“We are the only home close to the lake that is actually publicly accessible.”

Rheta Matsumoto is the Membership and Visitor Services Manager at the Villa Terrace Museum. The museum, which offers a hilltop view of Lake Michigan, is nestled in what was historically known as the “Gold Coast” neighborhood in Milwaukee. In addition to participating in Doors Open Milwaukee, Villa Terrace was also celebrating the building’s 100th year since construction. At the time of the interview, Matsumoto had been in her position at the museum for a little over a year after moving to Wisconsin from New York.

Bill Stauber Soik: Is this the museum’s first year participating in Doors Open?

No, we’ve been in it for a couple years. I cannot recall specifically how many years we have done it – it is only my second year doing this. But, it is one of the best days of the year. We have so many people coming through and just people who are curious, which is all we want: curiosity.

Bill Stauber Soik: How many people would you say have shown up today for Doors Open?

At this point, almost 450 people. So, we open at 10 a.m. and it is now 11:51. It is the busiest morning we are ever going to have.

Bill Stauber Soik: What about on the average day when it’s not Doors Open?

On the average day, I would say we get at least 10-15 people to as many as 40-60. On the weekends it’s much more busy depending on what program we have.

Bill Stauber Soik: How is the museum celebrating the building’s centennial year?

We are having some exhibitions focused on the history of the Smith family, the history of them being in this house and the history of Milwaukee. So, we celebrate by exhibiting that. Though it is one of the younger buildings on the block, it has a storied history. And, of course, being here for 100 years demands context – context in what we were, what we became and what we are now. Right now, we are a museum and our focus is accessibility. This was not a neighborhood that was especially friendly to other communities in Milwaukee. We are the only home close to the lake that is actually publicly accessible. That is our mission: to bring together all folks in Milwaukee and the surrounding area to let them know, ‘Hey, this is yours too.’

Bill Stauber Soik: What do you hope people will get out of coming here for Doors Open Milwaukee?

I hope that people see us on a map and say, ‘Hey, I’ve never been to the water. I’ve never seen the lake.’ I’ve heard that so many times from a lot of people here. Which is why we do discounted tickets and employ Museums for All as a program. All we want is for people to come in, be delighted and captivated by the space, question the history that went on here, come to understand our initiatives toward the public and walk away from this feeling like they have a place in this institution. They have a place with this staff.

Bill Stauber Soik: What would you say about Milwaukee’s art scene?

It’s wonderful to be in a city with a lot of artists. I would say my one criticism of Milwaukee is that we need to address the culture, especially politically, of people not funding the arts here. Art is political, but supporting the arts shouldn’t be political. It is a mission that should be shared by all. We need to support the people who live in the city and contribute to making it beautiful and asking questions about Milwaukee.

Bill Stauber Soik: Would you say you can feel the impact of the arts being underfunded?

Oh, I can. There isn’t one institution in this city that would say otherwise. There isn’t one artist in this city that would disagree with that point. It’s a shared feeling and a consensus among a lot of people. There are a lot of really good people that do a lot of really good stuff who need all the support, and specifically funding, in the world. Or at least in Milwaukee. So, I hope that when people visit these spaces, they take a moment to think about the people who make these spaces themselves and the very small teams that keep the doors open.