Sheboygan County Museum

Collect

The museum's collection includes over 30,000 donated artifacts related to local history, which must be inventoried and catalogued on an ongoing basis.

Preserve

Each item in the collection, including the four historic buildings, requires specific preservation techniques to ensure that the artifacts will be usable in telling Sheboygan County's story for generations to come.

Educate

Public programming at the museum includes Full-Day Student Education Programs, reaching nearly 3,000 students per year; numerous educational programs, including the annual Historic Homes Tour, Cemetery Walk, Speaker Series, and more; and the Holiday Memories exhibit, visited by over 8,000 people per year. In addition, visitors are able to explore the history of Sheboygan County through countless long-term and temporary exhibits! 

The three facets of the mission--collect, preserve, and educate--are like legs on a tripod, distinct and yet inseparable. Fulfilling the mission requires volunteer help, both ongoing and event-specific, to continue serving the community now and into the future.

To apply for volunteer positions, please fill out our application online. 

The Sheboygan County Museum, operated by the Sheboygan County Historical Society, is dedicated to its mission to “collect, preserve, and educate about the history of Sheboygan County.” The museum includes a modern building with 20,000 square feet of exhibit, education and storage facilities. Four historic buildings, including the 1852 Taylor House, 1864 Weinhold log house, 1867 Bodenstab cheese factory, and 1890s Schuchardt barn add an additional 6,000 square feet. The newest addition is the 7,200 square foot Calvin Wheeler Exhibit Restoration Center.

In addition to presenting period displays in the historic buildings, the museum features long-term displays on major local history themes, including Native American, maritime, trades and occupations, regional chair manufacturing, and circus history, among other topics. The museum also has changing temporary exhibits reflecting Sheboygan County history.