Milwaukee librarian Maria Cunningham is building The Whatnot Museum, turning curiosities into public educational exhibits

A personal collection moves toward a public-facing museum project

A Milwaukee librarian and artist, Maria Cunningham, is developing an independent museum project built around artifacts that often sit outside traditional collecting categories. The initiative, called The Whatnot Museum, brings together historical and cultural objects ranging from medical models and toys to printed ephemera, advertising material and decorative art.

Cunningham’s approach centers on small, everyday and commercially produced items—objects that were widely used but not always preserved. The project has taken shape through online exhibits and public displays, and it is now moving toward a dedicated physical space in Milwaukee.

From North Side roots and arts training to museum studies

Cunningham grew up on Milwaukee’s North Side and attended Nicolet High School in Glendale. She later studied at the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee, earning a bachelor’s degree in fine arts with a ceramics focus and a master’s degree in library and information science. Her training also includes a certificate in museum studies.

After working at the Milwaukee Public Library, she moved to Portland, Oregon. She returned to Milwaukee about two years ago, settling in the Sherman Park/Uptown area to be closer to family and continuing full-time work as a librarian while building the museum collection.

What’s in the collection: medical teaching objects, ephemera and mourning traditions

The Whatnot Museum’s holdings span multiple themes and formats, including:

• Medical models and related products, such as anatomical teaching pieces.
• Toys and games, alongside visual culture items like advertisements and vending-machine promotional material.
• Printed ephemera—items such as labels and passes that were produced for use, not long-term keeping.
• Materials connected to mourning and funeral customs, including Victorian-era hairwork jewelry and objects made with human hair.

The museum also includes objects tied to Black history and culture, with an emphasis on accurate historical representation in items such as printed materials and personal adornment.

Black hair-care history featured in a Milwaukee Public Library exhibit

In February 2026, part of Cunningham’s collection was displayed at the Milwaukee Public Library’s Atkinson Branch, 1960 W. Atkinson Ave., as an exhibit titled “Crowning Glory: The Roots of the Black Hair Industry.” The display presented historic Black hair and beauty artifacts and examined early Black innovation in the hair-care industry, alongside reproduced advertising and biographical profiles of industry figures.

The exhibit was scheduled during Black History Month programming and included a related public lecture event tied to the exhibit theme.

Next steps: expanding exhibits and establishing a dedicated site

Cunningham has said her goal is to make the collection accessible for public learning and research through additional exhibits and educational programs. She has also identified a physical location for the project—2455 S. in Milwaukee—intended to support processing larger objects and creating a viewing space designed for close engagement with artifacts rather than strictly behind-glass display.

The Whatnot Museum’s development reflects a growing local model: small, independently curated collections that rely on research, public programming and community partnerships to bring overlooked material culture into view.