There are already many Google reviews and photos so I'll just add what I think needs to be mentioned or shown. Villa Terrace is a hidden gem of Milwaukee. I say hidden as I had lived within a mile of it for one year decades ago and never knew it existed. In fact, the entire N Terrace Ave can easily be missed. The avenue also boasts a Frank Lloyd Wright home, the Frederick Bogk House, and I recommend stopping at viewing it from the sidewalk. I see that Villa Terrace hosts weddings and other large gatherings so it's well-worth confirming by phone or website that the museum will be open to the public on the day you plan to visit. Call or purchase your admission via their website before arriving to confirm it's open to the general public. Be sure to visit the backyard in good weather even with its long stairway. The stairs taken are not the one with the waterfall but instead is alongside the nonfunctional electric lift. Membership in Villa Terrace includes another gem, the nearby Charles Allis Art Museum.

This place is beyond stunning. I did my research before visiting, so I could fully enjoy everything in context, and I am so glad. Being there feels like being somewhere far away. It’s so peaceful, and more than beautiful. You’ve gotta check this place out.

It was beautiful. As soon as you walk in your greeted by friendly staff and everything is very clean and well presented. It truly transports you to another time as you walk through the house.

Nice Villa overlooking the lake with beautiful grounds you can tour as well. When we were there, they were in between exhibits so the inside was kind of sparse, but the permanent items were fun to read and learn about the history of the families that had lived there. The picture I've attached is from the lakeside outside of the fence. There is no entry from this side. You must find your way up the hill around the corner and enter from the street up there. They have free days for touring so check that out to see if it fits your schedule.

A curiosity we got into because we'd also visited the Charles Allis museum and they offer 2-for-1 on entry. Beautiful Italian-style villa on Prospect overlooking the Lake? Okay! Nice explanations and a lovely space. Overall a fun place to spend some time!

Villa Terrace is a mansion with an amazing backyard terrace and view overlooking Lake Michigan. The terrace includes a waterfall that flows down a well-manicured hill into gardens at the bottom of the hill. The place is huge, with a lot of great spaces to photograph and enjoy. The 'backyard' is really where you can see the beauty of the estate.

Villa was the perfect location for our wedding ceremony and reception! Megan from Villa was a pleasure to work with and was very knowledgeable on the venue. Villas bartenders did a great job with service for our wedding. The gardens and the indoor and outdoor vibe is perfect. We had our ceremony on the terrace, cocktail hour in the Mercury garden, dinner on the terrace, first dances on the terrace and main dancing in the great hall. We had 76 people and had long dining tables outside for dinner. We rented string lights from our DJ and uplights. The venue is so pretty you don’t need much to highlight it. I would highly recommend Villa for your next event! Our guests raved about it!

Villa terrace is the perfect romantic venue to host your wedding! As a wedding videographer, I truly loved this location as it has so many spaces to use! The gardens are perfect and the views are incredible! Highly, highly recommend!

UPDATE: A couple of friends and I decided to visit the Sopra Mare Sunday music/coffee event thinking it would be a pleasant coffee shop sort of vibe. No. It was not. It was a chilly and stilted mini concert with people stiffly sitting in their chairs, facing forward, and shooting daggers at anyone who even dared to whisper. The music was fine but it was a solo guitarist who was the very definition of background music. And if the free offerings are going to be dried up slivers of fly infested pastry it might be better to set up a venue outside to performance area for purchasing fresh and clean snacks. The employees/volunteers still present as rude and condescending so we adjourned to the lower patio area for quiet conversation and pleasant weather. Just very disappointing all in all. Underwhelming. This building practically begs for guided tours because its layout is confusing even with a map and because the rooms are essentially empty. Even more docents available in the rooms to offer some information and answer questions would have been helpful. It seems they have opted for being a museum/gallery and not focus on the fact that a family actually lived here for many years. It's possible that the focus on having it be a "venue" has created a need for more empty rooms with fewer items of value that could be damaged by drunken wedding guests. That being said, there are a couple of interesting features: the blue and white stones in the courtyard were collected by the original owner and her children over the course of a summer from the beach below the terrace at the direction of the contractor. The water stairs were amazing, probably more so with actual water. And the Cyril Colnik exhibit was as great as I was hoping.

Beautiful Italian manor with art displayed around each room. On the weekends they even have live music around noon. There is also a sculpture garden with a water feature and nice views of the lake in the back.

The grounds were lovely and the historic home was quite beautiful.

I serviced a wedding at this venue. It is absolutely  drop dead gorgeous!  The old historic mansion sits on top of a hill overlooking the lake. The view is breathtaking. I also have to mention the staff. Very courteous and professional and always wearing a smile! Can't recommend this place enough for future weddings! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

It is always a joy coming here! This is my wife's favorite place in Milwaukee. We even thought of doing our wedding here, but it was a bit too small for our need. It is beautiful and very interesting to see a place like this in the city, there is just nothing else like it! So much to see, gorgeous views and a great garden. Definitely recommend going to see this place and taking a tour, you won't be disappointed!

This is a great wedding venue. I highly recommend it. I'm not sure on the specifics re catering, so call... but the space is beautiful as are the people in these photos.

If you're looking for a unique and enriching cultural experience in Milwaukee, I highly recommend Villa Terrace Decorative Arts Museum. It's a place where you can learn about art history, appreciate beautiful craftsmanship, and enjoy the serene beauty of a Renaissance villa and garden.

Breathtaking. There are so many different and fun things to do here, depending on when you visit. Yes, it's am art museum, but I have gone to yoga out on the terrace, music & café in the front garden, and will be touring a new art exhibition later this month.

Super pretty landscaping, neat little place to check out, awesome old building with some interesting art

Villa Terrace is a wedding couple's dream for both engagements and weddings. Their accommodating staff puts the ribbon on the beautiful package that the grounds present. It is the epitome of old-world charm and makes a magnificent backdrop for a romantic setting. With its garden-draped bluff, romantic architecture, and old world charm, Villa Terrace wins my top vote. I've photographed weddings in villas across Europe, and Villa Terrace lands itself a spot among the most beautiful villas and most friendly staff. It's not often that you find a private Italian escape that will withstand time for years and years. The Renaissance Revival location paired with beautiful wardrobe are a wedding portfolio dream. And it's in our backyard. If you are looking for a dreamy location with perfect natural lighting for photography, this is it.

The Villa Terrace made my wedding day so special and magical! Megan the event manager is AMAZING! She was so helpful and could answer my questions before I even asked or thought of them from the very beginning to the fairy tale end! It's such a magical hidden grecian gem within MKE. I absolutely love this place and can't wait to return as a museum guest!

We just had our wedding at the Villa Terrace and it was a dream of a day! We had perfect weather for an outdoor ceremony and cocktail hour and dinner. We worked with Megan from the beginning of the process until the day of and she was incredible to work with. She made us feel so comfortable like everything was completely taken care of. The venue has a pretty small cap of 120 guests for an outdoor seated meal (even less if eating inside) which was great for us because we wanted an excuse for a small wedding! The setup and flow for the day was perfect. We had the ceremony on the terrace, moved to the Mercury Garden for cocktail hour, and back to the terrace for our dinner. Working with Gracious Events for our dinner and decor paired perfectly with the terrace. Our guests were in awe saying they felt like they were transported into another country or on vacation. The sailboats on Lake Michigan in the background of our dinner, and the string lights on the terrace in the evening, was an absolute dream. Thank you Megan and the Villa for hosting us in this beautiful historic venue!

Amazing place with a beautiful garden. I went on a self-guided tour with my family and it was an amazing Saturday experience. The big balcony is great for making memorable pictures with the view of a large beautiful garden in the background. Definitely visit during summer.

Take advantage of the opportunity to gather in the Italian Renaissance style court yard at Villa Terrace on Summer Sundays from 10:30-12:30 and enjoy the music provided by a diverse weekly roster of local musicians. Fabulous way to start your week.

As a Milwaukee area wedding photographer, it is always a pleasure when I end up working with couples at Villa Terrace. The beauty of the venue speaks for itself, and it's like traveling back in time to a beautiful Italian renaissance style villa. There are rooms for multiple groups in the wedding party, along with plenty of additional rooms all with their own character. Natural light bounces around everywhere (always makes for great photographs) and the lime trees throw around the scent of citrus in the summer which is a nice touch. It's named for its art collection, which is of course wonderful and a pleasure to experience in such a cool environment. Working with the staff and all of the individuals who keep the place running has always been a pleasure as well. I'm always looking forward to my next visit to Villa Terrace, as a patron OR as a photographer! -Patrick (Betcher Photo)

The grounds are lovely in the summer and fall. It's a nice place to take pictures and relax. There are a lot of rooms that could have additional art or an exhibit in them that would help attract more visitors. Their online registration is quick and easy. Staff are very helpful. Communication by email trying to rent a space there wasn't so good, thus the 4 star rating. I finally gave up.

The building was beautiful but the guide was terribly rude. The building was close without any sign indicting a private showing for the day. The gates were wide open and appeared to be open to the public. We walked in asked for a tour and the restrooms. We were told to leave, without any apologies that they were closed for a private showing.

A must visit in Milwaukee for everyone. You can easily spend 1-2 hours relaxing and taking lots of pics.