Discover Milwaukee Scavenger Hunt
Discover the Cream City with a scavenger hunt across Milwaukee's lakefront, brewery floors and Riverwalk. Watch Calatrava's white wings open over Lake Michigan, give the Bronze Fonz a thumbs-up on the Riverwalk, walk the Cream City brick lanes of the Historic Third Ward and toast a cold one at Lakefront Brewery. Beer city, lake city, art city.
Stops on this hunt
The geo-tagged checkpoints that anchor this route. You can rearrange, replace or remove any stop after using the template.
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1
Milwaukee Art Museum
Navigate to the Quadracci Pavilion of the Milwaukee Art Museum on the lakefront and check in at the Burke Brise Soleil entrance.
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2
Historic Third Ward
Walk south to the Historic Third Ward and check in around Broadway and St. Paul Avenue.
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3
Milwaukee Public Market
Walk to the Milwaukee Public Market on the edge of the Third Ward and check in inside the market hall.
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4
Bronze Fonz
Walk along the Riverwalk to the Bronze Fonz statue on the east side of the Milwaukee River, south of Wells Street, and check in.
Challenges (20)
Milwaukee kick-off
The hunt begins! Find a classic Milwaukee backdrop (Lake Michigan, Cream City brick, a Brewers flag) and take a group photo with the whole team in shot.
Checkpoint: Milwaukee Art Museum
Navigate to the Quadracci Pavilion of the Milwaukee Art Museum on the lakefront and check in at the Burke Brise Soleil entrance.
Calatrava wings shot
The white Burke Brise Soleil over the Quadracci Pavilion is Milwaukee's signature image, with wings that open and close like a bird. Time your visit for an opening (10 a.m., noon or 5 p.m.) and take a group photo with the wings spread above the team.
Trivia: Calatrava architect
The Quadracci Pavilion of the Milwaukee Art Museum, with its moving wings, was designed by which Spanish-born architect (last name)?
Answers: Calatrava / calatrava / Santiago Calatrava
Trivia: Calatrava pavilion opened
The Quadracci Pavilion opened to the public in what year?
Answer: 2001
Lake Michigan wide shot
From the Art Museum lakefront, Lake Michigan stretches to the horizon like an inland sea. Walk to the breakwater and take a squad photo with the lake and the Hoan Bridge silhouette behind the team.
Checkpoint: Historic Third Ward
Walk south to the Historic Third Ward and check in around Broadway and St. Paul Avenue.
Cream City brick portrait
The Historic Third Ward's warehouses are made of distinctive pale-yellow Cream City brick. Find a flattering brick facade and take a squad photo with the team in front of the cream walls.
Third Ward arch sign
Find the iron archway sign that announces the Historic Third Ward and take a group photo with the team posed under the arch.
Checkpoint: Milwaukee Public Market
Walk to the Milwaukee Public Market on the edge of the Third Ward and check in inside the market hall.
Cheese curd squeak
Wisconsin is the cheese state. Order fresh squeaky cheese curds from the Public Market or a Third Ward joint and take a squad photo with everyone catching the squeak on the first bite.
Checkpoint: Bronze Fonz
Walk along the Riverwalk to the Bronze Fonz statue on the east side of the Milwaukee River, south of Wells Street, and check in.
Fonzie thumbs-up pose
The Bronze Fonz is a life-size statue of Henry Winkler's Fonzie character on the Riverwalk, complete with thumbs raised. Line the team up, throw your thumbs up alongside Fonzie and take a group photo. "Aaaay" optional.
Trivia: Bronze Fonz sitcom
The Bronze Fonz is a tribute to a beloved sitcom set in Milwaukee that ran from 1974 to 1984. What is the name of the show (two words)?
Answers: Happy Days / happy days
Riverwalk team walk
The Milwaukee Riverwalk runs through downtown with restaurant patios and bridges. Find a stretch and take a squad photo where the team walks toward the camera with the river leading the eye.
Lakefront Brewery shot
Lakefront Brewery on Commerce Street is one of Milwaukee's great independent brewers. Find the brewery facade or grab a flight in the taproom and take a group photo with the team holding their glasses up in a toast.
Trivia: Pabst Brewing founded
Pabst Brewing Company, one of Milwaukee's historic breweries, was founded as Best & Company in what year (within 5)?
Answers: 1844 / 1840 / 1841 / 1842 / 1843 / 1845 / 1846 / 1847 / 1848 / 1849
Friday fish fry
Friday-night fish fries are a Wisconsin institution. If you are in Milwaukee on a Friday, order one (Lakefront Brewery, Saint Francis Brewery, Romine's High Pockets) and take a squad photo with everyone taking the first bite at the same time.
Local Milwaukeean tip
Convince a local Milwaukee resident to share a tip about the city. Take a photo with your impromptu guide and remember the tip.
Milwaukee finale
Final challenge. Find a beautiful Milwaukee spot (the Calatrava wings closing at sunset, the Riverwalk at dusk, the lakefront in golden light) and take an amazing closing group photo. Cheers from the Cream City!
Frequently asked questions
Four to five hours covers the Art Museum, the Historic Third Ward, the Riverwalk (Bronze Fonz) and a brewery tour at a relaxed pace. The lakefront, Third Ward and downtown sit within a mile of each other so most of the route is walkable.
The Burke Brise Soleil over the Quadracci Pavilion opens at 10 a.m. and closes at 5 p.m. (or museum closing), with a small mid-day flap around noon. Time the hunt to arrive five minutes before one of those moments for the photo. The wings stay closed in winds above 23 mph.
Yes if you have the time. Lakefront Brewery and the Pabst Mansion give the best old-school brewery experience; Milwaukee Brewing Co. is a quicker modern stop. Tours run 45 minutes to an hour. The hunt photographs the Lakefront facade either way.
The Milwaukee Art Museum is the natural starting point: parking under the museum, the Calatrava wings anchor the opening photo and you can walk south along the lakefront to the Third Ward and Riverwalk from there. From the Bronze Fonz it is a short walk to the Public Market for lunch.
Yes. The Milwaukee Art Museum has Kohl's Art Studio for kids, the Public Market has plenty of family snacks, the Bronze Fonz is a guaranteed kid hit, and the Discovery World science centre next to the Art Museum is a half-day on its own. No alcohol required.