Prairie du Chien, WI. – Villa Louis, one of the Wisconsin Historical Society’s 12 historic sites and museums, will reopen for in-person experiences on August 20, 2021. The site will be open on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays from 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. until closing day of the season on Sunday, October 31, 2021, with tours held on the hour from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. General admission costs $13.50 (ages 13+), $11.50 for seniors (ages 65+), and $6.75 for children (ages 5-12). Children younger than 5 receive free admission.

“Located on the banks of the Mississippi River, Villa Louis is the place to step back in time and explore one of the most authentically furnished Victorian houses in the country,” said Samantha Matern, southwest sites interpretation manager for the Wisconsin Historical Society. “The whole team is eager to once again open this National Historic Landmark to visitors.”

Villa Louis is the former home of the Dousman family, one of Wisconsin’s most historic families. The historic site will host Villa Louis Carriage Classic, a competitive carriage-driving event, on September 10-12, 2021. Featuring both arena and obstacle events, the Carriage Classic attracts the region’s finest horses and over 100 new and restored carriages. The event will take place on the lawns of Villa Louis which was once the site of H. Louis Dousman’s Artesian Stock Farm, a premier Standardbred trotting horse farm and racing facility.

On December 3-4 and 10-11, Victorian Home for the Holidays at Villa Louis will showcase the traditions and customs of Christmas and wintertime in the Dousman household. This special experience gives visitors the opportunity to see the mansion decorated for a Victorian Christmas celebration, enjoy the sounds of holiday music emanating from the Steinway grand piano, and experience the smells and tastes of holiday treats in the historic kitchen. To learn more about Villa Louis and special experiences taking place this season, visit villalouis.wisconsinhistory.org.

For the most up to date information about all 12 of the Wisconsin Historical Society’s sites and museums, visit wisconsinhistory.org/sites.

About Villa Louis

The historic Villa Louis mansion is the centerpiece of a grand Victorian estate built by the family of Hercules Dousman, a frontier entrepreneur who amassed a fortune in the fur trade and other frontier investments. The mansion underwent a top-to-bottom restoration to return the Dousman home to the splendor of its 1890s heyday, with interior designs inspired by famed designer William Morris.