The grand Wisconsin Historical Society building sits at the base of Bascom Hill, across from the Union and Red Gym. It’s an imposing building, but like most of the other UW-Madison buildings, open to the public. While most of the building is given to offices and document storage, the main reading room and archives are free and open the public. Feeling a bit shy? Come and visit the Historical Society during a special event, like gallery night. They throw open the doors, and their archives, to highlight some of the wonderful bits of ephemera they’ve stored over the decades. See autographs and posters from movies, scripts, rough drafts of famous novels, sketches, 19th century photos and more.

Wisconsin Historical Society
816 State St
Madison, WI 53706