Milwaukee Public Museum welcomes underwater exploration exhibit 'Voyage to the Deep'

MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) -- The Milwaukee Public Museum (MPM) welcomed the international travelling exhibition Voyage to the Deep on Friday, Oct. 15 and families took advantage to explore the new exhibit on Saturday. 

The exhibit is an interactive experience for kids and adults to jump aboard the Nautilus submarine to explore the underwater world and is inspired by a novel of underwater exploration from Jules Verne's 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea. 

Visitors can engage with both the fantasy of the novel and the facts of today, exploring Verne's imaginary world and the real-life wonder of the oceans.

“We are so excited to have Voyage to the Deep in Milwaukee,” said MPM President and CEO Dr. Ellen Censky. “Living in Wisconsin, children do not have as many opportunities to learn about the ocean. This interactive exhibit will enable kids in our community to learn about the deep sea through play and imagination.”

"We've been longtime members and I know that they have a new exhibit and we're very excited to come and see it but my kids are very excited," said Ben Meador, who checked out the museum with his daughter and son.

"This exhibit comes to us out of Australia and their goal was to create an exhibit that sort of blends fantasy and facts and so you step into this fantasy world of the Nautilus submarine, but throughout it, you're learning about marine biology and you're learning about technology," said Meghan Schopp, the senior director of education and programs from the Milwaukee Public Museum. 

It's an exhibit that kids and even adults can't resist because it transports them into the ocean in a creative and fun way.

Officials say the exhibit is designed for kids between the ages of 2 and 10. Kids can roleplay as a submariner encountering all kinds of sea creatures, transporting them into a new world through an immersive exhibit experience, engaging displays and tabletops and hands-on activities, according to a news release.

"The Atlantis setup over in the corner is pretty neat. You can stomp around on the floor and parts of the ruins start showing up. That's been really neat," said Julia Wainscott, who saw the exhibit with her two boys. "The slide has been a big hit, but they've also enjoyed seeing the giant squid on top of the submarine and there's still a lot to look at."

Some exhibit features include a kid-sized submarine, a shark's belly, a big slide, a kelp forest, and the sunken city Atlantis. 

"They like the organ, that's pretty cool and that they can actually steer the submarine, that's been pretty cool for them," Meador.

And especially throughout the pandemic, families say it has been challenging to find experiences like this for kids so they are happy to see the museum offer a fun and educational experience for them.

The exhibit is open during regular museum hours, Thursday through Monday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. through Jan. 9. Tickets can be purchased by clicking here or by calling 414-278-2728. Visitors are required to follow COVID-19 procedures, including social distancing and mandatory masks.