The Urban Observatory idea was designed to foster a partnership for research between the
academic community and metropolitan government officials. This idea was first proposed by
Bob Wood of MIT in 1962 and received significant backing from Milwaukee Mayor Henry Maier
while he was president of the National League of Cities in 1965. This effort culminated in
Milwaukee being one of the six pilot cities for the project in 1969. The MUO operates under
the National League of Cities and supported primarily by the cooperative funds of UWM,
UW-Extension, City of Milwaukee, and the United States Departments of Housing and Urban
Development and Health, Education, and Welfare. The MUO ceased operations after 1983.