A walk through a house can tell us a lot about its owners. A tour of historic and modern homes reveals how builders and owners used the craftsmanship of the age to reflect personal tastes and interests. Each tour offers a glimpse into a range of home styles and amenities, and provides a historical perspective on the function of our living spaces.
Here are three home tours to check out in the Milwaukee area this spring.
Spaces & Traces
The Pistorius / Mantz House is a Queen Anne style home featured on Historic Milwaukee Inc.’s 2025 Spaces & Traces Tour.
Historic Milwaukee Inc.’s 43rd annual tour will feature Queen Anne style houses in the Brewers Hill and Harambee neighborhood from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. May 3. The interiors of nine homes will be open for tours, guided by volunteer docents. During this year’s tour, historian John Gurda will give a lecture about the history of Brewers Hill and Harambee at All People’s Church in the Harambee neighborhood at 1 p.m. The tour is recommended for ages 12 and up. Tickets are $30 for members or $40 for non-members and can be purchased online at historicmilwaukee.org.
NARI Milwaukee Tour of Remodeled Homes
The 2025 tour is held from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. May 17 and 18 and features 17 stops throughout Milwaukee and Waukesha counties. The tour showcases the latest trends in design, materials and fixtures, and includes three whole home transformations, five kitchen/first-floor remodels, two new constructions, one backyard transformation, one exterior overhaul, and one finished basement. Four design showrooms are included on the tour: AB&K, 3636 S. 108th St., Greenfield; MKE Design Build, 3775A S. Packard Ave., St. Francis; Bliffert Lumber & Design, 548 W. Sunset Drive, Waukesha; and Kelmann Homes, 255 N. 121st St., Wauwatosa. Tickets are free. Sign up online to receive a tour map. naritourhomes.com
Historic Concordia Neighbors
The 36th annual Historic Home and Garden Tour will be held from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. June 14. The theme this year is “Snapshots in Time: A Journey Through the Decades,” and visitors will be able to see the changes in the neighborhood through visual media. The tour is designed to provide a photographic perspective on the passage of time in the Historic Concordia Neighborhood. The development of the neighborhood dates back to 1850, so the experience will span well over 120 years of Milwaukee history. The tour will include a view of some urban gardens, and author Bobby Tanzilo will provide a special presentation during the day. The neighborhood features restored Victorian mansions west of 27th Street to 35th Street, and north of Wisconsin Avenue to Highland Boulevard. Ticket sales open in May. hcni.org/concordia-home-tour-2025
This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Spring 2025 home tours in the Milwaukee area