(De Pere, Wis.) A festive ribbon cutting celebration was held today at the Mulva Cultural Center, marking the official public opening of the $100 million, 75,000 sq. ft. world-class cultural facility in historic downtown De Pere.
The Center, a gift to the community from philanthropists and De Pere natives, James J. and Miriam B. Mulva, is 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.
The ribbon cutting included comments from the Center’s leadership team, De Pere Mayor James Boyd and Center co-founder Miriam Mulva. She stated, “The Mulva Cultural Center is a legacy “thank you” gift to the very city that helped shape who we are today. We have deep ties to De Pere, where we were both raised. Our desire is that the Center will stimulate the intellectual curiosity of De Pere residents, the greater Green Bay and Fox Valley communities, and the State of Wisconsin, to pay-it-forward, so others’ experiences in De Pere will also shape their own lives in positive and fruitful ways.”
Featured Opening Exhibit
The opening featured exhibit is “Ladies and Gentlemen….The Beatles!” along with “And the GRAMMY® Goes To….” which will run through January 21, 2024. 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.
Curated by the GRAMMY Museum®, “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.
All memberships to the Center include a minimum of two complimentary tickets to each of the featured exhibits and films. For non-members: Timed entrance tickets for the featured exhibits 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.
Additional Opening Exhibits
Additional exhibits announced at today’s ribbon cutting include:
- Atrium exhibit: “Clyde Butcher’s America: A Lifetime of Photography.” This collection celebrates the beauty of the American landscape from the Redwood forests of California to the Everglade swamps of Florida. The exhibit, which runs through February 28, 2024, is free and open to the public during regular Center hours.
- Auditorium films: There are two alternating films playing in the Auditorium. The first is a documentary adventure To The Arctic presented by MacGillivray Freeman Film, narrated by Meryl Streep with songs by Paul McCartney. The second film is also a documentary produced by MacGillivray Freeman Films, The Magic of Flight, for the National Museum of Naval Aviation, narrated by Tom Selleck. Films in the Auditorium will be $5 per person for non-members with visitors 5 years old and under free.
Special Events
Special events and activities will also take place at the Mulva Cultural Center this month, including:
- Talented local pianists will be regularly featured, playing on the Baby Grand piano located in the Atrium near the restaurant. There is no charge to enjoy this musical entertainment.
- The Center’s first, free, exhibit-related activity takes place Saturday afternoon, December 9 from Noon until 3 p.m. Guests are welcome to the Center’s classroom space where they can design their own album cover. Supplies will be provided.
Upcoming Featured Exhibits
- 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.
Hours of Operations
Hours for the auditorium, exhibition hall, gift shop and the Mulva Cultural Center’s restaurant, Savour on Broadway 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
Hours for the atrium and the Mulva Center’s café, Gourmet to Go will be:
- Monday, Wednesday, Friday, Saturday: 7 a.m. – 5 p.m.
- Thursday: 7 a.m. – 8 p.m.
- Sunday: Noon – 5 p.m.
- Tuesday: Closed
A Unique Facility
The exhibits are one part of the amazing experience visitors will have at 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. The restaurant, Savour on Broadway, will open in early 2024.
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
