If you go to a natural history museum almost anywhere in the world, you can expect to see dioramas displaying how animals live in the wild. Dioramas have become integral to museums, transporting visitors to unfamiliar landscapes through art and science. But did you know that it started right here in Milwaukee?

The Milwaukee-style diorama revolutionized how museums curated their exhibits, and the original diorama lives on at the Milwaukee Public Museum. Dr. Ellen Censky is the president and CEO of the museum, and she joins Lake Effect’s Joy Powers to talk about the museum’s long history with dioramas.

A new documentary looks at what students with different faith backgrounds can learn from each other. The film focuses on an ambitious teacher and his students in a World Religions class at Prospect High School in Mount Prospect, Illinois.

It’s showing at the Milwaukee Film Fest and ahead of that WUWM’s Maayan Silver speaks with filmmaker Allison Walsh and producer Lily Qi about the project, and what it’s all about.

We all know about Smokey Bear — the iconic mascot for wildfire prevention. But do you know about Torchy Timberloss? He’s Wisconsin’s very own fire mascot who recently came out of retirement. Torchy is a devilish looking flame that dates back to the 1950s.

The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources says Torchy’s image has evolved over the years. Nowadays, he’s focused on spreading the message that not all fires are bad. Catherine Koele is a wildfire prevention specialist, and Michele Witecha is a prescribed fire specialist, with the Wisconsin DNR.

They join Lake Effect’s Xcaret Nuñez to share Torchy’s story and the benefits of prescribed fires.