Welcome to the Kenosha Public Museum
The Kenosha Public Museum, located in Kenosha, Wisconsin, is a natural sciences and fine and decorative arts museum on the beautiful shoreline of Lake Michigan. Established in 1933, the Museum’s collections have grown to over 80,000, including 1,200 works of fine art.
Exhibitions and programs feature mammoths, world cultures, Native Americans, zoology, geology, fossils, and fine and decorative arts. In addition, the Museum hosts temporary exhibitions and special events that offer local, regional, and national audiences opportunities to discover and explore the fascinating intersections of art and science.
Discover a world of science, art, and fun at the Kenosha Public Museum
Mammoth Bones
Rocks and Minerals
Pottery
Sea Shells
Artists Represented
Education Through Exploration
Whether at the museum, in class or virtually, we offer hands-on, exploratory and interactive programs on a variety of topics that provide your students with a fun way to learn about history, science, art and culture.
Shop the Museum Store
The Kenosha Public Museum’s store has a great selection of unique collectibles, cultural items from around the world, jewelry, scarves, toys, games and puzzles, Kenosha Public Museum and City of Kenosha logo items, and much more.
Visit the Kenosha Public Museum
Hours
Sunday 12pm - 5pm Monday 10am - 5pm Tuesday 10am - 5pm Wednesday 10am - 5pm Thursday 10am - 5pm Friday 10am - 5pm Saturday 10am - 5pm
Closed Holidays:
Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, Good Friday, Easter, Memorial Day, Juneteenth, July 4th, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day
Fees
Admission to the Kenosha Public Museum is free. Donations are accepted at the door. The suggested donation is $5.
Due to the size of our museums and exhibits, groups of 25 or more people are required to coordinate their visit with our Education Services Coordinator. If your group is not on the museum calendar upon arrival, you may be asked to visit later in the day, or on a different date. Please call 262-653-4424 to coordinate your group’s visit.
Parking
Free parking for 230 vehicles is available on First Avenue, directly east of the Museum.
Accessibility
The Museum is handicap accessible, and visitors are welcome to bring their wheelchair, walker, or another device. The Museum has one wheelchair that may be checked out for use during your visit. Stop at the front desk for more information.
Directions
Whether you’re traveling by car, train, or trolley, visiting the Museums is a breeze! Located right on Kenosha’s scenic lakefront, we’re just a short drive from major cities—only 60 miles from Chicago and 35 miles from Milwaukee.
From the North:
Take I-94 to WI-158/52nd Street (Exit 342). Travel East toward Lake Michigan approximately 7 miles. Turn right on 6th Avenue. Turn left on 54th Street. Turn Right on First Avenue.
From the South:
Take I-94 to WI-158/52nd Street (Exit 342). Travel East toward Lake Michigan approximately 7 miles. Turn right on 6th Avenue. Turn left on 54th Street. Turn Right on First Avenue.
From the West:
Travel east on WI-158 to 6th Avenue. Turn right on 6th Avenue. Turn left on 54th Street. Turn right on First Avenue.
ACCESS BY LAKEFRONT TROLLEY
The City of Kenosha’s Lakefront Trolley operates a route from Parkside University on the city’s north side, through downtown, and south to Kemper Center. The trolley stops near the Civil War Museum and Kenosha Public Museum (Stop #42). Visit Kenosha.org for fare and schedule details.
ACCESS BY KENOSHA AREA TRANSIT
The Museums are just a five-minute walk from the Kenosha Area Transit Center downtown (Stop #1234). Visit KenoshaTransit.com for routes, schedules, and fare information.
ACCESS BY METRA
Kenosha is the northernmost stop on the Metra Rail System, serving the Chicago area and Northeastern Illinois. The Kenosha Public Museum is a ten-minute walk from the train station, or take advantage of the downtown Electric Streetcar for direct access from the train station to all three museums. Visit Metra.com for fare and schedule details.
