Milwaukee is home to some pretty amazing museums, but you may not have heard of this hidden gem on 11th Street. From a look inside a 1920's grocery store, o World War II artifacts, this museum will educate you while leaving you entirely fascinated. Let's take a look inside one of Milwaukee's best-kept secrets that you won't soon forget.
Welcome to the Chudnow Museum of Yesteryear!
This little-known museum is actually a non-profit organization. The museum is dedicated to educating the public about the history of Milwaukee during the World Wars, and displaying items from that era (1910's-1940's.)
Avrum M. Chudnow's legacy lives on.
The Museum of Yesteryear is an interpretation of Avrum (Abe) Chudnow. Chudnow purchased the house that now holds the museum in 1966 where he held his law office.
After attending Marquette and eventually joining the Army and serving in World War II, Chudnow's collection was growing.
Inheriting his father's hobby of collecting, Chudnow proudly added memorabilia to his lifelong collection which included mementos from interesting jobs he held, to military artifacts, and eventually items from everything from breweries to barber shops.
After Chudnow's passing, the home was made into the museum we know and love today.
Abe's family decided to turn the home office into a permanent museum of his lifelong collection. The house was renovated, and they even recreated a 19th-century grocery store, ice cream parlor, and train depot.
Besides viewing incredible items from Milwaukee's history, you might see this gem around town.
Chudnow Museum of Yesteryear acquired a rare automobile in 2013. This 1930's Chevy Coupe was found in an old barn and donated to the museum, and represents a unique snapshot of history. They've restored much of it to be drivable, and now there's a piece of history on the streets of MKE!
If you can't get enough of this charming museum, you can dig further.
If you want to see even more of the museum, they offer behind the scene tours! These tours are for up to six people and last 45 minutes. Here you'll see much more of the collection that isn't on display, and learn about the history of the house and property before it was a museum. Unfortunately, these tours are not handicap accessible.
Chudnow Museum of Yesteryear is a collectors dream.
This amazing museum shows collections from all walks of Milwaukee's past. It's truly a sight to be seen!
Chudnow Museum of Yesteryear is located at 839 N. 11th St., Milwaukee. For more information, you can visit their website here.
There you have it... a look into 1920's Milwaukee! Have you viewed Chudnow's collection yet? What did you think? Let us know in the comments!
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