Villa Terrace Decorative Arts Museum is a small museum in a large, beautiful setting: an Italian Renaissance style villa on the bluff above Lake Michigan, designed by the architect David Adler in 1923 as the home of Lloyd Smith of the A.O. Smith Corporation. The house is the main exhibit. Inside, the collection covers fine and decorative arts from the 15th to the 18th centuries, along with the wrought-iron work of Cyril Colnik, a metalworker whose gates, lamps and railings give the interior its distinctive character. Changing exhibitions by local, regional and international artists add a contemporary note. The formal garden is open to visitors and is the museum's most photographed feature, stepping down the hillside toward the lake in the manner of an Italian villa garden. It is a quiet counterpoint to the busier lakefront downtown, and it suits visitors who like gardens, architecture or interiors more than blockbuster collections. Visitors who enjoy architecture, interiors and quiet gardens will find that it repays a slow visit far better than a quick walk-through.
Where it sits
The villa is on North Terrace Avenue on Milwaukee's East Side, a short drive or a pleasant bike ride north of downtown, close to Lake Park and the North Point Lighthouse. It is one of the museums grouped under the Milwaukee Museum Mile name, together with the Charles Allis Art Museum, and the two make a natural pair for an afternoon of historic interiors. Parking is generally easier here than downtown, but check the museum's site for current arrangements.
Visiting
The museum is open several days a week rather than daily, with a late afternoon and evening opening on one weekday, and it closes on a number of holidays, so check the days and hours on the museum's page before you go. Admission is modest and children under a certain age are free, with discounts for seniors, students and active military. Tours and special events are offered, and the garden is typically best from spring into early autumn, when the planting is at its peak and the lake views are clear.
Tips
Allow an hour to an hour and a half for the house and garden, longer if you linger over the Colnik ironwork. The villa suits couples, art and design lovers, and photographers, and it is less suited to restless children, although the garden gives them room to move. If you are building a day around the East Side, combine it with a walk in Lake Park and a visit to the lighthouse, then finish with dinner on the lower East Side. Exhibitions change, so check what is on if you want something specific.
Is it worth it? If you enjoy historic houses and gardens, yes: the combination of lake views, interiors and a formal garden is unlike anything else in Milwaukee. The drawbacks are the limited open days and the fact that it is a small museum, so it will not fill a whole day. Treat it as a gentle half-day with the Charles Allis Art Museum and a walk in Lake Park, and it becomes one of the most relaxed and rewarding afternoons on the East Side, especially for couples and anyone who likes design.
Because it is a small museum, it works best as part of a wider East Side day, and a slow pace is the best way to appreciate the garden steps, the ironwork and the views across the water.
What to expect
The experience
A self-paced visit through an Italian style villa with decorative arts, ironwork and a formal garden.
Best time
A clear day from spring to early autumn for the garden and lake views.
How long
About an hour to an hour and a half.
Tips
Check the open days and hours first and pair it with the Charles Allis Art Museum.
Quick picks
- Best for
- Art, design and garden lovers.
- Families
- Older children who like houses and gardens; the museum is quiet.
- Couples
- A romantic, peaceful afternoon with lake views.
- Pair with
- The Charles Allis Art Museum, Lake Park and North Point Lighthouse.
- Time needed
- About 90 minutes.
Good questions
What is the Villa Terrace?+
It is a decorative arts museum in an Italian Renaissance style villa designed by David Adler in 1923 and overlooking Lake Michigan.
What is inside?+
Fine and decorative arts from the 15th to the 18th centuries, wrought-iron work by Cyril Colnik, and changing exhibitions.
Is the garden open?+
Yes. The formal garden is open to visitors, and it is best from spring into early autumn.
Is it open every day?+
No. It is open several days a week and closes on some holidays, so check the museum's page.
Is there a second museum nearby?+
Yes. The Charles Allis Art Museum is under the same Museum Mile umbrella, and the two are easy to pair.
