Woodland Indian and Whistling Swans

Woodland Indian and Whistling Swans is a large bronze sculpture mounted on the south side of Milwaukee Public Museum. The work features a kneeling figure with arms raised upward and four bronze swans positioned directly above, creating a vertical composition.

Artist Marshall Fredericks created this bronze work in 1963 as a commission for the museum's new building. The sculpture represents a moment when major American museums were commissioning large-scale artworks to define their architectural character.

The work reflects how indigenous peoples of this region related to their natural surroundings through the combined imagery of human and animal forms. Today, visitors experience this spiritual connection made visible through bronze.

The sculpture is located on the museum's south-facing exterior wall and can be viewed clearly from multiple public sidewalk positions. The best view comes from standing directly across the street from the museum building.

The work required specialized engineering solutions during installation due to the substantial weight and size of the bronze materials involved. This technical challenge reflects the complexity required to place monumental public artworks in their permanent locations.

Location: Milwaukee

Inception: 1963

Creator: Marshall Fredericks

Made from material: bronze

GPS coordinates: 43.04045,-87.92081

Latest update: December 14, 2025 14:22