MMoCA is a unique building offering a few levels of art. I have to say, the exhibits that I saw…read morewere not my favorite, but the staff were nice and the building itself is very spacious and modern. It's the perfect stop to warm up for a bit on a cold day!

It's a very small gallery, but it has some interesting pieces. It's a quick, free stop when you…read morewant something to do.

Had a late dinner at Cento and it did not disappoint! I ordered the Tuscan kale Cesar salad and the…read morescallops entree. Both were impeccable! My server, Prasad, was really the highlight! He was so sweet and informative. Went through the menu and described everything in such detail. My friend and I were visiting Madison for work and he offered us so many options to fill our free time. He takes so much pride in everything and it shows. The ambiance of the restaurant is a little on the nicer side, but they do allow casual attire. 10/10 recommend and can't wait to come back for the wine flight with the in house Somm.

I hadn't been to Cento for several years. I was hoping to be wow'd. Unfortunately, it didn't start…read moreoff well. I couldn't blame it on our server. She was fine. Courteous, friendly, and professional. I also liked the atmosphere. Perfect decor, dark tones with a cosmopolitan feel. Let's start with the apps. The calamari was overcooked, leathery and tough to chew. It was taken off our bill, but it should've needed to be. Calamari--overcooked at a high-end restaurant like this. That shouldn't happen. We got the meatballs as a replacement. Tasty. Perfectly cooked. Spicy (but the spiciness was inconsistent. Some bites were 'mild' and others were way more spicy. We were pleasantly surprised by the Tuscan Kale Caesar. We weren't fans of kale, this tasted really good. Fresh tasting, crunchy. The dressing had a mild taste. Just the right amount of dressing. The chicken parm was very good. Crunchy coating, not dry. The rigatoni served with it was just the way I like it, a touch al dente. The Bucatini alla Carbonara was very good. I added sausage to it, thinking it would be links, but it came crumbled. If I hadn't have done that, it would've been perfect creamy spicy. My friend enjoyed her scallops. They were soft and pillowy and accented well with cream pea and pancetta. The shrimp scampi was also well prepared. The shrimp had a nice bite, not chewy, and the pasta was well done. It was all nestled in warm buttery sauce. I liked the tiramisu. Presented in a cup. The custard cream (zabaglione) should be more light and fluffy, this was a bit thick, but that's ok. It still tasted real good.

super gorgeous and nice place to study. Definetly not the most quiet though, not always but…read moresometimes the librarians can be very loud which makes it hard to study if you don't want to use headphones.

The WHS is a beautiful and easy-to-navigate library where you can find old Wisconsin newspapers on…read moremicrofilm that aren't available on the web. The staff is friendly, the materials are very accessible and the equipment is easy to use. The building itself is gorgeous, with vaulted, stained glass ceilings and long, old fashioned wooden desks each with small green lamps. Here's how our visit played out... Growing up as a kid, it was always fun to hear my parents' stories from their childhood in La Crosse, WI. My dad has a couple that he really enjoys recounting: one story is about an epic high school football matchup between his school and my mom's (my dad's team won, which may explain his fondness for the story), and a second story is about a lone gunman who robbed a hotel where my dad worked, my dad subsequently chased into a parking lot, and he got shot at in the chase. You can tell that both of these items of family folklore may be tweeked with a bit of exagerration. My siblings and I always wondered, are my dad's memories completely accurate, or are they big fish stories? Yesterday I convinced my parents to join me on a trip to the Historical Society, where they have a vast collection of past Wisconsin newspapers on microfilm. Tucked away in a back room, you can look up La Crosse Tribune newspapers from the 1960s, organized by month in an old school card catalog or on a new school online database. The library has tons of microfilm machines that are available for open use. You retrieve the microfilm yourself from a shelving system, and you're free to start scanning it on a manual-roller or automatic-digital machine. We quickly found newspaper evidence confirming both of my dad's stories, and his reputation for veracity remains intact. He was very pleased with our findings (I think he may have started doubting his own memory). He also got swept up by all the big headlines on the newspapers' coverpages (Vietnam, Nixon, controversies over interstate construction). The library staff was very friendly and willing to help us along during our search process. The entire visit only took us about an hour, and that's pretty quick, demonstrating how organized they've got things. We tracked down exactly what we needed in a short time amidst an enormous volume of materials and with only a vagueidea of when it all had happened. We were able to make digital, emailed copies of the newspapers for free, and we made some paper printouts of the important pages for 25 cents/page. The Wisconsin Historical Society Library is an excellent resource for the state and a great place to check on family folklore. And here's an idea: You could make a scrapbook gift for a parent, comprised of newspaper clippings that confirm their favorite stories or show big events from their childhood.

Lots of signs to get to the top of the capitol and staff that make it easy to navigate. The view is…read moreworth the stairs and the visit. The marble throughout are grand and stunning.

While I do not spend much time in State Capital buildings, I would like to spend more time here, as…read morethe Wisconsin State Capital building is absolutely beautiful, a great space to learn about history, marvel at the intricate details of the stonework, look over Madison from the mezzanine level or take in the phenomenal artwork on the rotunda ceilings! The capital building is located in the heart of the city and is a perfect backdrop of any day, no matter the season. While great from the exterior, wandering around inside is way more fun. It is open to the public and free to roam, however you can get guided tours that get you access to the more restricted areas, including the floors. We wandered around for well over an hour and could have spent more time if we had more access. The mezzanine level was the best, as it allowed you to see lots of history as you made the circle indoors, then let you get every angle of Madison and the lake from the outdoor area. Parking is all public and street, so plan accordingly, but if you are staying anywhere in or near downtown, then you have easy access with a quick walk. Overall, the building is gorgeous and the staff were helpful from entry to exit. Lots to see, whether politics or history are your things, it is definitely worth a visit!

The memorial fountain honors Annie Stewart (1867-1905), who suffered from depression and who…read moreeventually took her own life. A few months later, Annie's mother passed away, leaving a $2000 bequest to the Madison Park & Pleasure Drive Association for the creation of a drinking fountain in Annie's honor. The will specified that Annie's name had to be prominently engraved on the drinking fountain and that it should be built at a suitable location in Madison as a memorial to her daughter. The fountain features a 12-foot-diameter white concrete circular basin. Dolphins and sea nymphs rest on an elevated platform in the center of the basin. Tiny tritons around the perimeter of the circular basin drained water into smaller basins with drinking faucets using their conch shells. White marble was used to cut the figures in the middle. After the fountain's construction was finished in late 1924, it was dedicated in 1925. Unfortunately, the fountain has been damaged by vandals and is not in very good condition. It's a shame there are people who do such negative things. Do stop by and think about this young girl and what her mother has done to remember her. Just to to the south is an Eagle effigy Indian mound, one of the only remaining mound from a group of seven or eight built by Native American people on this small hilltop overlooking Lake Wingra. [Review 20696 overall - 266 in Wisconsin - 1677 of 2023.]

absolutely beautiful large modern library!! that actually has space for all ages!! they even have a…read morelittle store on the second? floor with very affordable books. it was actually so pretty, id def go here to do work or study

Excellent public library, a great place to find reading, listening material. Friendly helpful…read morelibrarians, there's a printing station if you're staying a downtown hotel for business or a scientific seminar. If you forgot your book at home there's a small but pleasant used bookstore here with a great selection of used classical CDs. Lots of interesting events. Comfortable and peaceful seating. Because democracy requires an informed and literate citizenry I consider this library to be part of the bulwark of American freedom.

A free visit to the botanical garden was a highlight of my trip to Madison! I got the…read morerecommendation from my Cousin who went here a couple of weeks ago. It is $6 to visit the other side which is the Hoyt arboretum. I opted not to do it as it was around 2:30 pm and the place closes at 4 pm. The place is gorgeous and great escape from downtown State street. The highlight was the golden Thai temple. Bathrooms were clean and there was a water bottle filled with station. Staff was friendly. The gift shop was small and sold trinkets to commemorate your trip. It was an easy bus ride from Downtown. My cousin said she rented a bike to go there for $20 a day. Also if you walk behind, you can visit the Garver Mill Feed for a slice of pizza, ice cream or play a board game.

The Botanical Gardens are about a 15 minute drive from the airport. So it's a great way to spend…read moresome time in Madison before taking off. Parking is free. We had no trouble finding any parking on a Monday morning. Entrance to the outdoor section is free. The restrooms were clean. When we went the indoor conservatory was closed for maintenance. The Thai pavilion was beautiful and the highlight of our visit. The grounds were very well maintained. There's a good amount of shaded areas. The gift shop is cute. I wish they had more snacks or other edible souvenirs that were overtly "Wisconsin".

The Memorial Union Terrace is the place to be. As a Badger Alum, this is where you ought to be when…read moreyou're skipping class when the weather is nice: I know I certainly was. Don't tell your parents if you're thinking of attending from out of state, you know: $$$$, :O Live music, and food-places either from on the terrace itself or from inside the Memorial Union to bring meals out on a tray (Pro-tip: eastern-inside spots are generally better) Warning: Operations are *seasonal* - this year: 4/17/2026 to 10/27/2026 There's a not so subtle Madison, WI weather subtext message here

We stopped by Memorial Terrace on July 4th 2026 to enjoy some of the festivities going on,…read moreincluding a marching band. We watched some of the World Cup on a giant screen and enjoyed a beer and large pretzel at Der Rathskeller restaurant, stopped by the gift shop/mini-market, walked up and down the lakefront, sat and admired the view and took photos of the big chair and the Badger statue. It was the perfect Wisconsin vacation experience! Helpful?

If you are looking for amazing fine art lithographs, look no further. Printers Joe Freye and Jason…read moreRuhl are amazing colaborators who help visiting artists make incredible limited edition prints.

From the owner: Tandem Press is a professional printmaking studio that produces top-quality prints by nationally…read morerecognized artists. Affiliated with the Art Department at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, Tandem Press is a self-funded studio that fosters research, collaboration, experimentation, and innovation in the field of printmaking. Tandem Press has produced prints by many artists including Derrick Adams, Andy Burgess, Richard Bosman, Suzanne Caporael, Squeak Carnwath, Robert Cottingham, Lesley Dill, Jim Dine, Sam Gilliam, Michelle Grabner, Richard Haas, Al Held, Ikeda Manabu, José Lerma, Nicola López, David Lynch, Cameron Martin, Maser, Judy Pfaff, Sam Richardson, Dan Rizzie, Alison Saar, David Shapiro, Juane Quick-to-See Smith, Robert Stackhouse, Swoon, and Mickalene Thomas.