History & Museums

Kenosha is a community rich with history and culture.

Four Historic Districts:

The Library Park, Third Avenue, and Civic Center historic districts are listed on the National Register of Historic Places, while Pearl Street is listed as a locally designated historic district. 

Five Museums:

Within a one-mile radius in Downtown Kenosha, near the Lake Michigan shore, sit five museums to educate, entertain, and inspire residents and visitors. Did you know The Civil War Museum, Dinosaur Discovery Museum, and Kenosha Public Museum are Smithsonian Institution Affiliates? Or that the Kenosha History Center preserves Kenosha’s automotive and industrial heritage? Did you know there is a seasonal maritime museum here in Kenosha? It’s called the Southport Light Station Museum.

Historic Venues:

Whether you’re cheering at baseball games at Historic Simmons Field, which was built in 1920, or at bicycle races at the Washington Park Velodrome, which was built in 1927, you’ll get a feel for the pride that Kenosha takes in preserving its history. Enjoy community theatre at Rhode Center for the Arts – the opera house was originally built in 1891, while the current building was constructed in 1927. And then there’s Franks Diner: six horses pulled the eatery to its current location in 1926. It's the oldest continuously operating lunch car diner in the U.S.

There are many more historic buildings to visit as well.

In an extra nod to nostalgia, ride aboard an authentic Electric Streetcar or the seasonal Lakefront Trolley.