How did ordinary soldiers navigate the extremes of war? How did they make sense of their service and sacrifices? These are the questions at the heart of Brian Matthew Jordan's A Thousand May Fall, an intimate chronicle of the Civil War from the common soldier's perspective. At the heart of the tale is the 107th Ohio Volunteer Infantry, an ethnically German Union regiment caught in the crosshairs of Stonewall Jacksons flank attack at Chancellorsville--and decimated again two months later atop Blocher's Knoll at Gettysburg. Demonstrating how soldiers from a politically divided region weathered two devastating battles, the scourge of nativism, inconsistent support from home, and the ordeal of life on picket, this talk reveals the Civil War--and its long aftermath--anew. REGISTER HERE This event is suitable for all ages. Program funding made possible by the Wisconsin Veterans Museum Foundation through the generous support of Generac Power Systems.    

We're honored to announce that Wisconsin Veterans Museum Director Christopher Kolakowski will be speaking at a 10am Veterans Day ceremony at the State Capitol. Join us if you can. If you cannot, click here to view the live stream of the ceremony.

On July 20th, 1969, over half the world’s population witnessed Neil Armstrong’s first step on the Moon. While often remembered as a scientific and technological feat, the ambitions of the Apollo program aimed far beyond the Moon. Through spaceflight, America sought to win hearts and minds, foster alliances, and shape the political trajectories of newly independent nations. Drawing on a rich array of untapped archives and firsthand interviews, Operation Moonglow knits together a story of politics and propaganda; diplomacy and spaceflight; decolonization and globalization to reveal the political forces that not only sent humans to the Moon but also attracted the largest audience in history. This event is suitable for all ages. Program funding made possible by the Wisconsin Veterans Museum Foundation through the generous support of Generac Power Systems. REGISTER HERE  

Please join us for the return of our quarterly ‘Mess Night’ series to the Wisconsin Veterans Museum. This event features our popular dinner and lecture, presented by author Joseph Tachovsky. Mr. Tachovsky will be speaking about the formation of a specialized group of Marines and their preparations for the assault on Saipan. Author Joseph Tachovsky describes the creation of "40 Thieves on Saipan." His research into the platoon his father led in the WWII Battle for Saipan unearthed details and stories about this unique Special Operations platoon of Elite Marines. The oral histories of surviving members shed light into how the platoon got their nickname of the "40 Thieves," other nefarious antics, and their role in the Battle for Saipan, D-Day in the Pacific. Each MESS NIGHT AT THE MUSEUM features a guest speaker, topic, dinner, drinks, and time to socialize before and after the talk. Registration will be required before the event. Join us as we transform this historic naval tradition into our own. Please register in advance. $38 MEMBERS |  $46 NON-MEMBERS | $30 STUDENTS (W/ID) Sponsored by the Wisconsin Veterans Museum Foundation.   REGISTER HERE  

Join us for our virtual trivia night and test your historical knowledge. Sign up as individuals or as a team and go head to head with other players. This free event will be based on 3 rounds of trivia, with each round focusing on topics such as: history, pop culture, names and places, events, and fun facts. REGISTER HERE For this virtual trivia night, we will be using the Kahoot! app. This app will allow for the multiple choice questions we will use during each round. Simply log onto Kahoot.it the night of the event (either through your mobile device or on a separate browser tab) and we will provide the access code…nothing to download and easy to use. Lots of fun will be had by all and prizes are given to the top 3 players/teams. This event is suitable for all ages. Program funding made possible by the Wisconsin Veterans Museum Foundation through the generous support of Generac Power Systems.