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.

Came here after a work conference. Our vendor made the reservations in advance…read more We were greeted and brought to our table and the 5 of us sat in a large booth. The interior is very modern and upscale. Lots of drink selections and a pretty good wine menu. We got the bacon wrapped dates appetizer and it was very flavorful. Warm bread and butter arrived and that was Al's good. All of my party finished their food. I got the pasta and liked the texture of the noodles with the tag sauce. It's a good sized portion. When the dessert came we were not expecting one order of gelato to have 3 scoops! Not bad for $9!! But I'm from San Francisco so likely why I expected one scoop for $9 ha. I'll add this restaurant to my list for the next time I'm in downtown Madison!

What an outstanding restaurant and dining experience!!! The moment I walked in, and saw it was a…read morefull house, plus the alluring smell of fine Italian food....I knew I hit it big. I sat at the bar solo and was immediately greeted by the bartender Jack. He served up a killer cocktail (Manhattan) and was quick to offer dining options and his favorites. I went with the fungi and four cheese pizza. Outstanding didn't' cover it!!! Enough to take home for lunch the next day. While seated at the bar, I was engaged in conversation by one of the servers Josie. A delightful young college student from U of Wisconsin. She told me about the area, the university and things of interest in the area. She was attentive to her customers, but when she had a brief moment, she would reengage me in conversation. She and all of the other servers were like bees swarming all over the restaurant. Their staff are extremely hard working and diligent to their customers. This was my first time here while visiting for work assignment. I plan to make this my "must have" when revisiting.

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.

This was my first time exploring any capitol building, but it was really beautiful! They offer free…read moretours so I joined in on one, and it was very informative. There were a lot of kids on the tour and the tour guide did a great job of explaining things for them. He also made a lot of jokes and was very friendly. The marble throughout the building is really pretty and cool to see. It's a lot of stairs but they do also have elevators. The observation deck at the top is definitely worth the climb also and offers a really pretty view of Madison.

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.

If you're visiting Madison, Wisconsin, add Olbrich Botanical Gardens to your list…read more We went in the off-season and it was still absolutely beautiful. The conservatory feels like stepping into a mini jungle--lush greenery, colorful orchids, and that warm, humid air that makes you forget it's winter outside for a minute. It's such a peaceful stop if you're looking for something relaxing, something scenic, or just want a quiet break from exploring the city. Honestly, I can only imagine how stunning this place is in peak bloom--but even off-season, it's 100% worth it. If you're building a Madison itinerary, this one's a must-see

This is a really nice botanical garden to visit, especially in the spring! Some things were not in…read morebloom the day I went, but there was a nice variety of plants and some cool structures. I appreciate that the admission is free as well. The day I came there were tons of people taking prom and graduation pictures, making it hard to see everything, so keep that in mind if you come around this time of year. A bit difficult to navigate the paths but overall a very beautiful place and great for pictures.

Scored tickets to the Nutcracker at the memorial union theatre. I nice small venue for a matinee…read more They have a nice large lounge area and the box office is right inside the doors. We parked in the ramp near by. We definitely enjoyed this visit and will visit again in the spring or summer.

Love this place! The ice cream is awesome, the beer cold, and the food is a mixed bag... but the…read moreviews are spectacular.

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.