SPARK! programs are designed for people in the early-to-mid stages of memory loss to visit with their family and care partners.
SPARK! programs are offered at 1 p.m. on the third Sunday of each month, see the 2024 dates listed below. There is a 30-minute coffee social before each program at 12:30 p.m. for participants to become comfortable and socialize with peers before we begin. Care Partners are welcome to stay and enjoy the Museum after the program. Street parking is FREE on Sundays.
Space is limited and reservations are required three days in advance by calling 414-278-2714.
Upcoming Programs
July 21 – Chocolate: Bean to Bar – Join us for a special hands-on chocolate demonstration. Let’s work together to transform cacao beans into chocolate bars! Free samples included.
August 18 – Getting Granular with Coffee – Have you ever wondered where the coffee you buy comes from or how it gets to that state? This SPARK! program will cover the basics of coffee bean harvest and processing. We will grind, smell, and even taste a few coffee samples to see if we can tell the difference between batches.
September 15 – Pressing On: The Art of Plant Preservation – MPM's Botany collection contains specimens from around the world. Unleash your inner botanist with our hands-on activity! Press and learn how to preserve specimens for future study.
October 20 – Sustenance Across the Americas – Curious about where your food comes from? Come learn about the origins of everyday food. From corn to pumpkins, discover the first local produce of the Americas.
November 17 – Animals of the Arctic – As we prepare to embrace the Wisconsin winter, let's take notes from our furry friends in the northernmost regions on Earth. From polar bears to caribou, we will learn about arctic adaptations.
Florentine Opera Holiday Concert
December 9, 2024, 1 p.m.
The Florentine Opera's Baumgartner Studio Artists return to MPM to perform Christmas hymns and classic holiday songs in front of the Butterfly Vivarium (First Floor). This event is part of SPARK!'s annual celebration but also open to Museum visitors. Free Museum admission for SPARK! families.
Groups from care communities
Programs for groups are currently paused. Please email Dawn Koceja for more information at Koceja@mpm.edu or call 414-278-6943.
Learn more
Registration
Registration must be received at least three days in advance of your selected program(s). To register, please call 414-278-2714. Pre-registration required.
Learn more about SPARK! programming and other partner Museums at www.sparkprograms.org