Culver’s signs on as Premier Partner supporting the statewide tour launching this fall

Madison, Wis. – The Wisconsin Historical Society is pleased to announce its traveling History Makers Tour kicks off this month in conjunction with the public launch of the History Maker Space on Capitol Square in Madison. Together, the transition space and statewide tour position the Society to continue serving Wisconsin students and communities in the time leading up to the completion of a new state-of-the-art, 100,000-square-foot history center in late 2026. The statewide tour was made possible by generous support from Culver’s and a grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Services.

“The History Makers Tour and History Maker Space both play a critical role in continuing to serve young learners and history lovers while we are building a new history center,” said Angela Titus, assistant deputy director and chief program officer for the Wisconsin Historical Society. “We are excited to try out new programs and bring our state’s stories into local communities over the next three years.”

Starting with the south-central region of Wisconsin, the History Makers Tour will travel to all areas of the state before concluding in the northeast region in early 2027. The Society will work with local history organizations, libraries, cultural venues and other partners to bring history directly to communities through pop-up exhibits, artifact displays, author talks, special events and more. The History Makers Tour will make its first stops in the cities of Beaver Dam, Jefferson, Monticello, New Glarus and Sun Prairie.

"Wisconsin has a rich and deep history,” explained Craig Culver, co-founder of Culver’s. “It is a pleasure to support these efforts which will celebrate and share that history in so many different ways and in such a variety of areas of the state. I love Wisconsin and am very proud to be a Cheesehead.” 

For Madison residents and visitors, the new History Maker Space also opens this month and is located on the main level of the US Bank Plaza on Capitol Square. The space will house pop-up exhibits, special events, history center sneak peeks and a refreshed retail shop, along with an interactive education space for school groups. The temporary location allows the Society to continue hosting school field trips and pilot new public programming during construction of the new history center. The Society began welcoming school groups to the expanded education space in September.

“As the new school year kicks off, we are excited to welcome students into a dynamic education space, where young learners will become history makers themselves as they design their own exhibits and dig into the many hands-on history experiences we have waiting for them,” said Titus. 

Visit wisconsinhistory.org/historycenter for more details and tour information. Click here for photos of the new History Maker Space.

This project was made possible in part by the Institute of Museum and Library Services (Grant Number MA-253159-OMS-23).

 About the 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.

About Culver’s

For over 38 years, Culver’s guests have been treated to cooked-to-order food made with farm-fresh ingredients and served with a smile. The ever-expanding franchise system now numbers 900 family-owned and operated restaurants in 26 states. The restaurants’ nationally recognized customer service is based on small-town, Midwestern values, genuine friendliness and an unwavering commitment to quality. Signature items include the award-winning ButterBurger, made from fresh, never frozen beef, and Fresh Frozen Custard, including the famous Flavor of the Day program. For more information, visit www.culvers.com or connect with Culver’s on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and Twitter.

About The Institute of Museum and Library Services

The Institute of Museum and Library Services is the primary source of federal support for the nation's libraries and museums. We advance, support, and empower America's museums, libraries, and related organizations through grantmaking, research, and policy development. IMLS envisions a nation where individuals and communities have access to museums and libraries to learn from and be inspired by the trusted information, ideas, and stories they contain about our diverse natural and cultural heritage. To learn more, visit www.imls.gov and follow us on Facebook and Twitter.