Wisconsin Historical Museum
The Wisconsin Historical Museum is a museum in downtown Madison, Wisconsin, operated by the Wisconsin Historical Society (WHS) and dedicated to the history of Wisconsin. Add Camp Randall Stadium, 1.4 mi away, to a visit. Highs of 70–83°F make May to September the mildest time to go.
A museum inside Madison
Winters are cold
January nights drop to 11°. When to go ↓
You can stay in Madison
Wisconsin Historical Museum is inside Madison, which has 97 places to stay, so you won’t need a base farther out. Where to stay ↓
A day trip from Milwaukee
Milwaukee is about 72 miles east (straight-line). Where to stay ↓
Best months: May, Jun, Jul, Aug and Sep
May, June, July, August and September are the mild months, with highs of 70–83°. When to go ↓
An airport 5 miles away
Dane County Regional Truax Field (MSN) has airline service, about 5 miles from Wisconsin Historical Museum.
Written from NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Overture places to stay, Census town figures and Wikipedia.
The climate here
Plan a visit to Wisconsin Historical Museum around the weather below.
Wisconsin Historical Museum
The Wisconsin Historical Museum is a museum in downtown Madison, Wisconsin, operated by the Wisconsin Historical Society (WHS) and dedicated to the history of Wisconsin. As of April 2026, the museum is closed for a complete replacement of its former building, although a gift shop remains open. The new Wisconsin History Center is expected to open in 2028.
In addition to Wisconsin history, the museum provides information about other American history topics through artifacts, photographs, full-scale dioramas, audio-visual presentations, and interactive multimedia programs.
- Type
- Museum
- Wikipedia readers
- 1.1K a year
Rooms near Wisconsin Historical Museum
The closest lodging is in Madison (97) and Middleton (11).
- 1Camp Randall Stadium
- 2Kohl Center
- 3Overture Center for the Arts
- 4Henry Vilas Zoo
- 5Olbrich Botanical Gardens
- 6Elvehjem Museum of Art
- 7Aztalan
Compare 8 towns
| Town | From Wisconsin Historical Museum | Drive | Places to stay | People | Typical home | Safety |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Madison | in town | — | 97 83 hotels · 4 motels · 6 inns & B&Bs · 2 lodges & cabins · 1 hostel · 1 campground | 286,233 | $373K | C |
| Middleton | 6 mi west | 10 min | 11 10 hotels · 1 campground | 23,115 | $484K | B |
| Monona | 3 mi southeast | 5 min | 7 7 hotels | 8,664 | $428K | C− |
| Fitchburg | 6 mi south | 10 min | 7 7 hotels | 34,615 | $417K | C+ |
| Waunakee | 8 mi north | 10 min | 6 5 hotels · 1 inn or B&B | 16,411 | $516K | A |
| Verona | 10 mi southwest | 15 min | 6 6 hotels | 16,821 | $420K | A |
| Sun Prairie | 11 mi northeast | 15 min | 6 5 hotels · 1 motel | 39,227 | $366K | B− |
| Burke | 7 mi north | 10 min | 3 1 motel · 1 inn or B&B · 1 campground | 3,089 | $369K | — |
Day trip from
Straight-line miles.
Getting there
Nearest airports with airline service
Other places close by
These well-known sights sit within 31 miles.
1in town Stadium & arenaCamp Randall Stadium
2in town Stadium & arenaKohl Center
3in town MuseumOverture Center for the Arts
42 mi Zoo & aquariumHenry Vilas Zoo
30 mi Park & preserveIce Age Trail
53 mi GardenOlbrich Botanical Gardens
6in town MuseumElvehjem Museum of Art
726 mi State parkAztalan State ParkPhoto credits
Camp Randall Stadium: Carol M. Highsmith, Public domain · Kohl Center: Pbrown111 at English Wikipedia, Public domain · Overture Center for the Arts: Chief-O of English Wikipedia, Public domain · Henry Vilas Zoo: Corey Coyle, CC BY 3.0 · Ice Age Trail: MDuchek, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Olbrich Botanical Gardens: Chief-O at English Wikipedia, Public domain · Elvehjem Museum of Art: James Steakley, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Aztalan State Park: Joshua Mayer - Flickr user wackybadger, CC BY-SA 2.0
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Before visiting Wisconsin Historical Museum
Is Wisconsin Historical Museum in Madison?
Yes. It’s inside Madison, WI.
When is the best time to visit Wisconsin Historical Museum?
May, June, July, August and September, with highs of 70–83°.
How far is Wisconsin Historical Museum from Milwaukee?
About 72 miles east of Milwaukee, as the crow flies.
What is the closest airport to Wisconsin Historical Museum?
Dane County Regional Truax Field (MSN), about 5 miles away. The nearest big hub is General Mitchell (MKE), about 76 miles.
Where should I stay near Wisconsin Historical Museum?
Madison (in town, 97 places to stay), Middleton (6 mi, 11 places to stay) and Monona (3 mi, 7 places to stay).
Ask people in Madison
Tips will appear here once someone posts in Madison’s Town Square.
Sources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · NOAA climate normals · U.S. Census.