Current Exhibits

Our Stories:  The History of Marathon County

Ongoing

Take a journey through our core exhibit on the history of Marathon County and you will learn about the many people and events that have made us what we are today.  The exhibit is focused on the stories of the people who have lived here, highlighting three themes:  Arriving Here, Making A Living and Having Fun.

Peek Inside: What We Collect and Why

May 2023 - July 2024

We has been collecting photos, objects, textiles, documents, and more for 65 years. They all tell the history of people in our county.  We invite you to “Peek Inside” our collections to learn more about what we collect and why. These items generally falls into two categories: 1) An item used, owned by, or connected to a Marathon County resident, business, or location or 2) an item typical of what would have been used in Marathon County.  Being mindful of this criteria allows us to collect and preserve the things most important to telling the story of Marathon County and its history.

Rural Electrification: Outlet for Change

The physican exhibit is now closed, but the exhibit is available online by clicking the link above.  We also have a traveling version of this exhibit.

This exhibit tells the story of how electricity eventually reached rural residents both in central Wisconsin and in the rest of the United States. Artifacts demonstrate the changes that came to farm life when electricity made its way from cities to the countryside. Maps show the progress of electrification about 1930 across Marathon County. 

Pieces of the Past:  Quilts Tell A Story

The physical exhibit is closed, but is still available as an online program.

Tour this exhibit to learn about the artistic, cultural, historic, and social importance of the quilts. Throughout the colorful, attractive exhibit you will learn about the women who made them and how lifestyle, current events, and society affected the fabric and pattern choices. Through the quilts and their stories, a picture will emerge of the important contributions made by women at a time when their opportunities remained limited.