family fun - october 2009

Picks of the Month

October Halloween activities at the Milwaukee County Zoo and the Betty Brinn are always popular. But this October, you might want to stop by the Pettit National Ice Center, 500 S. 84th St. just off I-94 for the U.S. Olympic long-track speedskating trials. The event 21, 22, 24 & 25 will include other family events in addition to the chance to see the speedskaters who will represent the U.S. in the 2010 Winter Olympics. See KeyMilwaukee.com Sports for details.

MILWAUKEE COUNTY ZOO

10001 W. Bluemound Road. Just 10 minutes from downtown Milwaukee at Highway 45 and Interstate 94. Open 365 days a year. Ph. (414) 256-5412 or www.milwaukeezoo.org.

It’s always a good time to visit the Milwaukee County Zoo, one of the premier zoological parks in the country.

“Boo at the Zoo” from 6-9 p.m. Oct. 23 & 24 is a warm-up to Halloween weekend with special reduced rates.

Wolf Awareness Day at the zoo is set for Oct. 24

The annual Halloween Trick-or-Treat Spooktacular is from 6-9 p.m. Oct. 30 and 9 a.m.-9 p.m. Oct. 31. Reduced admission rates and chance for the youngsters to gather goodies among the exhibits.

BETTY BRINN CHILDREN'S MUSEUM

929 E. Wisconsin Ave. Ph. 414-291-0888 Open 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday-Saturday, noon-5 p.m. Sunday. www.bbcmkids.org

Programs include:

• Tot Time, ages 1 to 3 with parent or caregiver, 10:30 a.m. Tuedays, Wednesdays, Thursdays & Saturdays. Toddlers will enjoy sing-alongs, finger-play, stories, and art experiences. Adults learn how these experiences impact early childhood development.
  
  
  
• Pre-School Pop-in, ages 3-5, 10:30 a.m. Wednesdays and Fridays. Pre-schoolers participate in music, movement and visual art activities that encourage early reading and introduce beginning math concepts. Adults learn about age-appropriate activities that stimulate a child's development.

Special events:

“Not-so-scary-Halloween” Oct. 29-31 means no tricks, just treats and lots of fun.

Neighborhood Night Oct 15 means free admission from 5-8 p.m.

"Solar in the City," a new exhibit developed by the museum in partnership with We Energies, teaches children about the ways solar energy is being used in Milwaukee.

THE MUSEUM CENTER
800 W. Wells St.

Includes Milwaukee Public Museum, one of the world's best natural history museums (Ph. 278-2700); and the Humphrey IMAX Dome Theater 414-319-IMAX. www.mpm.edu

Special exhibits:

The Puelicher Butterfly Wing allows visitors to stroll through a lush, tropical garden filled with butterflies, some willing to pause on fingers.

“Cabinets of Curiosity,” themed in honor of the museum’s 125th anniversary, illustrates the vast scope of museum holdings.

“Scheutzenfest Von Milwaukee” takes a historical look at Milwaukee’s shooting festivals of the late 19tth century.

The Humphrey IMAX Dome Theater in the Museum Center, the only IMAX theater in the state, doubles as a state-of-the-art digital planetarium.

Current and upcoming IMAX shows:

“AFRICA; THE SERENGETI,” opens Oct. 1: Safari into the "last great place on earth" – the Serengeti plains, a place where life and death dramas are played daily within the most important animal sanctuary on earth.

“WILD OCEAN” opens Oct. 2: Explores the interplay between man and the endangered ocean ecosystem, an epic struggle for survival where animals collide with the most voracious sea predator, mankind.

Current and upcoming shows at the Daniel M. Soref Planetarium in the IMAX :

“Ice Worlds” (through Dec. 12) travels to the Arctic and Antarctic to examine the ecosystems that live and thrive in those regions. It also travels beyond Earth to see how ice shapes the landscapes and the natural systems on other planets and moons. The film finishes with “The Pluto Story,” a look at the popular ex-planet produced by the Milwaukee Public Museum.

"Galileo: The Power of the Telescope" opens Sept. 25. The Soref Planetarium original production tells Galileo's personal and powerful story, exploring how his discoveries displaced long-held views about the universe. Narrated by Dava Sobel, author of the award-winning biography "Galileo's Daughter."

SPOOKY SKIES, opens Oct. 9: Outer space is home to some fantastic objects far more terrible than monsters of the season – an inescapable Black Hole, deadly planet, a crushing supernova.

Call 414-319-4629 for IMAX planetarium show times and reservations.

DISCOVERY WORLD at PIER WISCONSIN

500 N. Harbor Dr. 765-9966. The newest addition to Milwaukee’s world-class lineup of museums and visitor attractions is the home of the 19th century re-creation of a Great Lakes sailing vessel, the Denis Sullivan. Until the ship is returns for the summer season, the Discovery World Museum offers saltwater and fresh water aquariums, interactive exhibits created by several of the city’s leading corporations and the HIVE, a virtual-reality chamber that puts visitors into 30 simulated environments.. Open to the public from 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Tues.-Sun. www.discoveryworld.org.

A special weekend program, "Tesla Lives," provides electrifying performances that look into the genius of Nicola Tesla.

Continuing exhibits at Discovery World:

"City of Freshwater" focuses on Milwaukee’s leadership role in use of its water resources.

"Les Paul's House of Sound" is a tribute to the famed Wisconsin guitarist Les Paul.

Briggs & Stratton's "Milwaukee Muscle" exhibit allows visitors to design a vehicle of the future.

"Energy & Ingenuity: Harnessing the Power of You" developed by the Wisconsin Energy Foundation.

MISCELLANEOUS FUN

COMEDYSPORTZ at 420 S. 1st St. continues to provide improvisational comedy suitable for the whole family. Shows every week 7:30 p.m. Thursday and Friday, 3 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. and 10 p.m. Saturday.  Also 10 p.m. Friday amateur (18+) stand up session. Call 272-8888 for show times and reservations or visit www.comedysportz.com. Be sure to use our KeyMilwaukee.com coupon for extra savings.

JUNGLE JACK HANNA, Oct. 11; See the popular animal handler at 3 p.m., Pabst Theatre, 144 E. Wells St. 286-3663.

DAVID COPPERFIELD, Oct. 16; Famed magician performs at 6 p.m., 9 p.m. in Milwaukee Theatre, 500 W. Kilbourn Ave. 908-6001, 800-745-3000.

TARGET FAMILY SUNDAY at the MILWAUKEE ART MUSEUM, Oct. 18; Experience the comical folk art, lively music, and tasty treats of the colorful Mexican celebration of Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead). Create your own papel picado (paper banners) and dancing skeletons, and sample traditional Day of the Dead bread and cookies.

THE WIGGLES, Oct. 18; See this children’s musical group at 1:30 and 5 p.m. performances, The Milwaukee Theatre, 550 W. Kilbourn Ave.

JUNIE B. JONES AND A LITTLE MONKEY BUSINESS, Oct. 16- Nov. 14; Todd Wehr Theater, Marcus Center for the Performing Arts, 929 N. Water St., is the place to see the First Stage Children's Theater presentation of the hilarious musical about the spirited kindergartner Junie B. Jones from Barbara Park's popular series of books Most appreciated by adults, teens and children ages four and up. 273-7206.

HANSEL & GOLDIE, Oct. 19-24; Sunset Playhouse, 800 Elm Grove Rd., Elm Grove. Family production. 262-782-4430.