For the Press Times
DE PERE – The $100 million, 75,000 square-foot Mulva Cultural Center in downtown De Pere will open its doors to the public on Friday, Dec. 8.
“We are so excited to welcome people inside of this magnificent facility,” stated Tom Shefchik, executive director of community relations. “We know this will quickly become a major destination for northeast Wisconsin.”
The cultural center — a gift to the community from philanthropists and De Pere natives, James J. and Miriam B. Mulva — will be a showcase for traveling exhibits from around the world.
It also includes a state-of-the-art auditorium, educational classrooms, gift shop, specialty restaurant Savour on Broadway and event space.
The opening exhibit, curated by the GRAMMY Museum and Fab Four Exhibits and produced by Exhibits Development Group, “Ladies and Gentlemen…The Beatles!” brings us back to the early 1960s when rock n’ roll emerged.
“This exhibit covers the Fab Four from early 1964 through mid-1966, the years Beatlemania ran rampant in America. Visitors will ‘Twist and Shout’ for the range of Beatles memorabilia, rare photographs and an authentic replica of the Liverpool Cavern Club. ‘And the GRAMMY Goes to…..’ will give visitors an overview of the history of the GRAMMY Awards, how a GRAMMY is won, how the award is made, access to memorable costumes, red carpet looks and more,” a Mulva Center release stated.
“All exhibits in the exhibition hall will require a ticket for timed entry. Atrium exhibits will be free for all visitors.”
Center staff said that the exhibits are just one part of the experience visitors when they walk in.
“As visitors arrive, the facility’s transparent design will provide an elegant transition from outdoor to indoor spaces, creating visual connections from day to night and allowing the building to serve as a lantern on the Fox River. Inside, an expansive, open-air atrium creates opportunities for new connections between cultural programs. An auditorium, event space, flexible exhibition spaces, classrooms, restaurant, and outdoor terrace and indoor gathering spaces will provide new venues for cultural engagement,” the release added.
“Supported by a sophisticated structural system designed to maximize daylight and minimize material use and visibility, the architecture of the Mulva Cultural Center will provide a stylish background for the institution’s diverse programming. A palette of native stone, timber, glass and neutral metals will define the space, inspired by its location adjacent to the river.”
For more information on the center and its offerings, visit www.MulvaCenter.org.