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    Old World Wisconsin

    4.2 (43 reviews)
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    Updated a few days ago

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    Fun artifacts from legions of old!

    Legends and Lore: Two adults 6 teenaged girls, some into scary, some scaredy cats wanted to do something fun at night during spooky season. This was perfect! We all had fun. We may have learned something along the way too! Important note: get there early and done feel the need to do it all in order. There is a lot to see.

    Trail

    If you allow yourself about three hours, you will see and read everything. Great exercise in a natural setting. Can't go wrong with old world, Wisc..

    It was amazing!! My daughter and I love history and it felt like we were transported back to the 1800's. Staff was super polite and were very prompt and knowledgeable with our questions. Definitely recommend this location if your looking todo something with your family

    One of the rooms in yankee home I believe,
    Kyle A.

    The Disneyland of frontier North America. And I do not put that lightly. There is a little something for everyone here and it was great that just about everyone - both staff and volunteers - seemed to enjoy what they do. The token system is great for the experience but the nature and historic value alone is worth its weight in gold. I like that the animals are well taken care of. The blacksmith was great and full of enthusiasm. The school house was very engaging. Having the tram system really helped us get around after our feet got tired. Great place. Highly recommend. Amazing for adults and kids alike.

    Marissa M.

    My family came to Old World Wisconsin, and I was super impressed! My nephews (3 and 5) had a great time, and there was plenty to keep us adults interested too. The transportation between each site was impressive. It was a very hot day, so it was really nice to have all the water fountains around the park that they did. Great spot!

    Ashton M.

    Old World Wisconsin is a beautiful museum of sorts out in the country. The staff were kind and helpful, teaching about the history of each building and its former inhabitants. There are many life animals on the farms as well. Our time here was limited, but I could have spent all day here! Be sure to check café hours. Bring your own snacks and water as well.

    Hannah H.

    We came to Old World Wisconsin on a class field trip. Seeing the pigs, the baby chickens, and the sheep makes this place worthwhile! The whole place is like a time warp, and they have some rope-making presentations by the farm, an opportunity to walk on stilts as a past-time, guided tours, and getting a tram around the area. Great place to walk around and explore. There are student rates as well as school discounts. Be sure to bring a packed or sacked lunch, since their restaurant was just okay - I did enjoy their Oatmeal Raisin cookies as they were quite delicious! Their Pulled Pork was okay, but more on the sweeter side, and their potato salad was very dill-focused. Definitely an educational experience! +great educational experience! +bring a sacked lunch

    Rankinen House (Finnish)
    Kathryn D.

    As a child, Old World Wisconsin was one of my favorite places in the world, and I continue to love to visit as an adult when I'm in the area. Growing up, my family would typically come to OWW three to four times a year, including for special seasonal events. Over the years, I've made corn husk dolls, carded wool, kneaded dough and baked bread, learned how to clean clothes using a washboard and wringer, ridden on a turn-of-the-century bicycle, become a master at stilt-walking, watched sheep shearing, sung Christmas carols at St. Peter's Church, and much more. On my most recent trip just a few weeks ago, I had the opportunity to see a baby calf born that very day, with the umbilical cord still attached - such a cool and memorable experience! For families interested in history, OWW an absolute must while in Wisconsin. You could certainly spend an entire day here, and I'd suggest allocating at least four or five hours. If you're short on time, be sure to visit the Raspberry Schoolhouse (Norwegian), the black kitchen at the Schultz farm (German), the sauna at the Ketola House (Finnish), and the blacksmith shop (Yankee Crossroads Village). If you have the opportunity, stop by the African-American area and learn about the extraordinary 19th and early 20th century community of Pleasant Ridge, home to one of the first integrated schools in the U.S. in the 1870s. There are modern restrooms in the visitor center and Clausing Barn Restaurant, as well as the Norwegian and German areas. The food at the restaurant is quite good, if a little over-priced, and the gift shop is definitely worth a visit. I should also mention that last summer, I attended an amazing wedding at OWW. The couple held their reception in the Clausing Barn, and it was such a charming and one-of-a-kind venue!

    Homestead in the German area where they had "Life on the Farm" with lots of animals.
    Whitney S.

    Much larger place than I had imagined. We were there mid-week in the summer and it wasn't very crowded, but the trams were easily running every 15 min or more frequently. The buildings and grounds were amazing - I hadn't realized that the buildings are original and the furnishings are great to recreate the feeling of walking into a person's home during that time period. It was great that you could walk through everything and touch many items - the kids that we saw there were having a great time. The interpreters (dressed in period outfits) were also very knowledgeable and we asked lots of questions. The school house was great - a whole room of adults crammed into those little desks with the school teacher calling on us to ask our questions (I was scolded - playfully - for not standing to ask my question - which just helped create a more authentic feel for the time period). I was a little sad for one of the pigs who was on a farm by himself and ran over when we approached (we fed him grass from the yard). And apparently they slaughter some of the animals at the end of the season (disturbing, since we're vegetarians). One of the houses had a freshly killed, skinned and cooked squirrel which, while authentic, seemed like over doing it a bit. If not for these issues, easily a five-star trip. I really liked how the interpreters had been or were engaged in authentic activities of the period (farming, baking, washing) so you got a real sense that you were just walking into someone's every day life from over a hundred years ago. The larger gardens were also quite impressive. We were there for about 4.5 hours and wished we'd arrived a little earlier. We kept up a good pace all day (but asked lots of questions and tried to see everything) but ended up being a little rushed at the end of the day and might go back to finish up seeing some things we missed. It was a great day trip from Chicago and we loved being in all the very quiet, open space.

    Old World Wisconsin
    Ericka A.

    People pretty much covered all of the bases in the other reviews on here; however, I would also like to mention that they have great rates for people who become members. They also gave me a discount for coming with a member. Animals are mainly kept in the barns and/or fenced. There are some chickens and turkeys that run around freely and they are pretty easy to access and get some good pictures of. You're allowed to take pictures pretty much everywhere. I don't remember seeing any signs to prohibit it. Their gift shop is awesome! It's truly a general store. My friend's husband and I bought hoops and sticks after playing with the ones they had for visitors to use. I think they were $20, if that. They also sell nationality patches for different parts of the settlement and my all time favorite, rock candy! We stocked up on bunches of rock candy sticks and candy canes. They kept us occupied on the ride home.

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    3 years ago

    Cutest place ever! Make sure to bring plenty of water and plan for a whole days adventure, not just a few hours.

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    3 years ago

    I can't get enough of this place. It is so fun and educational. My teenage boys loved it too!

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    Review Highlights - Old World Wisconsin

    The school house was very engaging.

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    Old World Wisconsin - museums - Updated May 2026

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