Milwaukee Scavenger Hunt

48 finds from the art museum's wings to the weather flame and the bronze duck, all free to see.

Milwaukee Scavenger Hunt

TeamMeet at (place and time)

  1. Stay with your team on public sidewalks, paths, piers and parks.
  2. Cross only at marked crossings, with the signal.
  3. Buy nothing, take nothing and climb nothing.
  4. Photograph nobody outside your team without asking.
  1. A lakefront path with bikes and runnersKeep to the walking side. Write a distance from any marker.
  2. A park on a bluff looking down on Lake MichiganJuneau Park sits on the bluff near downtown. Write how many boats you can count.
  3. The wings movingThey open in the morning and fold in the evening. Catch them in motion for the hardest tick on the list.
  4. A lighthouse in a park on the East SideThe North Point Light, built in 1888, in Lake Park. A longer walk north.
  5. A gull standing on a pilingWatch only; no feeding.
  6. A state park right beside downtownLakeshore State Park, 22 acres on the lake. Its sign counts.
  7. The art museum's white wings open over the lakeThe pavilion's sunscreen spans 217 feet when open and folds at night, in bad weather or when wind tops 23 mph. Write whether it is open or shut.
  8. A square lighthouse out on the breakwaterThe Breakwater Light, built in 1926, is one of the last fully enclosed breakwater lighthouses on the Great Lakes.
  9. A tall arched bridge over the harbor mouthThe Hoan Bridge, a tied-arch bridge. Write its color.
  10. A sailboat on Lake MichiganCount the sails you can see at once.

Next step More finds by the water: lake huntTurn it into a photo hunt

How it works

Museum wings that open each morning, a gas flame that forecasts the weather and a bronze duck on a bridge: this Milwaukee scavenger hunt holds 48 finds, all seen from public ground.

Read the full guide

Lakefront first

The lakefront opens first, from the art museum to the lighthouses. Follow the river for Downtown and the Riverwalk, or head south into The Third Ward. Press Print this list for each area.

Read the flame

The flame on the gas building is red for warmer, gold for colder, blue for no change, and flickers before rain or snow. Teams write the color they see; the note under each find is the judging rule.

Tips
  • The museum's wings fold when the wind tops 23 mph. On a windy day, cross that find off before you print.

Questions and answers

Can you do a free scavenger hunt in Milwaukee?

Yes. Every find here is seen from the lakefront path, the Riverwalk, parks and sidewalks. The public market and the museum are scored from outside, and nothing needs a ticket or a purchase.

When do the art museum's wings open?

In the morning, and they fold in the evening, in bad weather or when the wind tops 23 mph. Open, they span 217 feet over the lake.

Is it good for kids?

Yes, with an adult in every team. The lakefront and the bronze duck with her ducklings on the Wisconsin Avenue bridge suit children best.

More tools

Browse Word Games

All 48 finds

The lakefront 12

  • A footbridge with a leaning white mast toward the museum It crosses the road from downtown to the museum. Walk it.
  • A gull standing on a piling Watch only; no feeding.
  • A lakefront path with bikes and runners Keep to the walking side. Write a distance from any marker.
  • A lighthouse in a park on the East Side The North Point Light, built in 1888, in Lake Park. A longer walk north.
  • A park on a bluff looking down on Lake Michigan Juneau Park sits on the bluff near downtown. Write how many boats you can count.
  • A red lighthouse at the end of a pier The Pierhead Light marks the harbor just south of downtown.
  • A sailboat on Lake Michigan Count the sails you can see at once.
  • A square lighthouse out on the breakwater The Breakwater Light, built in 1926, is one of the last fully enclosed breakwater lighthouses on the Great Lakes.
  • A state park right beside downtown Lakeshore State Park, 22 acres on the lake. Its sign counts.
  • A tall arched bridge over the harbor mouth The Hoan Bridge, a tied-arch bridge. Write its color.
  • The art museum's white wings open over the lake The pavilion's sunscreen spans 217 feet when open and folds at night, in bad weather or when wind tops 23 mph. Write whether it is open or shut.
  • The wings moving They open in the morning and fold in the evening. Catch them in motion for the hardest tick on the list.
Show all 48 finds (36 more)

Downtown and the Riverwalk 12

  • A boat going under a downtown bridge Write its color.
  • A bridge over the river that opens for boats Several downtown bridges lift or swing. Wait for one to open.
  • A bronze duck with ducklings on a bridge Gertie the Duck, on the Wisconsin Avenue bridge since 1997. Count the ducklings.
  • A city hall shaped like a wedge with a tall tower Milwaukee City Hall, finished in 1895, was the city's tallest building until 1973.
  • A clock tower that once had the world's largest four-faced clock It rises south of downtown and is easiest to see lit at night. Tick it from a distance.
  • A giant gas flame on top of a building that forecasts weather On the Wisconsin Gas Building since 1956. Red means warmer, gold colder, blue no change, and a flicker means rain or snow. Write today's color.
  • A kayak on the river Count them from one bridge.
  • A sculpture along the Riverwalk Not the duck. Write what it shows.
  • A ship's anchor on display Write where you found it.
  • A sign giving the river's name Three rivers meet in Milwaukee. Write the one you found.
  • A stepped Art Deco tower The gas building, completed in 1930, steps back as it rises. Count the steps you see.
  • A walkway that follows the river through downtown The Milwaukee Riverwalk. Walk from one bridge to the next.

The Third Ward 12

  • A brick warehouse with its old company name painted high The Third Ward is a historic warehouse district. Write one word from the wall.
  • A building number carved in stone over a door Write the number.
  • A fire escape on a warehouse Count its landings.
  • A loading dock turned into a patio Write the street.
  • A mural in an alley Write its main color.
  • A public sculpture in a small Ward park Write its main color.
  • A riverside boardwalk in the Ward The Riverwalk continues here. Walk to its end.
  • A streetcar stop in the Third Ward The Hop's line has served the Ward since 2018. Tick a streetcar passing.
  • A theater marquee Write one word on it.
  • An indoor public market full of food stalls The Milwaukee Public Market in the Third Ward. Score its sign from outside; nobody buys.
  • An old railroad track set in the pavement Write the street.
  • The festival grounds by the lake Henry Maier Festival Park sits just east of the Ward. Its gate sign counts.

Anywhere in Milwaukee 12

  • A bike share station Tick it only; nobody rides.
  • A church with twin towers Write the street.
  • A cream-colored brick building Pale brick made from local clay gave the city a nickname. Write the street.
  • A drinking fountain Have a sip.
  • A flag of Wisconsin Write the animal on top of its shield.
  • A hanging flower basket Count the baskets on one block.
  • A plaque about Milwaukee history Write the year on it.
  • A sign pointing to the lake Follow it one block.
  • A skywalk bridge between two buildings Count the windows on its side.
  • A statue of a person on horseback Write the name on the base.
  • A view of the lake between two buildings Both teammates must see blue water.
  • Three glass domes in a park The Mitchell Park Domes opened in 1964. A drive or bus from downtown; tick them from the park.

How this list was compiled: Written for this page in September 2026: 48 finds on foot in downtown Milwaukee and on its lakefront, sorted by area, all scored from sidewalks, the Riverwalk, parks and piers with nothing bought and no ticket. Nothing was copied from another list; no brewery, bar or beer name is on it. Levels are our judgment. Names, dates and places in the notes were checked on 2026-09-24 against English Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ followed by Milwaukee_Art_Museum, Juneau_Park, Lakeshore_State_Park, Milwaukee_Pierhead_Light, Milwaukee_Breakwater_Light, North_Point_Light, Hoan_Bridge, Lake_Michigan, Milwaukee_Riverwalk, Gertie_the_Duck, Milwaukee_City_Hall, Wisconsin_Gas_Building, Rockwell_Automation_Headquarters_and_Allen-Bradley_Clock_Tower, Historic_Third_Ward_(Milwaukee), Milwaukee_Public_Market, The_Hop_(streetcar) and Mitchell_Park_Horticultural_Conservatory. Licence: own work