The Milwaukee Public Museum is dialing up the tropics this month with Rainforest & Butterflies, the third installment in its year-long Greatest Hits calendar. Running May 7 through June 6, the spotlight lands on the two-story Rainforest gallery and the free-flying Puelicher Butterfly Vivarium, with a Kohl’s Thank You Thursday free kickoff, an adults-only trivia night and a family-friendly Creepy-Crawly finale anchoring the run.
“From the two-story tree canopy and wildlife displays in Rainforest to the delicate beauty of hundreds of free-flying tropical butterflies in the Vivarium, this next Greatest Hit celebrates the sights, sounds and stories of these fan-favorite exhibits,” MPM President and CEO Dr. Ellen Censky said, as reported by OnMilwaukee. That coverage lays out the monthlong programming and places Rainforest & Butterflies firmly in the museum’s final-year farewell calendar, giving many of the events an extra layer of nostalgia.
What's on the schedule
The Rainforest & Butterflies celebration runs May 7 through June 6, with weekday educator stations and hands-on activities aimed at families. According to the Milwaukee Public Museum, the Kohl’s Thank You Thursday kickoff happens May 7 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Adult Trivia Night is set for May 28 from 7 to 9 p.m., priced at $10 for members and $15 for the general public, and is limited to guests 21 and older. The Finale: Creepy-Crawly Day closes things out on June 6. Guided tours, storytimes for early learners and pop-up learning stations are scheduled to run throughout the month.
The walk-through Rainforest is modeled on a Costa Rican landscape and, as detailed by OnMilwaukee, dates back to 1988. The Puelicher Butterfly Vivarium is billed as Wisconsin’s only year-round tropical butterfly garden and features species native to Costa Rica, Ecuador and the Philippines. Together, the two galleries have long been a go-to for school groups, photographers and families.
Last chance before the big move
Greatest Hits is being framed as a final parade through the museum’s most beloved galleries. The institution has listed Jan. 3, 2027, as the last day at its Wells Street location and notes that members’ benefits will carry over to the new Nature & Culture Museum of Wisconsin. The museum shop is also set to offer limited-edition Greatest Hits apparel and collectibles throughout 2026, giving visitors a chance to pick up keepsakes before the move, according to the Milwaukee Public Museum.
Local outlets have been tracking each Greatest Hits month. Hoodline’s March write-up of Diorama-RAMA described the series as a last chance to see signature galleries and flagged that weekends can get crowded, suggesting a weekday visit or advance booking. That earlier coverage also highlighted extra programming such as docent-led tours and community workshops that have been woven into each monthlong celebration.
Whether you are chasing giant morpho blues or hoping for a first butterfly landing, Rainforest & Butterflies offers Milwaukee one more chance to linger in two immersive galleries before the move. Local stations like CBS58 have been rounding up the full Greatest Hits calendar alongside the museum’s own event pages for details on ticketing and hours.
