family fun - november 2008

Picks of the Month

Leonard Bearstein and his animated bears open the holiday season Nov. 10 at the Shops of Grand Avenue and the parade of activities that follows is longer than it has been in years. We’ve tried to list all of the holiday activities this month in KeyMilwaukee.com, putting many of them in one place with our first Holiday Activity Guide. And if you want to see how the holidays are celebrated throughout the world, your best bet this year and every year is the Holiday Folk Fair International at Wisconsin State Fair Park.

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.

Family free day returns Nov. 1, with free admission to the zoo.

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:

Neighborhood Night Nov. 20 means free admission from 5-8 p.m.

Not-So-Scary Halloween days Oct. 30 & 31, Nov. 1 & Nov. 2 offer fall crafts, puppet shows, Halloween family flicks, a scavenger hunt and a pumpkin patch. Goodies await guests at "Treat Stops" located throughout the museum 390-5437.

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

TITANIC: THE ARTIFACT EXHIBITION continues through May 25, 2009. Authentic artifacts and room-recreations tell the story of the 2,228 passengers aboard the Titanic during her ill-fated maiden voyage. Learn haunting tales of lives abruptly ended or forever altered when the Titanic collided with an iceberg on April 14, 1912.

THE HEBIOR Mammoth, a specimen with great significance to the state of Wisconsin, is now on display. Found less than 30 miles from Milwaukee in Kenosha County, the mammoth is among a group of important findes that help date the early presence of humans in North America.

WISCONSIN ARCHAEOLOGY: PIECES OF THE PUZZLE displays artifacts from the museum collections, including some from Aztalan, the state's most significant archeological site.

Special events:

The Celebrations of Culture Series explores Native American cultures through music, art and artifacts Nov. 7 & 8. 10 a.m.-2 p.m.

On Nov. 28, stop by the museum for the annual "Lighting of the Whale" when the humpback whale skeleton over the Grand Staircase is lighted for the holidays.

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 IMAX shows playing include "Mysteries of the Great Lakes," takes viewers through the greatest freshwater system in the world, through March 19, 2009; "Ghosts of the Abyss" in which Academy Award winning director and storyteller James Cameron journeys back to the legendary wreck of the Titanic, through June 11, 2009; and "Santa vs. the Snowman, an animated IMAX holiday favorite, Nov. 28 through January 4.

The Daniel M. Soref Planetarium in the IMAX currently is offering three shows: "Rock Stars 2," a thrill ride for music lovers of all ages, through June 11, 2009; "Night of the Titanic," a tale of how human error and natural disaster sank the "unsinkable" ship, through June 11, and "Mystery of the Christmas Star," which seeks to discover which ancient star was involved in the Christmas story, Nov. 28 through Jan. 4.

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.

Milwaukee’s popular Segway tours have moved to Discovery World. See KeyMilwaukee.com tours for all the details.

New exhibits at Discovery World:

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

• Briggs & Stratton's "Milwaukee Muscle" exhibit, which 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.

CHARLOTTE'S WEB, through Nov. 16: First Stage Children's Theater presents the most popular children's story of all time. Staged in the Todd Wehr Theater of the Marcus Center for the Performing Arts, 929 N. Water St. Recommended for adults, teens and children six and up. 273-7206 or www.firststage.org.

FAMILY TIME IN THE GALLERIES,Nov. 1, 8, 15, 22, and 29: The Milwaukee Art Museum, 700 N. Art Museum Dr., provides art activities for the whole family at 1 p.m. each Saturday. 224-3200.

GRAND REOPENING OF THE DOMES, Nov. 5: The three horticultural domes of Mitchell Park Conservatory, 524 S. Layton Blvd., will be officially reopened, complete with a new outdoor lighting scheme. Special ceremony and lighting display from 6-7 p.m. Open without charge from 5-9 p.m.

USS FREEDOM COMMISSIONING, Nov. 8: The lakefront just off Veterans Park north of the Milwaukee Art Museum will be the site of the first ship commissioning in Milwaukee history. While the official commissioning of the USS Freedom at 10 a.m. will be by ticket only, the ship will be docked at the location for about a week prior to the ceremony.

TRAINFEST, Nov. 8-9: The Wisconsin Expo Center on the grounds of Wisconsin State Fair Park, 8200 W. Greenfield Ave., will be the site of the 35th anniversary show, which has become AmericaÕs largest operating model railroad show. More than 50 detailed, operating model railroad displays and scenic reproductions will be featured. 9 a.m.-5:30 p.m. 262-820-3566.

2008 TOUR OF GYMNASTICS SUPERSTARS, Nov. 13: See some of the best gymnasts in the world at the Bradley Center, 1001 N. 4th St. 276-4545.

MILWAUKEE CITY/COUNTY TREE LIGHTING, Nov. 20: Visit Red Arrow park, 920 N. Water St., for caroling at 4:30 p.m. and the tree lighting at 5 p.m. Also expect a visit by Canta and characters from ÒA Christmas Carol.Ó 286-3261.

MILWAUKEE HOLIDAY LIGHTS KICK-OFF EXTRAVAGANZA, Nov. 20: Pere Marquette Park, W. State St. and Old World 3rd St., again is the site for the official start of the downtown holiday lights program. Entertainment includes live music, a visit from Santa and fireworks, all leading up to the simultaneous flip switching to light three downtown parks. Fee cocoa, coffee and cookies while supplies last. Attendees recive complimentary Jingle Bus rides at the park. 6 p.m. 220-4700.

HOLIDAY PARADE IN MILWAUKEE, Nov. 22: Floats, bands, helium balloons, live animals and Santa take part in the annual parade, opening the holiday season. 9:30 a.m. 262-377-5935.

GRAFTON COMMUNITY TREE LIGHTING, Nov. 23: Entertainment and food will greet celebrants at Paramount Plaza in downtown Grafton. 6 p.m. 252-377-1650.

BROOKFIELD HOLIDAY ARTS FESTIVAL, Nov. 23: The Sharon Lynne Wilson Center for the Arts, 19805 W. Capitol Dr. inside BrookfieldÕs Mitchell Park, is the site for this holiday celebration, which includes art projects for families, a gingerbread house contest, exceprts from the Nutcracker and music of the season. 262-373-5034.

COUNTRY CHRISTMAS, Nov. 26-31: The Country Springs Hotel and Conference Center in Waukesha annually stages the largest drive-through Christmas Light Display. 5-10 p.m. opening night, Fridays, Saturdays and holidays and 5-9 p.m. Sundays through Thursdays. $15 per carload, with special pricing for limos and small buses.

THE HAPPY ELF, Nov. 28-Dec. 4: First Stage ChildrenÕs Theater presents a heart-arming holiday musical from Harry Connick, Jr. See it in the Todd Wehr Theater of the Marcus Center for the Performing Arts. Most appreciated by children three and up, teens and adults. 273-7206.

A CHRISTMAS CAROL, Nov. 28-Dec. 28: The Milwaukee Repertory Theater again presents Dickens' timeless classic in the gilded elegance of the Pabst Theater.

SATURDAYS WITH SANTA, Nove. 28-Dec. 20: At the Shops of Grand Avenue, W. Wisconsin Ave. at Old World 3rd St. in the heart of downtown Milwaukee, join Santa on the third floor of the atrium from noon-2 p.m. Saturdays.