By Bobby Tanzilo Senior Editor/Writer Published Sep 13, 2022 at 9:37 AM

Milwaukee Public Museum and its exhibit designers, Thinc Design, have posted a survey to gather community feedback for the new museum building slated for construction on the corner of 6th Street and McKinley Avenue.

The survey is available now through Friday, Oct. 14 at mpm.edu/future-museum-survey.

The survey questions seek input on topics and themes of exhibits – but not specific exhibits –  as well as events, opportunities for engagement and what you like most about visiting the museum.

“The input of visitors and community members has been a key component through the first phases of the Future Museum design process, with focus groups and thousands of individuals providing their input and guidance,” said MPM Chief Planning Officer Katie Sanders in a statement released Tuesday.

“For this next phase of design, we are seeking even more input from people all around Wisconsin. The results of this survey will influence how we bring ideas to life as we enter the next phase of our design process — focused on the interior of the building and its exhibits.”

Thinc Design uses surveys as a standard method gaining public input, which will be used to guide their design concepts for the new museum.

“We want the design of the Museum’s exhibits and interiors to bring visitors on a journey of discovery through time, places and different perspectives, fostering curiosity about how the wonders of our world show how nature and culture are interwoven.” said Tom Hennes, principal and founder of Thinc Design.

“Our approach, which is always informed by a feedback process, is to do a project with communities rather than for communities. It is critical, to our team at Thinc and to MPM, that when visitors explore the Future Museum, they recognize themselves, their history and their world in what they discover.”

Groundbreaking on the new building – designed by Ennead Architects and Kahler Slater – is set for late next year, with a projected opening in 2026.

Learn more about the future museum at mpm.edu/future.

Bobby Tanzilo Senior Editor/Writer

Born in Brooklyn, N.Y., where he lived until he was 17, Bobby received his BA-Mass Communications from UWM in 1989 and has lived in Walker's Point, Bay View, Enderis Park, South Milwaukee and on the East Side.

He has published three non-fiction books in Italy – including one about an event in Milwaukee history, which was published in the U.S. in autumn 2010. Four more books, all about Milwaukee, have been published by The History Press.

With his most recent band, The Yell Leaders, Bobby released four LPs and had a songs featured in episodes of TV's "Party of Five" and "Dawson's Creek," and films in Japan, South America and the U.S. The Yell Leaders were named the best unsigned band in their region by VH-1 as part of its Rock Across America 1998 Tour. Most recently, the band contributed tracks to a UK vinyl/CD tribute to the Redskins and collaborated on a track with Italian novelist Enrico Remmert.

He's produced three installments of the "OMCD" series of local music compilations for OnMilwaukee.com and in 2007 produced a CD of Italian music and poetry.

In 2005, he was awarded the City of Asti's (Italy) Journalism Prize for his work focusing on that area. He has also won awards from the Milwaukee Press Club.

He has be heard on 88Nine Radio Milwaukee talking about his "Urban Spelunking" series of stories, in that station's most popular podcast.