A Milwaukee landmark for generations, a unique engineering marvel, and a nationally significant example of Midcentury Modern architecture, the Mitchell Park Domes have been a center of community life and an international tourism destination for more than 60 years. 

In 1958, Milwaukee architect Donald L. Grieb won a national design competition for the Domes, which were constructed between 1959 and 1967. His design featured three domes—the Show Dome, the Tropical Dome, and the Desert Dome—which contain a vast array of horticulture that one observer called “a zoo for plants.” Located in Milwaukee’s historic 61-acre Mitchell Park, the Domes are adjacent to the Clarke Square neighborhood (one of the city’s most diverse areas) and are visited annually by nearly 300,000 people. 

However, in 2016 the National Trust for Historic Preservation included the Domes on our annual list of America’s 11 Most Endangered Historic Places after the facility was temporarily closed due to falling concrete, and since that time, the fate of the Domes has been in limbo. With the Milwaukee Preservation Alliance, the National Trust provided advocacy support and technical assistance to County leaders for several years as options for the Domes’ future were considered.

In September 2024, the Milwaukee Domes Alliance unveiled “The Domes Reimagined,” an exciting new plan developed in partnership with Milwaukee County Parks and Madison-based real estate developer The Alexander Company.

The proposed plan includes the full rehabilitation of all three Domes using historic tax credits, the addition of new visitor amenities and enhanced accessibility, and additional nature-based programming and education. The public-private partnership also includes an investment by Milwaukee County where they will match private philanthropic support dollar for dollar up to $30M. The total Phase 1 project cost is $115M; the remainder of the funding will come from tax credit financing and other public support. Supporters can track continued progress on the Domes Reimagined project website.

Mitchell Park Domes was named to the National Trust's 11 Most Endangered Historic Places list for 2016.