pabst mansion

When Captain Frederick and Maria Pabst completed construction of their new family mansion in 1892, they could not have anticipated that it would survive and thrive into the twenty-first century and serve as an ongoing testament to their enduring impact on the Milwaukee region. Designed by George Bowman Ferry and Alfred Charles Clas, construction at 2000 Grand Avenue lasted for two years at a cost of just over $254,000 – including the house, furnishings and artwork. As leading figures in Milwaukee society, both Captain and Mrs. Pabst became consummate art collectors, filling their mansion with priceless treasures. During the years of the Pabst family’s ownership, the house was the scene of many fine parties and receptions, a wedding and, in the end, Captain and Mrs. Pabst’s funeral.

After the Pabst descendants sold the house in 1908, it became the archbishop’s residence and the center of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Milwaukee for more than sixty-seven years. When it was sold in 1975, the mansion was nearly torn down to make way for a parking lot for a neighboring hotel. After a three-year crusade for its preservation, it was spared demolition and went on to become an award-winning house museum. The Mansion was placed on the National Register of Historic Places on April 21, 1975.

The museum opened to the public in 1978. Since that time, Pabst Mansion, Inc. has been at work to return the historic Pabst Mansion to its 1892 glory and welcome visitors from near and far to observe, learn and engage with its rich history and ornate architecture.