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Ever Gleaming at the WIsconsin Historical Museum

 

Madison, WI. – The Wisconsin Historical Museum is ushering in the holiday season with the opening of its annual “Ever Gleaming” exhibit on Saturday, November 13, 2021. The popular exhibition tells the story of how aluminum Christmas trees became a holiday decoration staple of the 1960s thanks to a Wisconsin-based company. This year’s display features vintage artifacts, advertisements, and commercials showing how Americans embraced Space Age design in the 1950s and 1960s. Admission to the museum is free and the “Ever Gleaming” exhibit will be on display until Thursday, December 30, 2021.

“Ever Gleaming celebrates a holiday tradition that originated right here in Wisconsin,” said Mike Hollander, deputy director for the Wisconsin Historical Museum. “This exhibition is synonymous with seasonal nostalgia complete with a forest of the iconic aluminum trees and a replica of a 1960s living room.”

“Ever Gleaming” shares the story of the Manitowoc-based Aluminum Specialty Company who first introduced the aluminum Christmas tree at the American Toy Fair in March 1959. Aluminum trees caught on in the following decade and made their way into millions of American homes. In 2005, the Wisconsin Historical Museum debuted its first “Ever Gleaming” exhibition to celebrate the beloved vintage trees.

Ever Gleaming merchandise is available for sale through the Wisconsin Historical Society’s online store. To learn more about America’s aluminum Christmas trees, visit the virtual Ever Gleaming exhibit online.

About the Wisconsin Historical Museum

The Wisconsin Historical Museum, one of 12 Wisconsin Historical Society Sites, is located at 30 N. Carroll St. on Madison’s Capitol Square. The museum features four floors of exhibition space and a unique museum store. Call 608-26406555 for more information, or visit us online at www.WisconsinHistoricalMuseum.org.

About Wisconsin Historical Society
The Wisconsin Historical Society, founded in 1846, ranks as one of the largest, most active and most diversified state historical societies in the nation. As both a state agency and a private membership organization, its mission is to help people connect to the past by collecting, preserving and sharing stories. The Wisconsin Historical Society serves millions of people every year through a wide range of sites, programs and services. For more information, visit www.wisconsinhistory.org.

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