History Happens Here
Wisconsin’s New History Center
The Wisconsin Historical Society is bringing a new, 21st-century history center and cultural attraction to the people of Wisconsin and beyond.
Designed to be a welcoming beacon of inspiration and exploration, the new center set on Wisconsin’s Capitol Square in Madison will reflect a modern approach to sharing history and connecting communities.
Project Overview
Behind
the Design
Project
Timeline
Support the Project
NEW
Road America
America’s National Park of Speed
Get ready to rev up history! The new Wisconsin History Center’s inaugural specialty exhibition will guide thousands of visitors through the lives of visionaries, innovators, racers and fans who built one of the world’s premier
road courses.
Recent News
Society Breaks Ground on the New Wisconsin History Center
The Society celebrated the groundbreaking of the new Wisconsin History Center…
Historical Society Preps Construction Site
We’ve begun preparing the construction site on the Wisconsin State Capitol building square for the Wisconsin History Center…
State Authorization to Construct History Center
The Wisconsin History Center project reached another significant milestone today when the State Building Commission…
Progress From the Site
View live updates from the construction site!
Help Your Kids Make History!
Weeks in June, July, & August
Mon – Fri | 9 AM – 3 PM
Are you ready for a historic camp adventure this summer? Roll dice and thwart monsters, tackle new challenges, innovate, create and learn during our exciting History Maker Space Summer Camps for learners of all ages!
Iconic Location
The new history center will be located on Wisconsin’s Capitol Square in Madison, contributing to a thriving cultural district and offering a convenient location for school groups visiting from around the state.
Visit Us Now!
History Maker Space
Hosting pop-up exhibits, author talks, public programs, a new retail shop and history center sneak peeks during the construction of the new building
History Makers Tour
Bringing history directly to local communities in every region of the state through pop-up exhibits, artifact displays, public programs, art installations, and more!
Get Updates About the Project!
Sign up for our Milestones e-newsletter
Follow Us!
Lunch plans on Tuesday?! Here's a great idea!
Join us for History Sandwiched In on select Tuesdays from 12:30 p.m. – 1:30 p.m. this fall inside the U.S. Bank Building on Madison’s Capital Square.
💧 𝗠𝗮𝗿𝗰𝗵 𝟭𝟬 - 𝗧𝗮𝗺𝗮𝗿𝗮 𝗧𝗵𝗼𝗺𝘀𝗲𝗻 𝗽𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀 𝗜 𝗟𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗨𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘄𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗿: 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗧𝗵𝗿𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗔𝗱𝘃𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝗮 𝗥𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗿𝗱-𝗕𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗗𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗿, 𝗧𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘀𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗛𝘂𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗗𝗲𝗲𝗽-𝗦𝗲𝗮 𝗘𝘅𝗽𝗹𝗼𝗿𝗲𝗿, 𝗠𝗮𝘅 𝗚𝗲𝗻𝗲 𝗡𝗼𝗵𝗹
Recounting harrowing experiences with tangled air-hoses, hungry sharks, and painful cases of the bends, Thomsen recounts how Max Nohl’s unquenchable thirst for adventure propelled him to transcend fear and become one of the field’s great innovators. She will describe his early passion for the undersea world and his many groundbreaking contributions to the diving industry, including inventing the first self-contained diving suit, co-founding Milwaukee-based diving equipment company, DESCO, and developing early underwater film and photography techniques for Hollywood. TWisconsin Historical Society Pressnsin Historical Society Press.
The events are FREE, but advanced registration is recommended.
Learn more and register here: wihist.org/4ujryCT
📸: Dean Witter ... See MoreSee Less
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Are you ready for a historic camp adventure this summer? Roll dice and thwart monsters, tackle new challenges, innovate, create and learn during our exciting History Maker Space Summer Camps in Madison for learners of all ages!
🌳 Wisconsin Adventures Summer Camp
🎨 Innovation Creation Summer Camp
💡Forward Thinkers Summer Camp
🎲 Myths and Legends Summer Camp- SOLD OUT
Reserve your spot today: wihist.org/4rcSeTS ... See MoreSee Less
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🚧 The holidays didn’t slow us down at the future Wisconsin History Center! We’re charging ahead into 2026, and the building is starting to take shape. 🚧
The framing for the mezzanine and Level Two is complete, and steel for Level Three is arriving, with Level Four next.
Thanks to our constructJH Findorff JH Findorff for sharing this fun fact! 𝗗𝗶𝗱 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗸𝗻𝗼𝘄? The earliest steel products can be traced back 4,000 years ago. Since then, steel production has become so vast and economical that we could build 548 Eiffel Towers with the amount of steel that is produced daily.
Want a closer look? Check out our construction cam and watch the progress in action: wihist.o#wihistorycenteristorycenter
📸: JH Findorff ... See MoreSee Less
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