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  • Mess Night at the Museum

    Wisconsin Veterans Museum 30 W. Mifflin St, Madison, WI, United States

    Mess Night with Patti Robinson Please join us for our quarterly Mess Night dinner series with guest speaker Patti Robinson, who will be discussing her research into her father’s service as a Marine in the Pacific during WWII. She has not only explored her father’s service but has also retraced his steps and stood on the battlefields he fought on during the war. This story of redemption and reckoning is one you won’t want to miss. Please register in advance here: $50 MEMBERS | $58 NON-MEMBERS  Event sponsored by the Wisconsin Veterans Museum Foundation through the generous support of our 2025 Mess Night Series Sponsor Generac Power Systems.

  • Whiskey, Tango, Foxtrot: Stories Before, Between and Beyond the Combat Zone

    Wisconsin Veterans Museum 30 W. Mifflin St, Madison, WI, United States

    Shared by veterans of six decades of American military conflict and peacetime service, Whiskey, Tango, Foxtrot is an afternoon of stories that center on the kinds of surprising, touching, and absurdly funny moments that happen in the spaces before, between and beyond the combat zone and the complicated and triumphant journeys back from war to healing and civilian life. Come join Feast of Crispian for an afternoon of one-of-a-kind stories told by several generations of American Service Veterans - a kind of community campfire story circle, with a little taste of Shakespeare thrown in for good measure. Meet in the Ed Center at the museum.  This event is free but registration is required. Register here.

  • Book Club Tour – Savage Little Wars of Peace by Max Boot

    Wisconsin Veterans Museum 30 W. Mifflin St, Madison, WI, United States

    Join the staff in the museum galleries for our new book club. This month's selection is Savage Little Wars of Peace by Max Boot. This monthly book club meets in the galleries to discuss a selected work with a military history focus. At each meeting you will traverse the galleries with a staff member as your guide who will explain the context of the readings and show you how “Wisconsin Was There.” This event is free and open to the public. Please register in advance here.

  • Movie Discussion Night – Heneral Luna (2015)

    Online WI, United States
    Virtual Event

    Grab some popcorn and a seat in your favorite chair and join us for a virtual discussion of the selected movie with the Wisconsin Veterans Museum staff. Your mission is to watch the movie, which is available from most libraries or on streaming services (we will not be watching the movie the night of the program). On May 29,  we’ll all meet via Zoom for a discussion led by museum staff. This event is free and open to the public. You must register in advance here. **ATTENTION: please use the following password to register for the event: Privat3 Due to an influx of spam registrations, we have had to lock down the event with a password. Age Appropriate: This film may not be suitable for all ages as it depicts battle sequences, mild language, and alcohol and tobacco depictions. NOTE: This film has Spanish subtitles.

  • WVM Movie Tours – Behind the Lens: Heneral Luna (2015)

    Wisconsin Veterans Museum 30 W. Mifflin St, Madison, WI, United States

    Do you like historical films? Are you curious about how accurately Hollywood portrays historical events? Join the Wisconsin Veterans Museum as we delve into these topics through in-person tours that focus on "Heneral Luna" and period of history (with a Wisconsin angle, of course). These tours are free to the public, but registration is required. Please register here.

  • Mess Night at the Museum

    Wisconsin Veterans Museum 30 W. Mifflin St, Madison, WI, United States

    Mess Night with Robert ‘Bob’ Smith Please join us for our quarterly Mess Night dinner series featuring Robert “Bob” Smith as he explores the vital role of the U.S. Navy Seabees in supporting scientific discovery in Antarctica through Operation Deep Freeze. Discover how Naval Construction Battalion Unit 201 overcame extreme weather and logistical challenges to build and sustain critical infrastructure at the South Pole, advancing research and global knowledge. Please register in advance here $50 MEMBERS | $58 NON-MEMBERS  Event sponsored by the Wisconsin Veterans Museum Foundation through the generous support of our 2026 Mess Night Series Sponsor Generac Power Systems.

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    Smithsonian Lecture in Waupaca – The National Native American Veterans Memorial: Honoring the Military Service of Native Americans

    Waupaca High School 2325 King Road, Waupaca, United States

    Join us for a lecture: The National Native American Veterans Memorial: Honoring the Military Service of Native Americans with Rachelle B. Pablo (Diné), Museum Specialist with the Smithsonian’s National Museum of the American Indian. She will discuss the making of the National Native American Veterans Memorial that opened on November 11, 2020, in Washington D.C. and the enduring legacy of Indigenous military service. This tribute to Native heroes at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of the American Indian recognizes for the first time on a national scale the distinguished service of Native Americans in every branch of the US military. Simple and powerful, timeless and inclusive, the memorial creates an interactive yet intimate space for gathering, remembrance, reflection, and healing. It welcomes and honors Native American veterans and their families, and educates the public about their extraordinary contributions. The lecture at Waupaca High School was developed as a companion to the Making History, Making Change Lecture Series, organized by Smithsonian Affiliations. This lecture is free and open to the public.  

  • Smithsonian Lecture in Madison – The National Native American Veterans Memorial: Honoring the Military Service of Native Americans

    Featured
    Fluno Center -- Howard Auditorium 601 University Ave, Madison, WI, United States

    The Wisconsin Veterans Museum, a Smithsonian Affiliate, is pleased to present a special lecture: The National Native American Veterans Memorial: Honoring the Military Service of Native Americans by Rachelle B. Pablo (Diné), Museum Specialist with the Smithsonian’s National Museum of the American Indian. She will discuss the making of the National Native American Veterans Memorial that opened on November 11, 2020, in Washington D.C. and the enduring legacy of Indigenous military service. Please register in advance HERE.  This tribute to Native heroes at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of the American Indian recognizes for the first time on a national scale the distinguished service of Native Americans in every branch of the US military. Simple and powerful, timeless and inclusive, the memorial creates an interactive yet intimate space for gathering, remembrance, reflection, and healing. It welcomes and honors Native American veterans and their families, and educates the public about their extraordinary contributions. This lecture at the Fluno Center - Howard Auditorium on the UW-Madison Campus is free and part of the Making History, Making Change Lecture Series. It is organized by Smithsonian Affiliations as part of the Smithsonian’s Our Shared Future: 250. It is supported in part by the Dreier Family, Johanna and Ken Kim Family, Vaishali Shah Chadha and Family, and Michael Vu & Meridel Bulle-Vu.

  • Tabletop Gaming at WVM

    Wisconsin Veterans Museum 30 W. Mifflin St, Madison, WI, United States

    Try historical military tabletop games and learn about the history behind the game play. We will be playing "Wunderwaffen" a multi-player strategy game set at the end of World War II with the Allies racing toward Berlin, while Germany tries to resist and develop new "wonder weapons." We will have at least two tables of four people each, but can expand based on the number of reservations. Suitable for ages 12+. Please register here to reserve a spot. Space is limited.

  • Celebrating AMERICA250: Independce Day Celebration on the Captiol Square" in Madison, WI, on July, 4, 2026. Includes event times for the Capitol City Band (10 AM - 12 PM) and the WisVets Museum (10 AM - 5 PM)

    Celebrating AMERICA250: Independence Day on the Capitol Square

    Featured
    Wisconsin State Capitol 2 East Main Street, Madison, WI, United States
    Wisconsin America250

    Date: Saturday, July 4, 2026 Time: 10:00 AM-5:00 PM (Full Schedule Below) Location: Wisconsin State Capitol & the Wisconsin Veterans Museum, Madison, WI Cost: Free and open to the public Event Overview: Join fellow Wisconsinites on the historic grounds of the State Capitol for a once-in-a-generation Independence Day celebration! As part of the nationwide AMERICA250 Semiquincentennial initiative, the Wisconsin America250 Commission and the Wisconsin Department of Veterans Affairs (WDVA) are proud to co-sponsor a majestic day of music and community pride. Brought to you in partnership with the Capitol City Band Association, this milestone event brings history to life right in the heart of Madison. Come honor the 250th anniversary of our nation’s founding with music and inspiring stories of your family, friends, and neighbors who served. Schedule of Events: Patriotic Concert - Tribute to the Troops: Then and Now 10:30 AM – 12:00 PM Location: Wisconsin State Capitol Grounds (King Street Walkway) The Music: Enjoy a musical performance by the Capitol City Band, led by conductors Dave Pedracine and Zach Masa-Myers, that will fill the Square with a powerful selection of patriotic standards, stirring Sousa marches, and timeless American compositions. The Salute: At the heart of the concert is a deeply moving musical and narrative salute to America’s armed forces – “Tribute to the Troops: Then and Now.” The Colors: Bear witness to a proud military tradition featuring a formal presentation of the colors by the VFW Post 7591 Black Knights Color Guard and Auxiliary. Special Gallery Tours 1:30 PM & 3:30 PM or self-guided (doors open at 10:00 AM) Location: Wisconsin Veterans Museum (30 W. Mifflin St., where State Street and the Square meet) The Tour: Enduring Service: 125 Years of Veteran Stories The Experience: On the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, the Wisconsin Veterans Museum staff are giving special gallery tours to share amazing stories of Wisconsin veterans from the past 125 years. Join us for stories of the behind-the-scenes jobs needed to keep the military moving, Wisconsin women who were the first in their ranks or in their endeavors in the military, and WWI women and men surviving the results of the trenches. Guided tours will be given at 1:30 pm and 3:30 pm or come in anytime to go at your own pace. All ages welcome. For more information click here. Attendee Details & What to Bring Seating for the Concert: The morning performance is an open-air, lawn-style event. Attendees are highly encouraged to bring their own lawn chairs or blankets for comfort. Museum Admission: Admission to the Wisconsin Veterans Museum and the special Enduring Service gallery tours are always free. Inclement Weather: In the event of severe weather, the morning concert will move into the Capitol Rotunda. Afternoon museum tours will take place indoors rain or shine. Come celebrate America’s 250th birthday on the Square, where Wisconsin’s gratitude meets our nation’s history.

    Free

  • Enduring Service: 125 Years of Veteran Stories

    Wisconsin Veterans Museum 30 W. Mifflin St, Madison, WI, United States

    On the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, the Wisconsin Veterans Museum staff are giving special gallery tours to share amazing stories of Wisconsin veterans from the past 125 years. Join us for stories of the behind-the-scenes- jobs needed  to keep the military moving, Wisconsin women who were the first in their ranks or endeavors in the military, and WWI women and men surviving the results of the trenches. Guided tours will be given at 1:30 pm and 3:30 pm, or come in anytime to go at your own pace. All ages welcome.