by December 30.

January Friends Member Outing: Minnesota State Capitol Building

• Wednesday, January 7, 2026, 10–10:45 a.m.

Enjoy a private tour featuring the architecture, art, and history of our state capitol. Available to 20 guests. No cost. Please RSVP by December 19, 2025, to Lezlie Pinske.

Preview future Friends Member Outings.

Save the Date: February Lecture

• Thursday, February 5, 2026, 6–7 p.m.
• Book signing to follow, 7–7:30 p.m.

The Friends lecture committee presents “The Art of Poetry, the Voices to Hear” with Michael Kleber-Diggs, award-winning poet, and Daniel Slager, publisher at Milkweed Editions.

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December 2025

The dark is here. It always comes as a jolt. Certainly, the days have been shrinking for months now, noticeable in half hour chunks. The first sunset at 8 p.m. seems so early, but a few weeks later I’m startled to see it at 7:30. Then comes the shock of setting the clocks back. And suddenly, the whole day looks different. The lovely golden glow of 4 p.m. on a Sunday looks so wrong when it abruptly occurs at 3 p.m. on a Monday. It’s amazing to me how finely attuned we are to the light, its gradations and subtleties.

Have you seen the light in the Velasco exhibition, shimmering on the rocks, glowing through the trees, dancing on water? It’s a treat to behold, a promise that the circle will turn and we’ll one day glory in the sun’s rays again. It’s beautiful. Come see.

And please come see Friends in the museum and out! We have a wonderful Friends Member Outing to Norway House and Kaffebar on December 3. See below for more details. Also not to be missed is our annual Holiday Luncheon. Tickets must be purchased by November 30, so do not hesitate! The menu sounds outstanding, and the company with Friends will be even better! This will follow our lecture by Olivia Lonetti on the history of American jewelry. You won’t want to miss this enlightening and entertaining day with Friends.

You can find all these events and more below. As you see, we have a new look this month. We hope you like it.

May this month treat you well, in its long nights and brief chilly days. See you at the museum!

Liz Short
President, Friends of the Institute

Important December Dates:

• December 11, 2025: Friends Lecture and Winter Luncheon
• December 11, 2025: Coffee & Scones
• December 14, 2025: Mia Family Day Volunteer Opportunity
• December 19 and 20, 2025: Friends Book Club: Wolf Hall

December Friends Lecture and Winter Luncheon

• Thursday, December 11, 2025, 11 a.m.; Winter Luncheon to follow
• Pillsbury Auditorium and Target Reception Hall
• Lecture: free; registration required
• Luncheon: $45 per person; registration required

Join us on Thursday, December 11, for our lecture, “Lustrous Legacy: The History of American Jewelry,” presented by Olivia Lonetti of Revere Auctions.

Lonetti will take us through more than 250 years of American jewelry design, tracing the artistry and innovation that shaped each era, from the allure of the Gold Rush and the organic elegance of Art Nouveau to the bold geometry of Art Deco.

She’ll explore how social change, cultural ideals, and technological advances influenced Americans’ tastes in adornment. You’ll learn to recognize hallmark motifs and craftsmanship across the centuries and discover the stories behind the designers, ateliers, and movements that helped turn jewelry into wearable art.

Following the lecture, please join us for our Friends Holiday Luncheon in the Target Reception Hall. This year’s menu features apricot, fig, and gorgonzola stuffed pork tenderloin with apple cider reduction, served with root vegetable mash, roasted carrots, and assorted breads. Dessert is a festive grasshopper pie, with coffee and tea provided. A vegetarian entrée of polenta cake with mushroom ragu and roasted carrots is also available.

Tickets are $45 per person, and registration is required by midnight on November 30. Register now so you won’t miss this special event.

Volunteer Opportunity: Lecture Ushers Needed

As we celebrate the end of another wonderful year, we’re also looking for volunteers to assist as lecture ushers on December 11.

We’re always looking for friendly faces to help usher all of these events. It’s a great way to meet fellow Friends and be part of the action. If you’d like to volunteer, email us.

Volunteer Opportunity: Mia Family Day

• Sunday, December 14, 2025

We’re looking for volunteers for Mia’s Family Day to help families with art projects. The shifts are just two hours, and the atmosphere is fun and casual. No art experience is needed, just a desire to assist families in their exploration of the arts!

If you’re interested, please email Family Day.

December Friends Book Club: Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel

• Friday, December 19, and Saturday, December 20, 2025, 10 a.m.
• Museum Tour, 11 a.m.
• Friends Office
• Free; registration required

Join us in December as we read Wolf Hall (2009), the first book in Hilary Mantel’s trilogy series.

Goodreads describes the novel: “England in the 1520s is a heartbeat from disaster. If the king dies without a male heir, the country could be destroyed by civil war. Henry VIII wants to annul his marriage of 20 years and marry Anne Boleyn. The pope and most of Europe opposes him. Into this impasse steps Thomas Cromwell: a wholly original man, a charmer and a bully, both idealist and opportunist, astute in reading people, and implacable in his ambition. But Henry is volatile: one day tender, one day murderous. Cromwell helps him break the opposition, but what will be the price of his triumph?”

We will discuss the novel over coffee at 10 a.m. and head to the galleries at 11 a.m. for a guided tour of the artworks selected to complement the book’s themes.

Attendance is limited to 10 participants. If you’ve been curious about our book club, join us. All are welcome! You’ll find the Friends office on the first floor of Mia, located in the hallway between the museum gift shop and Agra Culture Cafe. Reserve your spot by emailing the Friends Office or calling 612-870-3045.

Looking ahead to January, we’ll read The Wager: A Tale of Shipwreck, Mutiny, and Murder by David Grann, with discussions scheduled for January 16 and 17.

Friends Member Outings: Join Us for Winter 2026 Treasure Hunting

It may be cold outside but inside the Treasure Hunt continues with winter outings to the Minnesota State Capitol, The M (Minnesota Museum of American Art), the Weisman Art Museum, and more! Each outing promises to offer a unique experience and an opportunity to connect with fellow members. We look forward to discovering the cultural treasures of the Twin Cities with you!

See the full schedule of outings. RSVP for all Friends Member Outings directly to Lezlie Pinske.

Meet New Friends: Coffee & Scones

• Thursday, December 11, 2025, 9:30 a.m.
• Friends Office

Curious about the Friends of the Institute? Join us on Thursday, December 11, at 9:30 a.m. in the Friends Office for coffee, scones, and conversation. Learn about our 2026 events, explore volunteer opportunities, and connect with fellow Friends. Please RSVP.

On the Road with Friends: Milwaukee

By Maryam Marne Zafar and Lyn Osgood

We came. We saw. We thoroughly enjoyed! The first Art & Architecture Friends trip created by Lisa Mayotte, Lyn Osgood, and Marne Zafar had Friends, both new and familiar, coming together to explore Milwaukee.

Discover Milwaukee. That’s what the Friends were determined to do. We found that this
is truly a city worth visiting. The arts are vibrant. The architecture is noteworthy. A walkable city, Milwaukee allows its visitors to tour neighborhoods where the past is clearly present with museums that enlighten with their impressive contemporary collections. So where did we start?

One would think we would fly to Milwaukee. But no, we made the decision to be carbon friendly and travel by train! This translates to being comfortable and relaxed with a lunch to enjoy and great conversation, all while watching the scenery as we sped through the countryside of Minnesota and Wisconsin via the Amtrak Borealis.

And where did we make our “home away from home”? The Pfister Hotel.

The Pfister

One of the U.S.’s top 10 historic hotels and more than 130 years old, The Pfister was ideal for those of us who want to surround ourselves with art. Its Romanesque Revival style, which blends Victorian-inspired and Art Nouveau elements, translates into luxurious, ornate details. It also houses the largest Victorian art collection anywhere.

What keeps this hotel thoroughly in the here-and-now? It celebrates contemporary art through its artist-in-residence yearly program for a local artist to connect with a guest community and with its hallways filled with art from throughout the country.

After a refreshing evening where all FRIENDS enjoyed a welcome dinner, the next morning saw us walking (yes, only a 7-minute walk) to our first stop.

Milwaukee Art Museum

As one of the Midwest’s premier art museums, MAM (as the Milwaukee Art Museum is affectionately called) does not disappoint! This museum is an architectural landmark, designed by three legendary architects: Eero Saarinen, David Kahler, and Santiago Calatrava. In 2001, the visionary Calatrava designed the cathedral-like Quadracci Pavilion, with vaulted 90-foot ceilings; the pedestrian suspension Reiman Bridge connecting the museum to the city; and the incredibly impressive Burke Brise Soleil—its “wings” that unfold and fold twice a day. Breathtaking!

As eye-opening as the wings were, the Friends were there to see “The Bradley Collection of Modern Art: A Bold Vision for Milwaukee.” Donated 50 years ago by Mrs. Harry Lynde “Peg” Bradley, her extraordinary collection comprises more than 400 20th-century masterpieces that have shaped the museum’s overall collection.

This exhibition showcased nearly 100 works by many of that century’s greats, including U.S. artists Georgia O’Keeffe, Mark Rothko, Helen Frankenthaler, Morris Louis, and Richard Diebenkorn and European artists such as Maurice de Vlaminck, Barbara Hepworth, Gabriele Munter, and Wassily Kandisky. Whew! We were spellbound by the art and also by the lecture tour given by Margaret Andera, senior curator of contemporary art. Our visit was made even more memorable by the attention to detail by Amy Kirschke, MAM’s Barbara Brown Lee Chief Learning & Engagement Officer.

After a short lunch at MAM, our bus picked us up and took us to our next stop: The Burnham Block Homes designed by Frank Lloyd Wright.

Frank Lloyd Wright’s Burnham Block

As one who studied architecture at Cornell University, Frank Lloyd Wright is legendary for many reasons. What we and many others were not aware of was this beautiful street lined with homes he designed for the working-class and low-income families. These American System-Built homes were to be efficient, economical, and life-enhancing works of art. Wright asserted that his homes would save material waste and be erected for a fraction of the cost, since they used precut lumber and materials assembled at a factory.

He produced more than 900 working drawings. Truly small masterpieces, each home is about 800 square feet and seamlessly connects to nature. Back when they were built, this part of Milwaukee was the “seedier” edge of town, yet close to the Milwaukee Electric Railway & Light Company’s interurban and city streetcar lines. Unfortunately, World War I halted the sale of these homes, preventing his vision of filling Milwaukee with low-cost, affordable housing from moving forward.

Bustling back onto our bus, we traveled to our next stop, which was a complete 180 in terms of art and architecture.

St. Joan of Arc Chapel

The St. Joan of Arc Chapel is the heart and spirit of Marquette University, symbolized in the life of St. Joan of Arc. This is an authentic, 15th-century medieval chapel and the only one on the American continent. The chapel is a place of community. A site of emotional candlelit vigils. A spot to gather for political protest.

This chapel draws people from all backgrounds, faiths, and cultures. It’s an active, spiritual center, a place of discovery of Christian faith, of longing and suffering. It tells the story of real people through the centuries, as represented by the graffiti carved by pilgrims and seen on the original chapel stone.

The chapel is open 24/7 for those who hear the call or want to connect in silent prayer. With its daily masses, it tests the capacity of its small structure. It shares its small footprint with the deeply affecting Grotto of The Blessed Virgin, designed to offer a sheltered place for the statue of the Virgin Mary and for contemplation.

Our day was capped by dinner at La Merenda, a small, local restaurant that featured tapas spanning the globe—from Indonesia to Spain to Columbia and more. By breaking bread and having lively conversation, by gathering and sharing our thoughts, the meal made our about-the-arts trip one that was all about friends.

We did a bit of sightseeing in Milwaukee on our final Friday morning. Some traveled via the Hop (the local, free trolley) to the historic Third Ward district, which is filled with warehouses now repurposed for small businesses, arts organizations and residents. This unique neighborhood was once the industrial hub and first stop for immigrants in the city. Others visited the seed collection at Saint Kate Arts Hotel, which features art of all materials from local, regional, national, and international artists. A few went back for another look at “The Bradley Collection” at MAM.

What else can one say? Our visit was filled with laughter and joy. Our visit had us exploring beyond our arts knowledge base. Our visit was all about Friends being friends!