Group Tours in Kenosha ...... Historically Fun!

Five Museums To Tour!

Kenosha is a Wisconsin Harbor Town located in the southeast corner of the state on the Lake Michigan shore. We’re conveniently located between Chicago and Milwaukee. Historic charm and a breathtaking coastline – along with outstanding museums, locally owned boutiques, and a diverse dining scene await you.

Within a one-mile radius in Downtown Kenosha, near the Lake Michigan shore, sit five museums to educate, entertain, and inspire residents and visitors. All five welcome adult group tours and student field trips!

Fun Facts About Our Museums

• What’s a harbor town without a lighthouse or two? We have two lighthouses – with the Southport Lighthouse available to climb.
• The Civil War Museum, Dinosaur Discovery Museum, and Kenosha Public Museum are Smithsonian Institution Affiliates.
• Two local mammoth sites are two of the three oldest archaeological sites in the Western Hemisphere. The Schaefer Mammoth helped prove that Native Americans were in North America 1,500 years earlier than previously thought. The Hebior Mammoth is the most complete and largest woolly mammoth ever excavated. Learn more at the Kenosha Public Museum.
• The 1962 Rambler American that was seen in the 3rd Rock from the Sun television show is now owned by the Kenosha History Center. It rotates between being on display at the Kenosha History Center and being on loan to another museum.
• View a Miniature Statue of Liberty inside the Kenosha History Center. This statue was first installed in 1950 in a local park. It was a gift to the city by local Boy Scout troops to mark Kenosha’s 100th anniversary as an incorporated city.
• Hear broadcast journalist Bill Kurtis at the Civil War Museum, as he narrates “Seeing the Elephant”. This film focuses on the personal experiences and accounts of citizen soldiers. The museum is one of just a handful of venues nationwide using 360-degree movie technology.

Civil War Museum

Explore the Civil War from the perspective of the Upper Midwest!

Yes, there is a Civil War Museum in Kenosha! It focuses on the contributions of the Upper Middle West — Wisconsin, Illinois, Iowa, Indiana, Minnesota, Michigan, and Ohio — to the Civil War. Board the train bound for the battlefront and travel back home on a riverboat to hear the personal stories of those involved in the war effort. Stop by the Veterans Memorial Gallery which honors all U.S. veterans and soldiers from the Revolutionary War to present day conflicts.

Choose from guided or self-guided tours, with options to add a Coffee & Conversation with an Educator, a private lunch space, or a Civil War Theater Program. Group tour contact is the same for Civil War Museum, Kenosha Public Museum, and Dinosaur Discovery Museum.

Kenosha Public Museum

Discover how locally excavated mammoths have rewritten science books!

The Kenosha Public Museum is a natural history and fine arts museum. The excavated-in-Kenosha mammoths are famous, so be sure to visit their exhibit! Also stroll through the Four Season Native American Village and visit the exhibit: From Curiosity to Science. Here, you can explore six different ecosystems! Kids groups will enjoy the hands-on, try-it-on, test-it-out Resource Center.

Choose from guided or self-guided tours, with options to add a Coffee & Conversation with an Educator, or a private lunch space. Group tour contact is the same for Civil War Museum, Kenosha Public Museum, and Dinosaur Discovery Museum.

Dinosaur Discovery Museum

This museum is the perfect size for younger kids!

Did you know that meat-eating dinosaurs still exist today? They just appear in a different form — as birds! Learn how they are related and see the largest collection of theropods in the nation at the Dinosaur Discovery Museum. Travel back in time 237 million years ago to the present.

Group tour contact is the same for Civil War Museum, Kenosha Public Museum, and Dinosaur Discovery Museum.

Kenosha History Center

Explore the 108-year history of automobile manufacturing and engine assembly in Kenosha.

Learn about Kenosha’s extensive AMC history at the Kenosha History Center! Also learn of other manufacturers that once called Kenosha home, including American Brass, Simmons Bedding Company, Bain Wagon, Peter Pirsch & Sons, MacWhyte Company, Frost Manufacturing Company, and more.

Guided tours; can combine tour with Southport Light Station Museum tour. Group tour contact is the same person for both museums.

Southport Light Station Museum

Two attractions at this stop!

The Southport Light Station Museum is comprised of the Southport Lighthouse and the keeper’s house, which is a maritime museum. One of the exhibits details more than 40 shipwrecks buried near Kenosha. On display is a model of the SS Wisconsin, which sank in Lake Michigan in 1929. Climb the 72 steps up the 1866 Southport Lighthouse tower for a fabulous view! Open seasonally.

Guided tours; can combine tour with Kenosha History Center tour. Group tour contact is the same person for both museums.