Tours & Topics
Explore the on-site tours and program topics offered as part of our educational programming below. All programs can be adapted for various age groups with on-site, off-site or virtual delivery.
Museum Tours
Waukesha County 1893 Courthouse
Take a tour of Waukesha County’s historic courthouse and learn the history of this unique structure. Now a commercial building hosting the Waukesha County Museum, the Historic Courthouse 1893 Venue by Chef Jacks, and luxury apartment rentals, this old building has quite an interesting story to tell.
*Currently only offered at select times.
Les Paul: Innovations in Sound Technology
Les Paul’s innovations in sound and sound recording changed the industry forever. Learn more about how this creative genius changed the music industry with his invention of a solid-body electric guitar and innovations in sound recording technology.
Les Paul: Wizard of Waukesha
Les Paul is undoubtedly Waukesha’s most famous native. This presentation will explore the “wizard’s” humble beginnings, influences, rise to stardom, and the legacies he left on the world.
Program Topics
Discover life during the Victorian Era and the rise of Spring Houses in the county. Learn about the many rules of being proper in society. Learn to communicate with the secret codes of fans and flowers, and experience the fancy clothing and strict rules of the time.
Learn about the rise of hydropathy, (water cures) and how with the help of a great salesman, Colonel Dunbar, this transformed Waukesha into a tourist destination during the late 1800s with the development of Spring Houses and Hotels.
Les Paul and Mary Ford were household names and singing sensations in the 50s and 60. But how did Les Paul and Mary Ford get started? Learn more about how they met, their rise to fame, and the eventual end of this dynamic duo.
Explore the events leading up to the separation of the Southern states, the experience of runaway slaves, and the beginning of the Civil War. See what life of a typical soldier and hear the harrowing stories of local people and events involved in our own portion of the Underground Railroad.
While they initially focused on wheat, by the late 1840s farmers were moving towards dairy trade. Explore how dairy farming was introduced to Southern Wisconsin and the key players in developing this industry that has made Wisconsin the dairy capitol of the world and turned its residents into cheeseheads.
Ever wonder how Waukesha County got its name or how it was began? Take a trip down memory lane and discover your community’s history through people, places, and industries who have shaped Waukesha County into what it is today.
Learn about many of the significant people who have called Waukesha home and how they were instrumental in its history and development: including Les Paul, Colonel Dunbar, Theodora Youman, the Melendes Family, Alfred Gorham and more.
Les Paul’s innovations in sound and sound recording changed the industry forever. Learn more about how this creative genius changed the music industry with his invention of a solid-body electric guitar and innovations in sound recording technology.
Les Paul is undeniable Waukesha’s most famous native. This presentation will explore the “wizard’s” humble beginnings, influences, rise to stardom, and the legacies he left on the world.
Native Peoples have made Wisconsin their home for thousands of years. Explore the rich history of Wisconsin Native Americans before European contact. Discuss housing, clothing, food, unique land formations and handle real museum artifacts. Including special emphasis on Waukesha and the First Nations who lived here.
Pioneers traveling to the ‘Wild West’ encountered many challenges on their journey and once they arrived in their new community. Explore their travel to Waukesha and learn why they were drawn to this area’s rich resources. Discussion will include how they constructed their homes and farmsteads, took care of daily chores, and lived a life very unlike our own today. Hands on artifact handling tops off the pioneer experience.
Best not to be late! Experience a typical school day during the late 1800’s. Using your chalk and slate, you will travel back to a time where the most important things you were to learn were truthfulness, honesty, punctuality, cleanliness, and kindness. Compare the one room schoolhouse with the school we know today.
Ever wanted to create your own exhibit? Who hasn’t! In this program learn about how curators plan an exhibit and then practice creating your own. Starting with deciding your exhibits “big idea,” choosing objects, adding labels, and finally displaying your design, this activity is sure to help you see objects and the stories they can tell in a different way.
Learn about how Christmas was celebrated in the Victorian Era and how many beloved holiday traditions, such as greeting cards and tree decorations, became popular in England and the United States.
Hear the exciting true story of how generations of Waukesha entrepreneurs turned the area’s pristine waters into the golden libations that quenched the thirst of the growing county and the growing tavern culture that grew alongside as well.
Learn about the arrival of Europeans in Wisconsin and establishment and end of the Fur Trade. Covers the French, British, and US eras. Compare trade items and handle fur objects as you explore this trading system and its impact on animals and Native People.
Lunch & Learn
Our most popular program is back. Join us every second Tuesday for an interesting presentation while you eat. It’s a great time to build knowledge and skills with a tasty lunch. Bring your own box lunch or opt in for a pre-packaged lunch from Rochester Deli. Click here to see the upcoming topic list and to purchase tickets.
