After a rigorous review of museum operations, the Wisconsin Veterans Museum received reaccreditation by the American Alliance of Museums (AAM). Since it was first accredited in 1974, the museum continues to meet National Standards and Best Practices for U.S. Museums and remains a member of a community of institutions that have

The State Archive Preservation Facility or SAPF, pronounced by staff as “safe,” is a purpose-built, state-of-the-art space designed to care for Wisconsin’s historical artifacts and archives. The State of Wisconsin completed construction in 2017 and in 2018 the Wisconsin Veterans Museum moved its collections storage from the basement of the

  The Wisconsin Veterans Museum became a Smithsonian Affiliate in May of 2014. Affiliates are collaborators on many of the Smithsonian’s strategic priorities, adding content and expertise to national initiatives to amplify the power of the stories we tell and reach broader and more diverse audiences. There is a network

With an influx of papers, photos, maps, and books from the Wisconsin National Guard Museum at Volk Field transferred to the vast holdings of the Wisconsin Veterans Museum, a new Research Center opened on the third floor of the building. The Research Center improved public access to the museum archives

In October of 1998 the museum staff began offering a Talking Spirits Cemetery Tour at Forest Hill Cemetery in Madison. What began as an afternoon tour through the Madison park is now a week-long production complete with vignettes by actors portraying some of the cemetery’s most interesting spirits. Cemetery Tours

On April 5, 2026 the museum celebrates 125 years of preserving and sharing the stories of Wisconsinites who have served our nation and communities in the armed forces from the Civil War to present. The Wisconsin Veterans Museum continues the charge the Civil War veterans who founded the GAR Memorial

On June 6, 1993 the Wisconsin Veterans Museum (WVM) opened in its current location. The grand opening event drew 7,716 spectators, after a tremendous publicity campaign which involved the Governor’s office as well as legislative leaders, the department Secretary and his office, an outpouring of support from veterans groups, the

In July of 1990, work started on the new museum space across the street from the home of the original GAR Memorial Hall. Structural renovations were completed in December. Work began on the museum interior and exhibit fixtures in 1991. Some 20,000 square feet of space was available for the displays,

The GAR Memorial Hall, informally known as the Civil War museum, closed to the public on November 10, 1989. Shortly thereafter, Governor Tommy Thompson and WDVA Secretary John Mauer announced they’d found a location for a new “all wars” museum at 30 W. Mifflin Street.