Kenosha Public Museums

Love on the Lake

Holds ceremonies and receptions

4.4

Verified reviews from real couples

Great place to have a reception. The rental fee includes the space, so you have to provide everything else, but you get to have exactly what you want. They have no preferred vendor list, so you can choose whoever you want. Kristine is amazing and made sure our day was perfect and was exactly what we wanted. Not only do you get you the beautiful museum but you also get Lake Michigan outside for pictures. Only downside is hard alcohol is not allowed, but they allow everything else.

Amie M.

5.0

Our wedding was a huge hit! Introverted guests who didn't want to dance or socialize could wander the museum and the more lively guests had plenty of fun. Brenda single handedly saved a mishap when a vendor did not bring utensils and she provided the museums in its place. The mezzanine provided a beautiful ceremony space with ample locations for photos all around the property. We could not be happier with the venue we chose and our guests loved it!

Shelby B.

5.0

Established in 1933, Kenosha Public Museums is a natural science and art museum, as well as a wedding venue, in Kenosha, WI. Since its founding, this center of learning has seen its collections grow to more than 80,000, among which 1,200 are in the fine arts collection. For weddings, this venue offers a picture-worthy backdrop with lakefront views. The setting is sure to enhance your celebrations. Weddings of a range of sizes can be accommodated at Kenosha Public Museums. The flexible spaces can easily suit a gathering of 50 or festivities with as many as 150 guests. Couples have the choice to host both their ceremony and reception here and have both indoor and outdoor options. The spaces feature large windows and a subdued color palette to let your wedding theme shine. Throughout the museum, there are ample photo opportunities with exhibits providing a fun backdrop for portraits. In addition to weddings, this venue is ideal for showers, engagement parties, and related occasions. The talented staff at Kenosha Public Museums collaborate with nearly weds to help them create the wedding of their dreams. They can assist couples in organizing the timeline for the vendors, curating the layout of the space, and organizing the day’s activities. Guests are offered access to parking and a coatroom for their convenience. To make the event even more memorable, visits to the exhibits can also be included in the wedding celebrations, with the chance to experience the museum after dark. It helps make the occasion one to cherish for years to come.

93+ years in business

Speaks English

Small team (2-10 members)

Amenities + details

Amenities

Ceremony Area

Dressing Room

Handicap Accessible

Indoor Event Space

Outdoor Event Space

Reception Area

Wireless Internet

Ceremony Types

Civil Union

Interfaith Ceremony

Non-Religious Ceremony

Religious Ceremony

Second Wedding

Settings

Ballroom

Beach

Waterfront

Historic Venue

Museum

Rooftop

Venue Service Offerings

Planning

Any questions?

4.4

out of 5.0

9 reviews

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Amie M

10/24/2022

Great place to have a reception. The rental fee includes the space, so you have to provide everything else, but you get to have exactly what you want. They have no preferred vendor...

list, so you can choose whoever you want. Kristine is amazing and made sure our day was perfect and was exactly what we wanted. Not only do you get you the beautiful museum but you also get Lake Michigan outside for pictures. Only downside is hard alcohol is not allowed, but they allow everything else.

Shelby B

9/30/2021

Our wedding was a huge hit! Introverted guests who didn't want to dance or socialize could wander the museum and the more lively guests had plenty of fun. Brenda single handedly s...

aved a mishap when a vendor did not bring utensils and she provided the museums in its place. The mezzanine provided a beautiful ceremony space with ample locations for photos all around the property. We could not be happier with the venue we chose and our guests loved it!

Any questions?

Anne K

6/26/2019

We just had our wedding ceremony and reception at the Civil War Museum in Kenosha and it was absolutely spectacular! The ceremony was outside on the terrace overlooking Lake Michig...

an. The lighthouse is in the background of our pictures. The weather was perfect so we did not need plan B of getting married inside by the reception room. We had an evening event and had the museum from 5-11. It closes to the public at 5 so we had the place to ourselves. There are so many cool places for photo ops in and outside of the venue. Our reception room had a wall of windows with a beautiful view of the lake. Kristine is the Civil War Museum's contact person and we cannot say enough wonderful things about her!! She was extremely helpful, accommodating and an all around kind lady! I highly recommend this venue.

Tarah P

3/13/2019

The Kenosha Public Museum also has the Dinosaur Discovery Museum just down the street. My husband and I were the first couple to get married there. It was an amazing time for the h...

andful of family who joined us on this lovely day. We were able to rent the museum out for 2 hours after it closed its doors to the public for the day. There's a handicapped entrance in the back for those who can't do the stairs in the front. Let them know when you will be doing a rehearsal. To find out about renting the time and space, get ahold of the same person you'd email for renting space in the Public Museum or Civil War museum.

Ellie C

7/22/2017

We had our ceremony on the terrace at the Civil War Museum and it was breathtaking! The view of the lighthouse and lake were amazing. The staff is incredibly helpful and wonderful.

Elizabeth R

10/25/2015

My Children and I visit the Kenosha Public Museum often. It is one of their favorite places. When I found out that we could rent out a beautiful room for our ceremony, we jumped on...

it. It was an opportunity to share one of our favorite places with our friends and family. Plus was that our guest could experience the museum before cocktail hour started. It has a field station that is amazing for the little ones tons of hands on stations for fun and learning. Our experience with the staff and the museum was great. There was a room available for us get ready in. We were able to set up the space during our rehearsal. When we had a hickup with our florist the staff was able to address the problem. We enjoyed our ceremony and working with the museum.

Amanda M

9/13/2015

While the staff was exceedingly helpful during the planning phases, the "day of" the person in charge of our event was very rude to our guests. We had paid for an extended event an...

d was rushed out. We even had guest begin to help clean up because she was rushing us, the guests still talk about how rude she was. I would avoid.

Paige B

6/09/2015

My husband and I are nerdy science/museum types, so we thought having the reception at a natural history museum would be perfect. And it was! We rented both the lower hall and the ...

mezzanine level to give our party more room. The views of the lake from the mezzanine level are stunning! The price was very reasonable, as it included tables and chairs and the museum had just added a dance floor that was available to rent for an extra fee. Most importantly, the event coordinator was a breeze to work with and easy to get in touch with! If I had any questions or requests, she was sure to get back to me quickly and worked hard to make sure everything looked great and went smoothly. Highly recommended!

Jamie W

9/18/2013

I had my reception here, in their Daimler-Chrysler Hall. They have several spaces available for events between the Public Museum and the Civil War Museum, which is right next door....

I found their special events coordinators to be very friendly and helpful. They get back to you by email or phone in a timely manner (it's amazing how many potential vendors lose a bride's business just because they don't return a call/email within a day). The spaces are all very attractive. I loved that the Museum is right on Lake Michigan; I wanted my out of town guests to get down to the lake! Their price includes the space, tables, chairs, use of the sound system, and a clean up fee.

Service area & Contact info

5500 First Avenue, Kenosha, WI

Open map

(262) 653-4406

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Kenosha Public Museums

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