Current Exhibitions – Long Term

Economic, Political, and Social History

Exhibitions at the Sheboygan County Museum present a broad and vibrant picture of the economic, political, and social history of Sheboygan County. Rooted in the Museum’s artifact collection, long-term exhibits are presented in each of the historic buildings located on the campus, in addition to the numerous displays featured in the Main Museum building. The exhibits explore significant historical themes alongside distinctive local history.

First Peoples of Sheboygan County

Thousands of years before Wisconsin’s statehood, this area was home to generations of vibrant native cultures. Tracing the history of the area through over 12000 years, First Peoples explores the lives of Sheboygan County’s first residents from Paleoindians through Woodland culture and into the 20th century.

Historic Trades of Sheboygan County

Explore a selection of the earliest trades of 19th-century Sheboygan County settlers in the Historic Trades exhibition. This gallery is one of several that share the history of Sheboygan County and is a component of our Full Day Student Education programs.

Maritime History of Sheboygan County

With miles of Lake Michigan shoreline and countless inland lakes, rivers, and streams, water has been a driving force in Sheboygan County history. Explore the varied history of the maritime business alongside the many recreational activities of Sheboygan County’s 760 square miles of water.

Early Sheboygan County Health Care

Explore medical history with vignettes featuring early pharmaceutical artifacts, medical office equipment, a dental suite, and the barbershop. While medicine has come a long way in the last century, much remains a familiar sight when compared with the experience of today.

Railroading in Sheboygan County

Relive the arrival of the railroad in Sheboygan County, a major turning point for both leisure and business activities. Learn more about the three major lines that crisscrossed the county, along with the impact on the communities they touched.

A Bird's Eye View: Aerial Photography & Sheboygan County

As drone photography becomes more accessible, A Bird’s Eye View examines the history of earlier efforts to document the surface of the earth through aerial photography. Featuring a variety of aerial camera equipment and finished products, the exhibit explores both the application and industry of mapping our environment from above.

Chair City USA: A History of Chair Manufacturing in Sheboygan County

While the “City of 4 C’s – Chairs, Cheese, Churches, Children” nickname was originally given to Sheboygan, the idea could have applied countywide. Featuring equipment, finished products, and memorabilia, Chair City USA explores the importance and tradition of excellence the chair industry brought to Sheboygan County and across the world.

Sheboygan County Circus History

Anchored by a large-scale poster advertisement for Seils-Sterling, the Sheboygan-based circus that for a period of time was the largest truck circus in the United States, this exhibit reveals the story of Sheboygan County and the circus. Featuring apparel, equipment, advertisements, and scale models, Sheboygan County Circus History celebrates both the performers and the nostalgia of circus entertainment.

Harmonizing Heroines: Sheboygan’s Chordettes

Harmonizing Heroines celebrates the all-female barbershop quartet turned 1950s pop icons of Sheboygan County, better known as The Chordettes. Originally organized by Sheboygan area women, the group went on to record worldwide hits like “Lollipop” and ‘Mr. Sandman”. Featuring memorabilia, recordings, and more, Harmonizing Heroines celebrates the impact of the group from 1946 through today.

Baseball in Sheboygan County

Rooted in a collection originally gathered by the Sheboygan Old-Timers Baseball Association, Baseball in Sheboygan County explores both the recreational and professional connections of baseball to area history.

DAVID TAYLOR HOUSE

Easily visible from a distance, the stately David Taylor House is the original building constructed on the property. Listed on both the National Register of Historic Places and the Wisconsin Register of Historic Places, the Italianate two-story brick home was originally built in the early 1850s. Sheboygan County purchased the house and surrounding property in 1905 from the Taylor estate. Beginning in 1948, the Sheboygan County Historical Society entered into a long-term lease agreement with Sheboygan County to utilize the Taylor House as a museum. Following the 1997 addition of the Main Museum Building to the campus, the Taylor House primarily features artifacts reminiscent of the time the Taylor House served as a family home.

Weinhold Log Cabin

The Weinhold Log Cabin was moved to the Taylor Park property in 1977 from its original location in Adell, near the southern county border. Originally constructed of hand-squared logs in 1864 by Traugott & Karoline Weinhold, the home was restored and dedicated on the Museum grounds in 1978. Both the style and furnishings are typical of the residences of Sheboygan County’s earliest German settlers.

BODENSTAB CHEESE FACTORY

The Bodenstab Cheese Factory was moved to the Museum Campus in 1987 from its original location just outside of Howards Grove. Restored and dedicated in 1988, the building was originally erected by Julius Bodenstab in 1867, making it one of the oldest intact cheese factories in the county. Representing a historically significant industry that remains prominent in Sheboygan County today, the Bodenstab Cheese Factory features examples of early cheesemaking equipment and processes, along with highlighting the connections and growth of the industry in recent years.

SCHUCHARDT BARN

Originally located on property just across Erie Avenue, the Schuchardt Barn was moved to the Museum grounds in 1982. Last owned and donated by the Lester Schuchardt family, the barn was dedicated in 1984 following several years of fundraising and restoration work. The frame-style barn features numerous examples of tenon and wooden peg joinery, popular in late 19th-century Wisconsin barns. A wood stave silo was added immediately to the south of the barn in 1992. Both highlight the varied history of agriculture in Sheboygan County.

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