Inside the Museum of Wisconsin Art and West Bend's Arts Scene

The Museum of Wisconsin Art punches well above what a town of West Bend's size should have, and it anchors a small but real arts scene: a state art museum, a restored downtown movie theater, live theater, a summer amphitheater, and a community art center, most within walking distance of each other. If you came to West Bend for one thing, MOWA is usually it. Here is the museum and everything around it.

The Museum of Wisconsin Art (MOWA)

The Museum of Wisconsin Art, known as MOWA, is the anchor: a state art museum on Veterans Avenue holding more than 5,000 works tied entirely to Wisconsin, from 19th-century painters to living artists. The building is modern and light-filled, overlooking the river, and general admission is free. Exhibits rotate through the year, so it rewards more than one visit.

Plan on an hour or two. The museum shop is worth a look on the way out for art books and prints, and the museum sits an easy walk from downtown dining, which makes an art-then-dinner evening simple.

The West Bend Cinema and historic theatre

Downtown's landmark is the West Bend Theatre, whose restored neon marquee is the most-photographed sight in town. For films, the West Bend Cinema shows first-run movies in the heart of downtown, an easy pairing with dinner nearby. Between the marquee and the screen, a night out here does not require driving to a suburban multiplex.

The West Bend Theatre and downtown restoration

The West Bend Theatre is worth its own paragraph. The vertical neon "WEST BEND" sign is the most recognizable sight downtown, and the theatre, which dates to the 1920s, has been the focus of a community restoration effort to bring it back as a working venue and downtown anchor. It sits alongside the broader downtown revival that also brought The District development and the riverfront to life, so a visit to the arts here is as much about the restored streetscape as any single venue. Photograph the marquee, then walk the couple of blocks to the museum or a show.

Live theater and performance

West Bend keeps live performance going through The Bend Theater, a downtown venue for shows and events, and the West Bend Theatre Company, the local company that stages productions through the year. Between them there is usually something on a downtown stage most weekends, from music to community theater.

Summer music at Silver Lining

Through the summer, the Silver Lining Amphitheater hosts the town's larger outdoor concerts, and the Music on Main series brings live music downtown and to the Regner Park bandshell. It is the free-and-easy end of the arts scene: a chair, a warm evening, and a show. The park side of it runs through Regner Park.

Community art and local history

Two more stops round out the scene. The West Bend Art Center runs classes, exhibits, and community shows for local artists, and the Tower Heritage Center pairs county history with the kind of local-culture exhibits that sit next door to art. Together they give the town a base of everyday creativity beyond the marquee museum.

For where all of this fits into a full day, see things to do in West Bend.