Enrichment Programs

OSHKOSH, Wis. March 24, 2020 – In response to the COVID-19 pandemic and The City Oshkosh declaring an emergency on March 12 here are the latest updates from the City of Oshkosh.

 Governor Evers has just released the Sate of Wisconsin’s Safer at Home Order.  It will be in effect from March 25, 2020 at 8:00 AM until April 24, 2020 or until a superseding order is issued.

Here’s what Safer at Home means for you:

Please stay at home and help us save lives.

You can still get out and go for a walk, but please don’t take any other unnecessary trips, and limit your travel to essential needs like going to the doctor, grabbing groceries, or getting medication.

Workers providing essential care or services in our communities will be allowed to continue to travel to and from work. That includes folks like healthcare professionals, grocers, family caregivers, among other people whose work is critical for folks across our state.

If it’s essential for you to go outside, please stay 6 feet away from others.

We also need folks to limit their interactions to the same people, not different small groups. No sleepovers, no play dates, and no dinner parties with friends and neighbors.

We are working to flatten the curve to ensure our doctors, nurses, and healthcare workers have the opportunity to do their important work.

Let’s all do our part to take care of ourselves and each other.

To see the complete order click here: https://evers.wi.gov/Documents/COVID19/EMO12-SaferAtHome.pdf?fbclid=IwAR1MKQXUjLtm9m55k20SbI8hRb0Wpy0kMvIccMmwByf52RbMDcRS4zhv3C8

They also have a COVID-19 Hotline—920-232-3026

Program Calendar 

The Oshkosh Public Museum will be closed through April 13, 2020. Our enrichment programs scheduled from March 21 through April 13th have been postponed or canceled. We will keep this program page current as well as our Facebook page to see the most current list of programs.  

Endurance
Saturday, April 18, 1:30 pm
Rochelle Pennington
Pennington traveled to the countries of England and Scotland to research Sir Ernest Shackleton’s epic 1914 travels aboard the ship Endurance with his crew of 27. The incredible feats achieved during the voyage have inspired generations since.
The author’s program will detail the extraordinary acts of determination used by the men to move fearlessly forward as they triumphed over the frozen Antarctic expanse where their lives were threatened daily.  A leader among leaders, Commander Shackleton taught his men how to employ their thoughts to overcome every obstacle and to persevere against all odds and he can inspire us to do the same. Considered “ the greatest survival story in history,” the journey lives on today as a timeless model which shows how ordinary people, armed only with the simple power of attitude, can dive headfirst into immense adversity and emerge victoriously. The program will feature dozens of authentic documents and stunning photographs taken during the expedition. The cost is general admission, free to Museum Members and children five and under.  Please call to register for this program, 920-236-5799. 

Bottoms Up: A Toast to Wisconsin's Historic Bars & Breweries
Saturday, May 16, 1:30 pm
Jim Draeger
Join national award-winning author and historian, Jim Draeger, as he leads you on a suds-filled romp through evolution and change in Wisconsin’s bar culture. Learn about the evolution of the tavern from stagecoach stops to the themed bars of today. Trace the social, cultural, and technological changes brought about by liquor regulation, temperance, prohibition and its aftermath. The cost is general admission, free to Museum Members. Please call to register for this program, 920-236-5799.

Laura Ingalls Wilder; Road to the Little House
Saturday, May 23, 1:30 pm
Jessica Michna|
Generations of children and adults worldwide have been fascinated by the stories of Laura Ingalls Wilder. Her “Little House” series was the basis for a successful television series. But how did her life really evolve? What motivated her to put her experiences to paper? In this First Impressions presentation by Jessica Michna you will meet Mrs. Wilder, older, wiser and reflecting back on her life. She will tell you her life story and how she came to produce her literary works. The cost is general admission, free to Museum Members and children five and under. Please call to register for this program, 920-236-5799. 

Old Abe or Old Abigail?: Using DNA to Determine the Gender of the Famous Civil War Eagle
Russell Horton
Saturday, May 30, 1:30 pm
Old Abe was the famous bald eagle mascot of the 8th Wisconsin Infantry Regiment during the Civil War. Following the war, the eagle lived in the State Capitol and became a nationally known symbol of the Union, appearing at veterans events around the country. But twenty years after Old Abe died, a controversy arose as to whether the eagle was male or female. Witnesses recounted seeing Old Abe lay eggs while others vehemently denied the possibility that the eagle was female. Newspapers around the country picked up on this story, but there was no way to resolve the issue. Find out how the Wisconsin Veterans Museum and University of Wisconsin scientists used twenty-first century technology to finally answer this question. The cost is general admission, free to Museum Members and children five and under. Please call to register for this program, 920-236-5799. 

Women Who Dared
Saturday, June 27, 1:30 pm
Jessica Michna
Cristabel and Emmeline Pankhurst, Susan B. Anthony, Emma Davisson, Elisabeth Cady Stanton; some names you may recognize, others you may not. In this program, Jessica Michna appears as …HERSELF! You will learn of these and other women (and men) who championed the cause of woman’s suffrage in this country and overseas in the late 19th and early 20th century. You will learn of the protests, jailing, victories, and defeats culminating with the signature of President Woodrow Wilson that would forever give women the right to vote. The cost is general admission, free to Museum Members and children five and under. Please call to register for this program, 920-236-5799. 

Temporary Exhibitions

Then & Now, Old Photos as Today

Feb 23, 2020 - May 24, 2020
Then & Now showcase the creativity of the photographers in the way they saw the original historic photographs and recreated the photo of today in several different ways. The exhibition offers the original locations and the passage of time in the same photos in comparison; posing people in a similar manner or situation but updated it to today; an occupation as it looks currently; and a situation or setting reimagined to the 21st century.

Read more>>

Monthly Make and Take Projects for Kids!

Every visit to the Oshkosh Public Museum can be enhanced with a special make-and-take project. Located in the sunroom near the main entrance, this area features an entertaining, historical do-it-yourself project.

The take home activity changes monthly, and directions and supplies are provided to make and take home your very own piece of history.

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March: Lewis Hine. Celebrate photography with us as you visit Then and Now. Learn about Oshkosh native Lewis Hine and how he used photography for social reform, then make your own faux camera.

April: Picture Frames. Did you know picture frames are more than just decorations? They can tell a story just as interesting as the pictures they hold. Learn all about picture frames, then make your own!

May: Spring Flowers. Spring showers bring May flowers! Learn about some of Wisconsin's native flowers, then make your own beautiful bouquet.