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5 Must-See Sites at Doors Open Milwaukee 2013

CJ Schmit, Flickr

Some of Milwaukee best-known buildings – and some lesser-known places will welcome visitors this weekend.

Credit Mitch Teich
The Milwaukee Bank Building, home of Milwaukee's Grand Avenue Club, is participating in this year's Doors Open Milwaukee event.

Doors Open Milwaukee has grown to include 134 buildings in its third year. 

"There's a lot of places on Doors Open, a lot of new sites that people don't even know are there," says program manager Amy Grau. "The idea of Doors Open is to open every door in Milwaukee."

If you don't have time to check out all the sites, Grau offers a few spots you should make sure to see:

  • Gas Light Building: New to Doors Open, visitors can go up to the 17th floor observation deck of this Art Deco building and check out the views of Milwaukee.
  • US Bank Building: This site's participated all three years of Doors Open, and Grau says it offers "probably one of the best views in all of Milwaukee." Visitors get to go all the way up to where the bank sign is and check out the city from every angle.
  • Federal Courthouse: Most people don't get to see in the inside of the courthouse (perhaps, thankfully), but at Doors Open, you're allowed to take both interior and exterior tours of this imposing Richardson Romanesque Revival-style building.
  • Schrager Auction Galleries: This Sherman Park business boasts Classical Greek Revival architecture. But what Grau says is most special is its "incredible dome," second in the state only to Madison's Capitol Building. 
  • Bridging the Gap Golf Learning Center: Located near Marquette University, this massive complex takes over an entire city block. It has netted hitting areas for golfers, a professional putting green, clubhouse and its namesake learning center.

Organized by Historic Milwaukee, Doors Open Milwaukee runs Saturday, September 21 and Sunday, September 22, 2013 from 10 am to 5 pm.