Best Glass Bridge Milwaukee Near Me

4worldlovers: The Quadracci Pavilion is the iconic sculptural addition to the Milwaukee Art Museum designed by Santiago Calatrava. The Spanish architect was inspired by the “dramatic, original building by Eero Saarinen…the topography of the city” and Frank Lloyd Wright’s Prairie-style architecture.

The 142,050-square-foot structure was completed in 2001 and houses a grand reception hall, an auditorium, a large exhibition space, a store, a café, and parking. Both cutting-edge technology and old-world craftsmanship went into creating the graceful building, which was made largely by pouring concrete into one-of-a-kind wooden forms.

Windhover Hall is the grand reception hall and among the pavilion’s many architectural highlights. Complete with flying buttresses, pointed arches, ribbed vaults, and a central nave topped by a 90-foot-high glass roof, it is Calatrava’s interpretation of a Gothic cathedral. An average-sized, two-story family home would fit comfortably inside it. The hall’s chancel is shaped like the prow of a ship, with floor-to-ceiling windows looking over Lake Michigan. Adjoining the central hall are two tow-arched promenades, the Baumgartner Galleria and Schroeder Galleria, with expansive views of the lake and downtown.

The Museum’s signature wings, the Burke Brise Soleil, form a moveable sunscreen with a 217-foot wingspan. The brise soleil is made up of 72 steel fins, ranging in length from 26 to 105 feet. The entire structure weighs 90 tons. It takes 3.5 minutes for the wings to open or close. Sensors on the fins continually monitor wind speed and direction, so when winds exceed 23 mph for more than 3 seconds, the wings close automatically.

According to Santiago Calatrava, the Quadracci Pavilion’s design “responds to the culture of the lake: the sailboats, the weather, the sense of motion and change.” And “in the crowning element of the brise soleil,” he stated, “the building’s form is at once formal (completing the composition), functional (controlling the level of light), symbolic (opening to welcome visitors), and iconic (creating a memorable image for the Museum and the city).”

The expansion of the Museum was made possible through the generosity of donors in a capital campaign, with major funding provided by Betty and Harry Quadracci.

Architect and sculptor Santiago Calatrava was born in Valencia, Spain, in 1951. He earned a degree in architecture and then in civil engineering, intrigued by the mathematics behind historic architecture. Early in his career, Calatrava worked as an engineer and began to enter architectural competitions, believing this was his most likely way to secure commissions. His first winning competition proposal, in 1983, was for the design and construction of Stadelhofen Railway Station in Zurich. The next year, Calatrava designed and built a bridge for the Olympic Games in Barcelona; this was the beginning of a series of bridge projects that established his international reputation.

In the mid-1980s, Calatrava began to get hired for large-scale public projects, and opened offices for his company in Zurich, Paris. and Valencia. During this period, he also began to exhibit his abstract sculptures in museums and galleries. Calatrava regularly traverses the lines between art and architecture; his buildings are frequently called sculptural, while his sculptures and paintings are like sketches of buildings.

Calatrava is known for his flowing, curved buildings. He uses steel, concrete, and new computer modeling to create compositions that appear at once natural and structurally impossible. If “form follows function” was a rallying cry of modern architecture, Calatrava’s postmodern structures turn this maxim on its head. His designs suggest stylized natural objects—waves, wings, or sun-bleached skeletons, with rows of white concrete ribs curved into distorted parabolic arches. The true purpose of these dramatic contours are typically more aesthetic than structural.

The Milwaukee Art Museum addition was Calatrava’s first project in the United States. Feeling insecure about working in the U.S., he actually withdrew himself from the selection process in 1994, only to be coaxed back. Today, Calatrava has completed dozens of buildings and bridges around the world, with many more in the works. His theatrical, uplifting designs are immediately recognizable, and often his buildings, like the Quadracci Pavilion, look poised to soar away on the breeze.

After completing the Quadracci Pavilion, Santiago Calatrava discussed how he designed the addition and sought to integrate the Museum into the urban and natural landscapes around it. The excerpts below are from his speech at the Quadracci Pavilion dedication in October 2001.

“For me, the project of expanding the Milwaukee Art Museum was an opportunity to help people make the most of an extraordinary situation.

4worldlovers: Discover Milwaukee's wild side on our network of soft trails. Nature trails are perfect for birding, wildlife watching, getting fresh air on your morning walk or simply finding some quiet space. Explore woodlands, prairie, beaches, and grassland areas throughout the county.

STAY ON DESIGNATED TRAILS! This protects the plants and wildlife in natural areas and helps you avoid poison ivy and ticks!


Protect the nature trails – NO bike riding! For biking, use the Oak Leaf Trail and the formally designated mountain-bike trails.

Note that only leashed dogs are allowed (unless noted), they must stay on the trails, and you must pick up their waste. NO DOGS are allowed in natural areas.

For the only off-leash opportunities in the Milwaukee County Parks, visit the Dog Parks.

Explore woodlands, prairie, beaches and grassland areas throughout the county by following trails marked with 'Forked Aster' signage. These trails are ideal for short, scenic hikes or on-leash dog walks. Trail segments in 30 parks range from 0.2 miles to 8 miles and are generally dirt, occasionally woodchipped or gravel. On dirt segments after a rain, expect to encounter some mud.

Wide-open vistas perched on top of steep bluffs overlooking Lake Michigan. Hiking trails wind through prairie grasslands, old orchards, and lush Beech woodlands. Great place to watch a sunrise or have a picnic.

This unique riverfront woodland park offers excellent displays of spring ephemeral wildflowers. The trail is rugged. The best access point is signed from the Oak Leaf Trail. While this segment is short, the trail is part of a continuous 8-mile trail loop, the Milwaukee River Greenway.


This small neighborhood park has both paved and unpaved trails that go through high quality woodlands (122 plant species) along one of the headwater streams of the Oak Creek watershed. This site provides a great opportunity to see migratory birds in spring and fall, and has some paved trails that meander through the woods.

The trail is short and flat as it winds through a small diverse woodland with many spring ephemeral wildflowers. This site provides a great opportunity to see migratory birds in spring and fall.

The trails provide a glimpse of what Milwaukee County would have looked like 200 years ago, with a diverse, mature woodland. A small stream separates the lowland hardwood forest from an old-growth beech forest. Dogs are not allowed.

The steep trails go from the top of the bluff down to the shoreline of Lake Michigan. High lake water levels have greatly shrunken the beach and make completing the circle path difficult. Trails through deep ravines with a beech and maple overstory lead to a small beach.

This long and flat trail system highlights a beautiful and diverse forest with a great spring wildflower bloom. With ephmeral wetlands and meandering streams, the trail may be wet or even flooded at times.

Totaling just two miles, Seven Bridges trail treats hikers to a unique ecological area with ravines lined with Lannon stone paths, azure views of Lake Michigan, abundant wildflowers, and shady woodlands. The trail features 10 bridges and many stairways, constructed by the WPA almost 100 years ago, leading to a secluded beach area. Closed in winter due to icy conditions and numerous unshoveled staircases.

Nestled at the western edge of the park is a small trail loop in a good quality woodland. Large maples, oaks, and basswoods tower above. Visit in mid-spring to see the blooming flowers and migrating warblers.

Hiking trails navigate the large woodland, and paved trails circle the lagoon, providing excellent birding opportunities and nature access for all abilities.

Comprised of a shallow lake, shrubland, upland and lowland forest, a marsh, and sedge meadow, this diverse habitat allows many uncommon wildlife species to thrive. A gravel trail encircles Mud Lake, and a soft trail lets visitors explore the western end of the park.

In the center of this regional park is a woodland with easy but earthern hiking trails. Visitors of all abilities can also enjoy a stroll on the paved trail around the lagoon to fish or to view waterfowl and large wading birds.

Although short, the trails are steep and rugged as they climb through wooded ravines. Breathtaking displays of wildflowers erupt in the Spring.

4worldlovers: Whether it’s the paved trails that wind around sculpted rolling hills or the small oaks that are growing into mighty giants or the stunning views of Milwaukee’s skyline, nature and impressive views await you at every corner of the award-winning Three Bridges Park, a 24-acre urban oasis in the Menomonee River Valley.

Located along the Menomonee River between 27th and 37th Streets, Three Bridges Park was once part of a wild rice marsh, then a rail yard, and then a vacant site for decades. Through passion, persistence, and partnership, Three Bridges Park opened in 2013 and is enjoyed by more than 50,000 visitors each year.

Three Bridges Park isn’t visible from the street. There are four convenient places to park from which you can walk into the park. The map above shows where you may park or you may download a PDF.

Street parking on W Canal St across from Ingeteam (3550 W Canal Street). Pay attention to posted signs as parking permissions vary, especially when the Brewers are playing (see schedule here).

Behind Palermo’s Pizza at the south end of 33rd Court.


In the parking lot behind (to the north of) the Mitchell Park Horticultural Conservancy (The Domes, 524 S Layton Boulevard).

This park is more than a pretty place. The Urban Ecology Center uses it as their outdoor science classroom to give kids hands-on experiences to explore waterways, native flora and fauna, and regional history. It is a place where volunteers nurture the land for future generations. It is a quiet place of respite in the heart of the city. It is a Milwaukee destination for outdoor recreation and learning.

Rolling Hills - Hills were built to resemble natural glacial landforms (kames, drumlins, and eskers) to teach children about southeast Wisconsin’s natural topography in true to life form and almost to scale.


River Restoration - Stones and boulders were added to the river to vary the direction of water flow and improve fish habitat.

Natural Stormwater Filtration - Swales, a low area of land that collects stormwater, were designed to manage water runoff, filter pollutants, and increase rainwater infiltration.

Snake Hibernacula - Underground chambers provide a home where snakes can safely spend the winter protected from the cold.

Wildlife & Native Vegetation - The list of native plants and animals, those that were here long before the 1800s, grows each year. Read more in the Urban Ecology Center’s 2017 Community Science Review.

Community Scientists - The Urban Ecology Center welcomes community and professional scientists to Three Bridges Park to perform research and observe the wildlife. Read more in the Urban Ecology Center’s 2017 Community Science Review.

Can I reserve space or hold an event in Three Bridges Park?

Three Bridges Park is available on a first-come, first-served basis. There are no grills or open flames allowed due to the prairie grass. There is one small platform that could fit one picnic table near the 33rd Court bridge and a cement platform near the Domes bridge. Note that there are no picnic tables or garbage bins in the park due to maintenance costs. Please be respectful of all park users and remove everything you bring in so we can keep a clean, green park for all. There are no restrooms in the park. The closest restrooms are in the Urban Ecology Center (3700 W Pierce Street) or in the picnic area of Mitchell Park.

Why isn’t the Hank Aaron State Trail plowed in the winter?

Currently, the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources does not have funding to plow the Hank Aaron State Trail; however, partners at the City of Milwaukee generally plow from Selig Drive east to 25th Street, and adjacent property owners generally take care of the path in front of their buildings east from 25th up to about 11th Street.

On Saturday, July 20, 2013, Three Bridges Park opened to the public with a dedication and family celebration. It is the largest park developed in Milwaukee in decades and marks the continued transformation of the Menomonee River Valley into an asset for families, children, fishers, hikers, bikers, boaters, businesses, and employees in the area.