Project Overview

The Milwaukee Public Museum six-story center tower was clad in veneer marble panels. The existing marble veneer had deteriorated to the point that replacement was required. The Museum hired Berglund Construction in 2012 to remove and replace these panels with a new panel system. This system included corrugated metal paneling to which photovoltaic equipment panels were attached. All of this work took place over one of the museum’s most popular exhibits: its butterfly vivarium.

Berglund’s scope of work began with the removal of the existing marble panels. Each marble panel weighed approximately 1600 pounds and had to be removed in one piece by crane. As a precaution, the vivarium had to be shut down during this removal period. Berglund, however, was able to fast-track the removal period and get all 80 panels safely off of the building in a three-week period.

Following the marble panel removal, the butterfly vivarium reopened and work began on installing the new system. The new system required the installation of 160 corrugated metal panels and 80 photovoltaic panels. Throughout the duration of this installation period, the museum remained fully functional – including the butterfly vivarium below.

Berglund tradesmen worked closely with the museum to coordinate school field trips and other frequent visitors. Construction personnel were on the ground each day to ensure visitors safely entered and exited the museum. Throughout the entire 12-month project, the museum experienced only the one three-week exhibit closure for the marble panel removal system while the crane was on site (during this period, the other exhibits in the museum were open). Outside of that period, visitors happily experienced the museum in its entirety while construction workers were busy above.