Pamela Williams-Lime, president of the Pabst Mansion
Captain Frederick Pabst’s family mansion was completed in 1892, and his descendants sold it to the Roman Catholic Archdiocese, which operated there until the 1970s. Restoration work then began—including retrieving 700-some paintings and artifacts from the Pabst family—and today, the Pabst Mansion is a beautiful time capsule of life in the Gilded Age.
Pamela Williams-Lime, the Pabst Mansion’s new president, is originally from Pittsburgh and moved to Appleton, Wisc., to run the Trout Museum of Art—an art center she restructured to make more profitable. Williams-Lime is optimistic and ready to get to work. Some of her goals include rethinking how some of the mansion’s space is utilized and continuing renovation work.
“A lot has happened over the last 18 years, but there’s still a lot of work that needs to be done with building a vision for what this organization could be and how it fits into the landscape of Milwaukee,” Williams-Lime, tells Off the Cuff.
I understand your position is a new one; can you explain how the structure has changed here?
Yes, and it’ll continue to evolve based on the responsibilities of my position. The existing staff is doing exactly what they were doing before, the exception being that I’ve taken on more of the administrative operational role for the organization.
What are some of your plans going forward with the Pabst Mansion?
I’m going to be spending time with the board to get their observations to see where our strengths and weaknesses are, sit down with staff members to get their perspectives on that and also meet with community members to get their perceptions before cultivating the long-term game plan. I think there’s an advantage being from outside because you see things differently, but you also need the point of view of people who have been invested in the organization and observations from people in the community who see it from the outside. [I want to] have a conversation with a lot of different viewpoints.
Stay on top of the news of the day
Subscribe to our free, daily e-newsletter to get Milwaukee's latest local news, restaurants, music, arts and entertainment and events delivered right to your inbox every weekday, plus a bonus Week in Review email on Saturdays.
Have you been drawn personally to any particular aspect of the mansion?
Well, I’m still getting lost (laughs), so every day is a new experience. I’m just looking at the house in a different way than when you’re touring the mansion; when you’re touring it, you sort of take in a whole room, but [I’m] looking at individual things like focusing on the artwork; how did the Pabst family collect artwork? Is there a connecting thread between the pieces in their collection? So, I’m kind of breaking things down that way.
What’s been your favorite part of the job so far?
Being able to see the unlimited opportunities that the organization has at its disposal right now. This is really a gem in the heart of Milwaukee, and the opportunity to share it with more individuals, to tell a story and to connect with other organizations is really an exciting prospect for me.
The Pabst Mansion, 2000 W. Wisconsin Ave., is open for tours daily. They’re also hosting a Retro Beer Night tasting on Friday, Oct. 5. You can find out more by calling 414-931-0808 or going to pabstmansion.com.
