With the Future Museum building rising out of the ground in its new location, fabrication of the exhibits for the interior has begun, Milwaukee Public Museum officials announced Tuesday.
After a competitive request for proposals (RFP) process, MPM selected Kubik Maltbie as the lead exhibit fabricator.
The New Jersey-based Kubik Maltbie has created exhibits for institutions like the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History, New York's American Museum of Natural History, the Empire State Building and the Griffith Observatory in Los Angeles.
The firm has also done work at Milwaukee's Harley-Davidson Museum.
Kubik Maltbie will be involved in the construction of the exhibits – including collections cases, scenery and dioramas – which are being researched by MPM curators and designed by exhibition design partner, Thinc Design.
"The team will construct display cases and platforms integrated into the exhibits, produce graphics explaining each collection and incorporate lighting and sensory components such as sound, tactile elements, visual projections and even scents," the museum statement explained.
"The (MPM) team selected the collections items that will be on display in collaboration with global community stakeholders, educators, Tribal partners from Wisconsin’s First Nations, scientists and others."
Additional partners in the creation of the six exhibit galleries across four museum floors include Jackson-based COST of Wisconsin and Milwaukee's Clearwing audio/visual firm.
“Building an entire museum and creating all of the exhibits from the ground up is a unique undertaking across the world. Museums elsewhere have added new wings or renovated existing spaces, but constructing a new home for a natural history museum is rare,” said MPM President & CEO Dr. Ellen Censky.
“To bring this vision to life in time for our new home to open in early 2027, we needed a fabricator with the expertise to honor our mission and deliver high-quality, diorama-style exhibits. After a thorough evaluation, it was clear that Kubik Maltbie is the ideal partner.”
Most of the components for the exhibits will be made offsite and installed in the museum in 2026.
According to MPM, construction manager Mortenson expects to complete interior work on the building by that time. Exterior work should be finished this year.
The museum is slated to open in early 2027.
“Kubik Maltbie is thrilled to have been selected as the exhibit fabricator for the Future Museum," said Kubik Maltbie Vice President of Business Development Curt Cederquist.
"We look forward to joining the museum team and Thinc Design to help create and produce the new world-class exhibits and dynamic visitor experiences for the current and future generations from the city of Milwaukee and the entire state of Wisconsin."
In addition to the galleries, the new museum will include two flexible spaces, research labs and storage areas, the Daniel M. Soref Planetarium and the Puelicher Butterfly Vivarium.
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.
