Chippewa Valley Museum

The Chippewa Valley Museum is a regional museum that was established in 1974.  It is located within Carson Park and has approximately 14 employees.  The mission of the Museum is "to discover, collect, preserve and interpret all aspects of the past and present life in the Chippewa Valley". The Museum offers several long-term exhibits as well as a number of short-term exhibits depicting many aspects of the history and development of the Chippewa Valley.  In addition, the Museum maintains an extensive library of books, photographs and maps of the Chippewa Valley.

See award-winning, professionally designed exhibits about the Ojibwa Indians, the area's first towns and industries, and early farm life. Enjoy a treat in a turn of the century ice cream parlor, marvel at an eight-foot, 21 room dollhouse, and find unique gifts and books in the museum store. Special program, classes and workshops offered for people of all ages. Understanding the history of this community is basic to democratic way of life, gives us a better understanding of our state and nation, and promotes a better appreciation of our American heritage.

The Museum's collections also include 16,212 artifacts, logging and lumbering artifacts, and assorted records and items associated with Gillette/Uniroyal, once the largest employer in Eau Claire. The largest categories are tools and equipment (5,118); personal artifacts (3,428); and building models, components and furnishings (1,116). The Chippewa Valley Museum, like many others, has a collection of letters from people describing their voyages, the advice they received, and descriptions of the things they brought with them. It includes three historic structures:

1. Sunnyview School
2. The Anderson Log House and
3. The Schlegelmilch House

Volunteer opportunities:

Help with admission desk, museum store, ice cream parlor, Sunnyview School and Anderson Log House. Give tours and present programs to children and adults. Do research and inventory. Work with artifacts, exhibits and archival materials.

Contact for volunteer help:

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Visiting hours:

• Memorial Day thru Labor Day (Mon - Sat) 10am – 5pm
• (Sundays)  1pm – 5pm / (Tuesday evenings open until 8pm)
• During school year (Tues - Sun) 1pm – 5pm(Saturdays open at 10am)  / (Tuesday evenings open until 8pm)
• House and school open mid-April thru mid-October during museum hours
  

Location and direction:

Chippewa Valley Museum
Carson Park
Eau Claire, WI 54702

Contact:

Chippewa Valley Museum
Email: This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it
Phone: (715) 834-7871
Fax: (715) 834-6624