New Arrivals Campaign

New Welcome Experience

Help bring a brand-new Welcome Experience to Old World Wisconsin

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A HISTORIC TRANSFORMATION

Since its opening in 1976, Old World Wisconsin has become one of the more beloved and popular history attractions in the Midwest. With generous state, federal and private support, the Wisconsin Historical Society is thrilled to launch improvements to Old World’s guest entry area, which has remained mostly unchanged over five decades. 

A reimagined welcome experience will provide much-needed infrastructure improvements to the 50-year-old historic site to better serve guests, attract new visitors and help this treasured 600-acre living history museum become more financially self-sustaining. 

You can help bring a new immersive welcome experience to Old World Wisconsin with a gift to the New Arrivals Campaign! 

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Elements of the Project

Plans for the new immersive welcome experience include a new guest services center, tram stop, pavilion, the rehabilitation and renovation of existing buildings, and infrastructure improvements. These improvements were identified through Old World’s master plan completed in 2020 to better serve guests, attract new visitors and sustain site operations.

Thanks to generous support from the State of Wisconsin and private donors, elements of the project have already been completed as part of Old World’s Beer and Brewing Experience—including a brewhouse, historic tavern and biergarten. Funds are still being raised to complete remaining elements of the master plan. 

Guest Services Center

In 2022, the Wisconsin Historical Society was awarded a $2.8 million federal grant to help build a new guest services center at Old World Wisconsin, as part of the Society’s efforts to reimagine the history attraction’s Welcome Experience. The entry and exit point for all visitors, the center features two buildings connected by an open-air plaza that will include upgraded restrooms, areas for ticketing and planning your visit and a new museum store.

The grant was awarded from the Economic Development Administration: American Rescue Plan Act Travel, Tourism, and Outdoor Recreation program and construction is scheduled to be complete in 2026. 

Nick Hoffman staring blankly at the camera, smiling slightly

“The guest services center will meet an important and longtime need by dramatically improving our capacity to serve visitors to Old World Wisconsin. By providing this center with the modern amenities and services that guests expect, we will be able to help them better prepare for their day of adventure into history throughout our grounds.“


-Nick Hoffman
Society’s Administrator of Historic Sites and Museums

Site Improvements

Other elements of the master plan include restoration and rehabilitation of existing historic buildings, construction of a new tram stop and pavilion, as well as utility improvements across the site. These improvements will move forward only as funds are secured and are a key component of making Old World more accessible to better serve visitors, school groups and communities. 

Beer & Brewing Experience

Thanks to generous state and private donor support, the first phase of the New Arrivals Campaign was completed in 2025. The Brewhouse and Brewing Experience, presented by the Cleary-Kumm Family, as well as Wittnebel’s Tavern and Biergarten invite guests to tap into Wisconsin’s rich beer and brewing heritage.

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