List of museums in Wisconsin facts for kids

A museum is a special place where you can explore cool collections of objects! These objects can be about art, science, history, or different cultures. Museums help us learn about the past, understand the world around us, and even imagine the future. In Wisconsin, there are tons of awesome museums, from places with ancient artifacts to those filled with amazing art or even giant dinosaurs!

To use the sortable table, click on the icons at the top of each column to sort that column in alphabetical order; click again for reverse alphabetical order.

Explore Wisconsin's Museums

Wisconsin has many different types of museums. Let's look at some of the exciting places you can visit!

Children's Museums: Fun for All Ages

These museums are designed especially for kids to learn through play and hands-on activities.

• Above & Beyond Children's Museum in Sheboygan: A fantastic place for interactive learning and play.
• Betty Brinn Children's Museum in Milwaukee: Offers many hands-on exhibits for young explorers.
• Building for Kids in Appleton: Also known as the Fox Cities Children's Museum, it's packed with fun activities.
• Central Wisconsin Children's Museum in Stevens Point: A great spot for kids to discover and create.
• Children's Museum of Eau Claire in Eau Claire: Provides engaging exhibits for curious minds.
• Children's Museum of Fond du Lac in Fond du Lac: Another wonderful place for children to learn and play.
• Children's Museum of La Crosse in La Crosse: Also called Gertrude Salzer Gordon Children's Museum, it's full of interactive fun.
• Madison Children's Museum in Madison: Features exhibits on arts, sciences, history, and more.
• Northwoods Children's Museum in Eagle River: A fun and educational stop in northern Wisconsin.

History Museums: Step Back in Time

These museums tell the stories of people, places, and events from the past.

• America's Black Holocaust Museum in Milwaukee: This museum is a memorial dedicated to the history of African Americans, from slavery to the Civil Rights Movement and today.
• Americanism Center Museum in Waubeka: Learn about military history and the founder of Flag Day, Bernard J. CiGrand.
• Aztalan Museum in Lake Mills: See artifacts from the ancient Mississippian culture and explore log cabins and pioneer buildings.
• Badger Mine and Museum in Shullsburg: Take a tour of a real lead mine and learn about early mining communities in Wisconsin.
• Civil War Museum in Kenosha: Discover how the American Civil War affected people at home in Wisconsin and nearby states.
• Door County Historical Museum in Sturgeon Bay: Explore the rich history of Door County.
• First Capitol in Belmont: Visit the birthplace of Wisconsin's territorial government.
• Fort Crawford Museum in Prairie du Chien: Located in a 19th-century military hospital, it covers fort history, city history, and frontier medicine.
• Fort McCoy Commemorative Area in Fort McCoy: See World War II-era buildings and learn about the fort's military history.
• History Museum at the Castle in Appleton: Features local history, including collections from magician Harry Houdini and author Edna Ferber.
• Hoard Historical Museum in Fort Atkinson: Learn about local history and the dairy industry at the National Dairy Shrine visitor center.
• Kenosha History Center in Kenosha: Operated by the Kenosha County Historical Society, it includes the Southport Light Station Museum.
• Milwaukee Public Museum in Milwaukee: A large museum covering natural history, state history, and culture.
• Neville Public Museum in Green Bay: Explore history, science, and art in Brown County.
• Racine Heritage Museum in Racine: Discover the heritage of invention, industry, and even the Underground Railroad in the area.
• Richard I. Bong World War II Heritage Center in Superior: Learn about aviator Richard Bong and military history from World War II.
• Wisconsin Historical Museum in Madison: Operated by the Wisconsin Historical Society, it tells the story of Wisconsin from the Ice Age to today.
• Wisconsin Veterans Museum in Madison: See personal items and military memorabilia from Wisconsin veterans.

Art Museums: A World of Creativity

These museums showcase beautiful paintings, sculptures, and other artistic creations.

• Alexander House Center for Art & History in Port Edwards: An art gallery and historical museum focusing on local industries.
• Anderson Arts Center in Kenosha: A multi-functional arts center featuring local, regional, and national artists.
• Bergstrom-Mahler Museum of Glass in Neenah: Known for its collection of paperweights and stunning glass art.
• Charles Allis Art Museum in Milwaukee: A 19th-century mansion filled with French and American paintings, furnishings, and changing exhibits.
• Chazen Museum of Art in Madison: Part of the University of Wisconsin–Madison, it has American and European paintings, sculptures, and more.
• Grohmann Museum in Milwaukee: Dedicated to art showing the evolution of human work, especially European art.
• Haggerty Museum of Art in Milwaukee: Part of Marquette University, it features European and American visual art.
• John Michael Kohler Arts Center in Sheboygan: Offers ten galleries, a theater, and studio classrooms.
• Leigh Yawkey Woodson Art Museum in Wausau: Hosts many art exhibitions each year, housed in a beautiful English Tudor-style residence.
• Lynden Sculpture Garden in Milwaukee: A huge 40-acre outdoor park filled with amazing sculptures.
• Madison Museum of Contemporary Art in Madison: Focuses on contemporary art.
• Milwaukee Art Museum in Milwaukee: A large museum with collections from the 15th to 20th centuries, including paintings, sculptures, and decorative arts.
• Museum of Wisconsin Art in West Bend: Showcases art by Wisconsin artists.
• Paine Art Center and Gardens in Oshkosh: A historic estate with art galleries and beautiful gardens.
• Racine Art Museum in Racine: Known for its exhibits of contemporary crafts.
• Rahr West Art Museum in Manitowoc: A 1910 Queen Anne-style house with diverse art exhibits.
• Trout Museum of Art in Appleton: Its collection includes American, European, Asian, and African art.
• Villa Terrace Decorative Arts Museum in Milwaukee: A historic mansion with fine and decorative arts from the 15th to 18th centuries.
• Wright Museum of Art in Beloit: A teaching museum of Beloit College with collections including American Impressionism and Japanese prints.

Science & Technology Museums: Discover and Innovate

These museums explore the wonders of science, technology, and the natural world.

• Cable Natural History Museum in Cable: Learn about the natural history of the area.
• Chippewa Falls Museum of Industry and Technology in Chippewa Falls: Explores local industries and technology, including supercomputers and brewing.
• Dinosaur Discovery Museum in Kenosha: See dinosaurs and fossils, focusing on the link between birds and meat-eating dinosaurs.
• Discovery World in Milwaukee: A science museum focused on innovation, technology, and Great Lakes conservation.
• EAA AirVenture Museum in Oshkosh: Features historic and hand-made aircraft, a must-see for aviation fans!
• L. R. Ingersoll Physics Museum in Madison: Part of the University of Wisconsin–Madison, it offers interactive exhibits on physics concepts.
• Mitchell Gallery of Flight in Milwaukee: Located inside General Mitchell International Airport, it showcases aviation history and Milwaukee's contributions.
• Paper Discovery Center in Appleton: Learn all about how paper is made.
• Point Beach Energy Education Center in Two Rivers: Discover the history and generation of electricity, including nuclear energy.
• Tommy Bartlett Exploratory in Wisconsin Dells: Over 150 interactive science displays to explore.
• University of Wisconsin Space Place in Madison: An outreach center for astronomy, with space science exhibits and sky viewing.
• UW–Madison Geology Museum in Madison: Explore geology, fossils, and dinosaurs.
• UWSP Museum of Natural History in Stevens Point: Features wildlife dioramas, fossils, rocks, and Native American artifacts.
• Weis Earth Science Museum in Menasha: Part of University of Wisconsin–Fox Valley, it displays minerals, fossils, and geology.
• Wisconsin Science Museum in Madison: Inspires interest in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) through exhibits and activities.

Unique & Specialty Museums: Something Different!

These museums focus on very specific or unusual topics.

• A World Of Accordions Museum in Superior: Features over 1000 accordions and related items.
• Angel Museum in Beloit: A private collection of angel figurines.
• Ariens Company Museum in Brillion: See seven decades of the company's power equipment, like tillers and snow blowers.
• Chocolate Experience Museum in Burlington: Learn about the history of chocolate.
• Circus World Museum in Baraboo: Explore circus artifacts and enjoy live circus performances in the summer.
• Deke Slayton Memorial Space and Bike Museum in Sparta: Learn about astronaut "Deke" Slayton, aviation, and the history of bicycling.
• Elmer's Auto & Toy Museum in Fountain City: Five buildings filled with classic cars, trucks, bicycles, motorcycles, and antique toys.
• Fennimore Doll & Toy Museum in Fennimore: A collection of classic and collectible dolls and toys from around the world.
• Flyways Waterfowl Museum in Baraboo: Features antique and modern waterfowl decoys, calls, and exhibits on North American waterfowl.
• Harley-Davidson Museum in Milwaukee: Dive into the history of Harley-Davidson motorcycles.
• Herb and Helen Haydock World of Beer Memorabilia in Monroe: Located at the Minhas Craft Brewery, it has brewery artifacts and collectibles.
• Honey of a Museum in Ashippun: Learn about live bees, beekeeping history, and honey.
• International Clown Hall of Fame in Baraboo: Celebrates famous clown performers and their achievements.
• Little Falls Railroad & Doll Museum in Sparta: Features dolls and model railroads.
• Logic Puzzle Museum in Burlington: A hands-on museum with brain teaser puzzles.
• Milwaukee Beer Museum in Milwaukee: Explores the history of beer and the brewing industry.
• Museum of Historic Torture Devices in Wisconsin Dells: A collection of torture devices (note: this might be intense for some visitors).
• Museum of Woodcarving in Shell Lake: See life-size and miniature wood carvings created by one artist.
• National Bobblehead Hall of Fame and Museum in Milwaukee: Exhibits over 10,000 different bobbleheads!
• National Freshwater Fishing Hall of Fame & Museum in Hayward: Displays over 400 mounted fish and records for the largest freshwater fish.
• National Historic Cheesemaking Center in Monroe: Learn about early cheesemaking in the area and the process of making cheese.
• National Midget Auto Racing Hall of Fame in Sun Prairie: Covers the history of midget car racing.
• National Mustard Museum in Middleton: Features mustard from around the world and exhibits on its history.
• Spinning Top & Yo-Yo Museum in Burlington: Explore spinning tops, yo-yos, and gyroscopes.
• Wisconsin Automotive Museum in Hartford: Features over 100 classic and vintage cars.
• Wisconsin Bowhunter's Museum in Clintonville: Dedicated to the history of bow hunting in Wisconsin.
• Wisconsin Canoe Heritage Museum in Spooner: Learn about the history of the North American canoe.
• Wisconsin Concrete Park in Phillips: An outdoor park with 237 unique concrete sculptures.
• Wisconsin Cranberry Discovery Center in Warrens: Discover the cranberry industry and its history in Wisconsin.
• Wisconsin Hockey Hall of Fame in Eagle River: Honors major figures in state amateur ice hockey.
• Wisconsin Museum of Quilts & Fiber Arts in Cedarburg: Showcases beautiful textile art.
• Wisconsin Museum of International Wildlife in Appleton: Features mounted wildlife from around the world.

Historic Homes & Villages: Living History

These places let you experience what life was like in the past.

• Alexander Noble House in Fish Creek: A late-19th-century period house.
• Amberg Historical Museum Complex in Amberg: An open-air museum with a fire station, an early 20th-century house, and industrial displays.
• Beulah Brinton House in Milwaukee: Used for events and programs by the Bay View Historical Society.
• Beyer Home Museum in Oconto: An 1890s period house operated by the Oconto County Historical Society.
• Black Point Estate in Linn: A beautiful late-19th-century Queen Anne-style mansion.
• Chalet of the Golden Fleece in New Glarus: A copy of a Swiss Bernese mountain chalet with original furnishings.
• Charles A. Grignon Mansion in Kaukauna: A historic mansion from 1837-1862.
• Cook-Rutledge House in Chippewa Falls: A late 19th-century Victorian mansion.
• Dousman Stagecoach Inn in Brookfield: A mid-19th-century period inn.
• Durkee Mansion in Kenosha: A beautiful Victorian period mansion.
• Ephraim Village Museums in Ephraim: An open-air museum with several historic buildings like the Anderson Barn and Goodletson Cabin.
• Fairlawn Mansion in Superior: A grand Victorian period house museum.
• Fort Winnebago Surgeon's Quarters in Portage: A log building from 1824.
• Forts Folle Avoine Historical Park in Danbury: Features reconstructed fur trade posts and a Woodland Indian village.
• Galloway House and Village in Fond du Lac: A late 1800s village with historical collections.
• Hamlin Garland House in West Salem: The home of famous author Hamlin Garland.
• Hawks Inn Historical Museum in Delafield: A mid-19th-century stagecoach stop.
• Hazelwood Historic House Museum in Green Bay: A Victorian period house operated by the Brown County Historical Society.
• Hearthstone Historic House Museum in Appleton: The first local house powered by electricity, with original electrical fixtures.
• Heritage Hill State Historical Park in Green Bay: A large open-air museum with 25 historical structures.
• Heritage Historical Village in New London: Includes an octagon house, school, church, and train depot.
• Herman C. Timm House in New Holstein: A late 19th-century Victorian mansion.
• Historic Indian Agency House in Portage: A mid-19th-century period house.
• House on the Rock in Spring Green: A unique complex of architecturally amazing rooms and gardens.
• Jeremiah Curtin House in Greendale: A mid-19th-century house.
• Jonathan Clark House in Mequon: An 1848 house showing pioneer life.
• Kilbourntown House in Shorewood: A mid-19th-century period house.
• Kneeland-Walker House in Wauwatosa: A late Victorian mansion.
• Lincoln-Tallman House in Janesville: An 1850s house where Abraham Lincoln once slept.
• Little House Wayside in Pepin: A replica of the house described in the book Little House in the Big Woods.
• Lowell Damon House in Wauwatosa: A historic house open on Sundays.
• Milton House in Milton: A 19th-century inn that was part of the Underground Railroad.
• Mitchell Rountree Stone Cottage in Lancaster: A historic stone cottage.
• Mueller-Wright House in Wrightstown: A late 19th-century period house.
• Octagon House (Fond du Lac) in Fond du Lac: A mid-19th-century octagon-shaped house.
• Octagon House (Watertown) in Watertown: Another mid-19th-century octagon-shaped house.
• Old World Wisconsin in Eagle: A large open-air museum showing rural life and settlements of various ethnic groups.
• Orchard Lawn in Mineral Point: An 1868 Italianate home surrounded by beautiful gardens.
• Pabst Mansion in Milwaukee: A late 19th-century mansion built by Captain Frederick Pabst, founder of the Pabst Brewing Company.
• Pinecrest Historical Village in Manitowoc: An open-air village showing farm life from the 1850s to early 1900s.
• Pioneer Log Village and Museum in Reedsburg: Features 1890s log homes, a church, blacksmith shop, and school.
• Schlegelmilch-McDaniel House in Eau Claire: A turn-of-the-century middle-class house.
• Schumacher Farm Park in Waunakee: A 1900s farmstead and farmhouse museum.
• Sherry-Butt House in Viroqua: A turn-of-the-century period house.
• Solomon Juneau and John Schiefer Historic Homes and Reklau Log Building in Theresa: Historic homes operated by the Theresa Historical Society.
• Sterling North Home and Museum in Edgerton: The early 20th-century boyhood home of author Sterling North.
• Swiss Historical Village in New Glarus: A replica of an 1850 Swiss settlement village.
• Taliesin in Spring Green: Tours of the early 20th-century summer home of famous architect Frank Lloyd Wright.
• Ten Chimneys in Genesee Depot: The estate created by theatre legends Alfred Lunt and Lynn Fontanne.
• Trimborn Farm in Greendale: A park with mid-19th-century farm buildings.
• Upham Mansion in Marshfield: The mid-Victorian home of former Wisconsin governor William Henry Upham.
• Villa Louis in Prairie du Chien: A restored late 19th-century mansion, including the Astor Fur Warehouse.
• Wade House Historic Site in Greenbush: Includes a 19th-century stagecoach inn, carriage museum, and blacksmith shop.
• Webster House Museum in Elkhorn: Features Civil War and Victorian period items.
• Wilson Place Museum in Menomonie: A Victorian home with original family furnishings.
• Wingspread in Wind Point: A late 1930s house designed by Frank Lloyd Wright.

Maritime Museums: All About Boats and Water

These museums explore the history of ships, lighthouses, and life on the water.

• Bayfield Maritime Museum in Bayfield: Focuses on maritime history.
• Cana Island Light in Baileys Harbor: A lighthouse tower you can climb and keeper's quarters.
• Death's Door Maritime Museum in Gills Rock: Focuses on the area's commercial fishing tradition.
• Door County Maritime Museum in Sturgeon Bay: Exhibits on lighthouses, model ships, shipwrecks, and shipbuilding.
• Eagle Bluff Lighthouse Museum in Ephraim: A lighthouse open for tours.
• Port Washington Historical Society Light Station Museum in Port Washington: A restored lighthouse and recreated keeper's quarters.
• Pottawatomie Light in Washington: Located in Rock Island State Park.
• Rogers Street Fishing Village in Two Rivers: A museum village about commercial fishing, including the Great Lakes Coast Guard Museum.
• SS Meteor in Superior: An 1896 whaleback cargo ship used on the Great Lakes.
• Wisconsin Maritime Museum in Manitowoc: Covers Great Lakes maritime history and features the USS Cobia submarine.
• Wind Point Light in Wind Point: Learn about the lighthouse and Great Lakes maritime history.

Railroad Museums: All Aboard!

These museums celebrate the history of trains and railways.

• Colfax Railroad Museum in Colfax: A museum dedicated to railroads.
• East Troy Electric Railroad Museum in East Troy: A heritage railroad with historic electric railway equipment.
• Fennimore Railroad Historical Society Museum in Fennimore: A museum about railroad history.
• Mid-Continent Railway Museum in North Freedom: Features restored engines and cars, historic buildings, and a 7-mile train ride.
• Mineral Point Railroad Museum in Mineral Point: Located in a historic depot.
• National Railroad Museum in Ashwaubenon: Houses railroad engines, rolling stock, artifacts, and a photography gallery.
• Railroad Memories Museum in Spooner: Includes uniforms, bells, whistles, tools, and train interiors.
• Western Union Junction Railroad Museum in Sturtevant: Features railroad artifacts.

Defunct Museums

Some museums in Wisconsin have closed over time. These include the American UFO and Sci-Fi Museum in Wisconsin Dells, the Chudnow Museum of Yesteryear in Milwaukee, and Little Norway in Blue Mounds.

Wisconsin's Regions

The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (WDNR) divides Wisconsin into five main tourism regions:

Central Sands Prairie Region

This central area includes counties like Adams, Calumet, Clark, Fond du Lac, Green Lake, Juneau, Marathon, Marquette, Menominee, Monroe, Outagamie, Portage, Shawano, Waupaca, Waushara, Winnebago, and Wood.

Lake Michigan Region

This eastern area runs along Lake Michigan and includes the Door Peninsula. Counties here are Brown, Door, Kenosha, Kewaunee, Manitowoc, Marinette, Milwaukee, Oconto, Ozaukee, Racine, and Sheboygan.

Lake Superior Northwoods Region

This northern area covers counties like Ashland, Barron, Bayfield, Burnett, Douglas, Florence, Forest, Iron, Langlade, Lincoln, Oneida, Polk, Price, Rusk, Sawyer, Taylor, Vilas, and Washburn.

Mississippi/Chippewa Rivers Region

This south-central and southwest area is along the Mississippi and Chippewa rivers. It includes Buffalo, Chippewa, Crawford, Dunn, Eau Claire, Grant, Jackson, La Crosse, Pepin, Pierce, St. Croix, Trempealeau, and Vernon counties.

Southern Savanna Region

This south-central area includes Columbia, Dane, Dodge, Green, Iowa, Jefferson, Lafayette, Richland, Rock, Sauk, Walworth, Washington, and Waukesha counties.

See also

• Nature Centers in Wisconsin
• Observatories in Wisconsin (category)