Doors Open has become a beloved annual event here in Milwaukee. For two days every year, unique or historic buildings throughout the area open their doors to the public. It’s a great chance to see some of the most interesting spaces in Milwaukee and learn about their history.
This year, Doors Open is offering some app-based walking tours as well, featuring Indigenous spaces in the city.
"This year for Doors Open we are launching four new neighborhood walking tours, and two of them happen to be related to Indigenous history, present and future," explains Julia Griffith, the program director for Historic Milwaukee Inc.
These two tours are a collaboration between Historic Milwaukee Inc. and Marquette University’s Indigeneity Lab. This tour is an extension of their mapping project. The goal is to not only spotlight Indigenous presence in the City of Milwaukee, but to showcase the rich diversity of Indigenous cultures and communities in the city.
"It's really highlighting just Indigenous presence in the City of Milwaukee, because not many people know anything about, you know, Indigenous history in the first place, let alone that we had this very vibrant community in Milwaukee. But also tracing that throughout history, from the past all the way until now, " Brian Reindfleisch says. He helped develop the Indigenous Milwaukee Walk & Bike tours.
The walking tours are available free online or through the Doors Open app. Doors Open is happening on September 24th and 25th.
