(De Pere, Wis.) Get ready to be captivated, inspired, engaged and transformed! The awaited opening of the Mulva Cultural Center is here. The $100 million, 75,000 sq. ft. world-class cultural facility in historic downtown De Pere will open its doors to members on Monday, Dec. 4, 2023 with the public opening on Friday, Dec. 8, 2023.
“We are so excited to welcome people inside of this magnificent facility,” stated Tom Shefchik, Executive Director of Community Relations. “We know this will quickly become a major destination for Northeast Wisconsin.” The Center, a gift to the community from philanthropists and De Pere natives, James J. and Miriam B. Mulva, will be a showcase for the finest traveling exhibits in the world, along with unique features including a state-of-the-art Auditorium, educational classrooms, an expansive gift shop, a unique specialty restaurant, event space and more.
Those with memberships to the Center will have an exclusive opportunity to see the opening exhibits: “Ladies and Gentlemen….The Beatles!” along with “And the GRAMMY® Goes To….” starting
Monday, Dec. 4 and running through Thursday, Dec. 7. All levels of membership include at least two complementary tickets to major exhibits. Members must register for a ticketed time to enter the exhibit hall.
On Friday, Dec. 8, the exhibits will open to the public, as well as to the members, and will be on display through Jan. 21, 2024. Timed entrance tickets are $25 for adults, $20 for military members (active duty and Veterans) and seniors, and $15 for children ages 6-17 years old and can be purchased online. Admission for children 5 and under is free. Hours for the exhibition hall and the Mulva Cultural Center’s restaurant, Savour on Broadway, both the membership preview week and the public opening will be:
- Monday, Wednesday, Friday, Saturday: 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.
- Thursday: 10 a.m. – 8 p.m.
- Sunday: Noon – 5 p.m.
- Tuesday: Closed
Curated by the GRAMMY Museum® and Fab Four Exhibits and produced by Exhibits Development Group, “Ladies and Gentlemen…The Beatles!” brings us back to the early ’60s when rock n’ roll emerged. This exhibit covers the Fab Four from early 1964 through mid-1966, the years Beatlemania ran rampant in America. Visitors will “Twist and Shout” for the range of Beatles memorabilia, rare photographs and an authentic replica of the Liverpool Cavern Club. “And the GRAMMY® Goes To…..” will give visitors an overview of the history of the GRAMMY Awards®, how a GRAMMY is won, how the Award is made, access to memorable costumes, red carpet looks and more.
Additional major exhibits in the coming year include:
- Evolution Dinosaur: February 28, 2024 – May 12, 2024
The most immersive dinosaur experience ever developed. Evolution Dinosaur will send chills down your spine with 30 hyper-realistic animatronic dinosaurs. Learn everything there is to know about Cretaceous Era dinosaurs through interactive tools in a one-of-a-kind setting. Evolution is developed by The Aimes and distributed by Exhibits Development Group.
- The Bricktionary – The ultimate LEGO® A-Z: June 6, 2024 – September 2, 2024
Visitors’ imaginations will run wild as they explore more than 150 custom-built LEGO® models, including some of the largest LEGO® creations ever built! Inspired by the book, The Bricktionary: Ultimate of A-Z LEGO®, this exhibit showcases creations ranging from life-size animals to fashion and fantasy. Visitors can even try their hand at making bricks inventions.
- Sharks!: October 5, 2024 – January 5, 2025
Enter the waters of these fascinating creatures, more than 450 million years old. Sharks, created by the Australian Museum and toured by Evergreen Exhibitions, saw record attendance in its debut showing. Guest will experience breathtaking shark models, learn about 180 shark species “swimming” in an immersive setting, view shark artifacts, view displays about Indigenous cultures connections with sharks and the impact climate change has had on shark habitats. The Mulva Cultural Center is one of only four U.S. stops for the Sharks exhibit.
All exhibits in the exhibition hall will require a ticket for timed entry. Atrium exhibits will be free for all visitors. Films in the Auditorium will generally be $5 per person with visitors 5 years old and under free. Those exhibits, along with Auditorium films, will be announced in the coming weeks.
The exhibits are one part of the amazing experience visitors will have to the Mulva Cultural Center. As visitors arrive, the facility’s transparent design will provide an elegant transition from outdoor to indoor spaces, creating visual connections from day to night and allowing the building to serve as a lantern on the Fox River. Inside, an expansive, open-air atrium creates opportunities for new connections between cultural programs. An auditorium, event space, flexible exhibition spaces, classrooms, restaurant, and outdoor terrace and indoor gathering spaces will provide new venues for cultural engagement.
Supported by a sophisticated structural system designed to maximize daylight and minimize material use and visibility, the architecture of the Mulva Cultural Center will provide a stylish background for the institution’s diverse programming. A palette of native stone, timber, glass, and neutral metals will define the space, inspired by its location adjacent to the river. The Mulva Cultural Center was designed by internationally acclaimed architectural firm Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM).
For more information, including membership information and to purchase exhibit tickets, visit: www.MulvaCenter.org. Updates can be found on Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn @MulvaCulturalCenter
