Chudnow Museum of Yesteryear

The Chudnow Museum of Yesteryear, a non-profit organization, operates as a private museum in a historic building displaying the late Avrum Chudnow's (1913-2005) extensive and eclectic collection of early 20th Century Americana. The museum contains various shops and exhibits from his collection, from the 1920's and 1930's era. Not only will local Milwaukeeans and visitors enjoy the unique and intimate nature of the collection, but local schools will be able to offer their students a curriculum-based and rewarding experience to enhance their studies.

Avrum Chudnow

The idea for the Chudnow Museum of Yesteryear was conceptualized by the late Avrum M. Chudnow. Mr Chudnow, a passionate artifact collector and lawyer, inherited this fascination of artifacts from his father, who was a junk and scrap peddler. He graduated with a law degree from Marquette law School in 1937 and worked a variety of different odd jobs before joining the U.S. Army to serve in World War II. While working these different odd jobs and during his time in the Army, Mr. Chudnow began collecting different memorabilia. Mr. Chudnow continued this tradition of collecting memorabilia, until his death in 2005.

The Building

The building, which sits on 839 North 11th Street in Milwaukee, was built in 1870 and originally intended for residence. Before Mr. Chudnow obtained the property, it was, however, the doctor's clinic and home of Dr. Joseph J. Eisenberg. In 1966, Mr. Chudnow bought the house and continued to use the space for professional use. The building served as his law office and as a base for his management company. As Mr. Chudnow's extensive artifacts collection expanded, he began to display pieces in his office. However, he passed away before the collection could be incorporated into a public museum. In 2009, the museum board decided that the office on 11th Street and would be remodelled to exclusively house the Chudnow Museum of Yesteryear.

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