The Harley-Davidson Museum displays over 400 classic motorcycles and memorabilia, including the original 1903 Serial No. 1 and Elvis Presley's orange-and-white 1956 motorcycle. Reconstructed board tracks and photo exhibits recall the lives of early Harley enthusiasts, and a park, cafe, restaurant, and retail shop complete the experience at 6th and Canal streets (tel. 414/343-4235; www.h-dmuseum.com). Tickets cost $16 for adults, $10 children, 4 and under free. Motorcycle lovers will also enjoy the Harley-Davidson Tour Center, 11700 W. Capitol Dr., Wauwatosa (tel. 877/883-1450 or 414/343-7850; www.harley-davidson.com), with free hour-long tours showcasing the plant's powertrain production. No children 11 and under.
Miller Brewing Company, 4251 W. State St. (tel. 800/944-LITE [944-5483] or 414/931-BEER [931-2337]; www.millerbrewing.com), operates one of the world's largest breweries. After a free 1-hour tour, visitors sample the product in the city's last remaining outdoor biergarten, weather permitting -- in the 19th-century Miller Inn the rest of the year.
Enjoy hands-on science-and-technology exhibits at Discovery World at Pier Wisconsin, 500 N. Harbor Dr. (tel. 414/765-9966; www.discoveryworld.org), reopened in 2006 in a new lakeshore location. Highlights include an aquarium and the tall ship S/V Denis Sullivan, a re-creation of a 19th-century Great Lakes schooner. Admission is $17 adults, $13 children, and free for children 2 and under. Ship tours cost $5; 2-hour public sails cost $50 for adults, $25 for children.
Downtown, the Milwaukee Public Museum, 800 W. Wells St. (tel. 888/700-9069 or 414/278-2702; www.mpm.edu), is home to a staggering array of re-created international villages, a live butterfly garden, dinosaur skeletons, a simulated rainforest, a planetarium, and an IMAX theater. Museum admission is $11 adults, $7 children 3 to 15, 2 and under free; planetarium and IMAX films each cost $8 adults, $6 children.
A favorite for the kids is the Milwaukee County Zoo, 10001 W. Blue Mound Rd. (tel. 414/256-5412; www.milwaukeezoo.org). All the favorites are on hand, including elephants, bears, zebras, gorillas, and the big cats, but you'll also see raptor and sea lion shows and you can take a ride on a camel. Admission fees vary seasonally but are generally $11 adults, $8 children 3 to 12.
Santiago Calatrava's redesign of the Milwaukee Art Museum, 700 N. Art Museum Dr. (at Michigan St. and Lincoln Memorial Dr.; tel. 414/224-3200; www.mam.org), renders the museum building as stunning as any of the works on display inside. The Burke Brise Soleil sunscreen on the roof opens and closes to resemble a large white gull. Inside, artworks range from ancient Greek to modern American, Asian, and African pieces, including Renoir, Monet, Kandinsky, and Miró. Admission is $8 for adults, $4 for students, and free for children 12 and under.
