Recently, the future of The Mitchell Park Domes has been debated. This is because Milwaukee County may not be able to secure funding to keep them open. Naturally, the domes require a substantial amount of upkeep and aren’t privately owned so these issues will sometimes emerge. This may come as bad news for Milwaukee residents, as the domes have been around for decades and are an iconic part of the city’s history.

Despite their uncertain future, the group behind the domes recently gave an email update that read: ‘I’m proud to report that Friends of the Domes has advanced a vision for The Domes’ future that has been unanimously approved by our Board of Directors, and has received support from Milwaukee County, the Parks system and leaders of our Clarke Square community. Our vision includes restored domes, a new café, increased educational facilities, an expanded gift shop, enhanced events space—and, importantly, long overdue steps to reinvigorate Mitchell Park itself to benefit our surrounding community.’

With this said, the group hasn’t yet confirmed that it has received funding for the future. However, these ideas seem to have a positive side to them, that the group is confident of surviving and growing into the future.

The domes were built in the 1960s, and they were designed to provide a year-round horticultural experience for visitors. Each dome has a different theme: one is filled with tropical plants and flowers, another with desert plants, and the third with seasonal flowers. In addition to providing a beautiful and educational experience for visitors, the domes also serve as a research center for horticulturists and botanists, who study and care for the plants inside.