Door County Maritime Museum
Door County’s rich maritime history, with emphasis on Sturgeon Bay’s shipbuilding heritage, is the focal point of the new 20,000 sq. ft. Door County Maritime Museum facility. The museum is located on the city’s West Side waterfront at the foot of the downtown bridge. Opened just three years ago, the museum houses four galleries, features a stunning balcony view of the bay and also houses a gift shop filled with an extensive collection of maritime books and gifts.
First floor galleries include the Founder’s Gallery, dedicated to the museum’s first board of directors, and the Peterson Gallery. The Founder’s Gallery offers a room-by-room walk through Door County shipbuilding history. New this year is a nuclear submarine periscope which presents a 360-degree, five-story view of Sturgeon Bay. The periscope is the centerpiece of an exhibit explaining the ambitious anti-submarine construction effort staged in the city’s shipyards during World War II. Across the hall in the Peterson Gallery is the museum’s Engine Room, Small Craft Workshop and a marina exhibit dominated by a Chris Craft slung inside the original Marine Travelift hoist built in Sturgeon Bay. A scaled-down replica of the Roen Steamship Office is also included in the gallery adjacent to an exhibit on the company’s amazing story of the raising of the ore carrier Humphrey off the bottom of Lake Michigan.
There’s an impressive stained glass window that’s bound to capture anyone’s attention on the climb to the second floor galleries where the Mezzanine Gallery houses an exhibit on model makers during the summer of 2000. The Elba pilot house is a hit with all ages and the museum theater presents a closer look at the city’s three modern era shipyards. The ship models in the Baumgartner Gallery reflect the diversity of shipbuilding in the city. Door County has more lighthouses than any other county in the United States and a wing of the gallery spotlights their location and the men who manned them.
Besides providing one of the best waterfront views in the city, the museum’s Bridge Room also includes both a gallery and navigational exhibit with working radar and GPS units. More art can be found outside the Bridge Room in the upper lobby.
The Museum is open daily throughout the year, except for selected holidays. Hours are 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Memorial Day to the Labor Day and 10 to 5 the rest of the year. Admission is charged. Top
“Wonderful surprise.” “Full of interesting facts.” “Unbelievable! Wow!” “Much attention to detail.” These comments are typical of the responses from first time visitors to the Door County Historical Museum. Upon entering the museum, most visitors are surprised at the size of the facility. The quaint 1930’s era stone building on the corner of Fourth Avenue and Michigan Street, masks the large multi-gallery addition to the building. The Chicago Tribune named this treasure the “Best Small Museum in the Midwest.”
The main gallery contains the spectacular new wildlife diorama by local artist, Mike Orthober. Mike, a world renowned taxidermist, is using his skills to create all four seasons in a typical Door County nature scene. Dozens of mounted birds, waterfowl, and mammals, including a bear and deer, accent this exhibit complete with a life size beech tree and typical Door County stone bluff. In addition to the remarkable beauty of this artistry, his focus is always on education. The main gallery also exhibits artifacts from the first known humans on the Door Peninsula, the Paleo/Indian culture more than 11,000 years ago, to the first white settlers in the 1830’s.
As you continue through the museum, you will find an entire wing devoted to the Pioneer Fire Company.
The upper gallery of the museum is devoted to Door County’s unique history.
The lower gallery portrays the goods of daily life typical of any Wisconsin county in days gone by.
All of the items on display are personally connected to the people of Door County. Throughout the museum an attempt as been made to record the individual stories that go along with the artifacts. The Door County Historical Museum, located at 18 N. 4th Avenue, is open May 1-October 31. Hours: 10:00 A.M.-4:30 P.M. seven days a week. Admission is free, donations appreciated. Wheelchair accessible. (920) 743-5809. Top
25th Anniversary 1975-2000
The Miller Art Museum is open year-round serving a broad public spectrum of visitors from in and out of the state, region, and local communities including adults, young adults/teens, and school children, Four beautiful gallery spaces host a number of exciting exhibits, an extensive rotated exhibit of the Permanent Collection of 20th century Wisconsin artists, and a special wing devoted to the work of Gerhard C. F. Miller whose imaginary realism and extraordinary talent has delighted art lovers for decades.
Celebrating its 25th Anniversary, the museum was originally a gift from Gerhard and Ruth Miller, who nurtured the dream of a public art center for Door County that would be open all year to encourage its use more fully by students. Now in their mid-nineties, the Millers continue to be an active part of the
Museum activities and Gerhard continues to produce exquisite works in watercolor and egg tempera.
Other programs sponsored by the Museum include: a Performing Arts Series, a Community Artreach Program of art workshops for adults and children; a Picture Program of Master Artists for elementary students one for senior citizens, a Reproduction Study Collection including works of both Gerhard C. F. Miller and Charles L. Peterson; monthly educational exhibit-related programming for the 200 volunteers, members, and the public; tours to other
museums and art-related events; and more.
A beautiful 25th Anniversary commemorative poster is available at the Museum Shop of a 1999 egg tempera,
Out Our Studio Window, by Gerhard C. F. Miller.
The 25th Anniversary Open House will be held on Saturday, July 8 from 4:00-8:00 pm and will feature live music, tasty refreshments & cake, and a raffle of an original egg tempera and watercolor by Gerhard Miller, an exquisite star pattern quilt by Carola McMullen, and much, much more!!
The Miller Art Museum is fully accessible and is located at 107 S. 4th Ave., Sturgeon Bay within the Door County Library Building.
Hours: Monday-Saturday, 10-5, Monday-Thursday, 7-9 pm. Museum Office: 920-746-0707
Gerhard and Ruth Miller, founders of the Miller Art Museum in 1975. We honor their gift to the community on this, our 25th Anniversary year! Top
“The Fairfield is the newest and most internationally oriented addition to Door County’s burgeoning art scene,” reports The Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel. The William S. Fairfield Public Gallery is located at the corner of Third and Michigan in the heart of Sturgeon Bay.
The historic building has been completely renovated and now plays host to contemporary art exhibits from around the world. The Gallery’s permanent collection features an impressive representation of the works of English sculptor and graphic artist Henry Moore and paintings and drawings by such international artists as Kandinsky, Rietti, Giacometti, Leger, Magritte and more. The Gallery also hosts a variety of art related programs and classes.
The Fairfield brings to Sturgeon Bay exhibits that represent a broad range of contemporary art from around the world. They also offer educational programs designed to broaden the understanding and enjoyment of art and stimulate the work of the area artists. In this way it hopes to supplement and expand the already thriving art scene in Door County.
“The Fairfield Collection,” part of the Gallery’s permanent collection, is slated for exhibition through the autumn and winter of 1999. A major glass exhibit is planned for the spring and summer of 2000, and an international exhibit of wildlife art for the autumn.
The lower level of the Gallery houses the museum gift shop and a coffee house. The Fairfield Store offers an eclectic combination of original art, Henry Moore prints and note cards, educational toys, art books, jewelry, posters and more. The Daily Grind Coffee House features coffee, tea, Chai, pasta, sandwiches and baked goods.
The Gallery is open year round. For hours and current exhibit information call 920-746-0001, or stop by 242 Michigan Street. Admission is $2.00 for adults, and $1.00 for children. Top
