The award-winning Oshkosh Public Museum was founded in 1905 and is the second oldest public museum in Wisconsin.

We are accredited by the American Association of Museums, which means this museum meets and maintains rigorous professional standards. The museum is operated for the public good through a unique blend of public and private funding. A seven-member citizen board, plus two alternates, governs the museum. Ad hoc committees are also formed from time to time.

Citizens interested in serving on the board should follow this link to the City of Oshkosh web site for an application, or contact the City Manager's office at 236-5700. If you are interested in, or would like to know more about, what is involved in either serving on the board or on ad hoc committees,
contact the director.

For over eight decades, the museum has been entrusted with the documentation, preservation, care, management, and exhibition of artifacts, photographs, film, and archival materials representing all aspects of Oshkosh's people and heritage. The archives hold an extensive collection of over 47,000 historic photographs and 1,078 linear feet of archival records and are considered one of Wisconsin's better archives. The museum collections encompass approximately 75,000 objects that relate to the community's past and the broader context of national history.

The museum is working to provide unprecedented accessibility to its collections. Exciting educational services encourage citizens to discover their community and its heritage. New exhibits and interactive elements enable visitors to experience history and events in a grand way, adventuring into the past. We invite you to join us in support of America's museums!

Mission Statement
Our mission is to identify, collect, document, preserve and interpret material culture, ideas, and values representing Oshkosh and the Lake Winnebago Region. The Museum will strive to promote and nurture an understanding and an appreciation of this valuable legacy through easily accessible, quality exhibitions, programs, publications and other educational experiences.

Vision Statement
The Oshkosh Public Museum will be a center for the preservation of our culture dedicated to bringing history and heritage to life through quality creative, unrestrictive educational experiences.