Recreation

The Past Is in Your Future

download a free ticket to the Chippewa Valley Museum

Tom Giffey |

For the lover of all things local, what’s better than a visit to the Chippewa Valley Museum? Why, a free visit to the Chippewa Valley Museum, of course! As part of Smithsonian magazine’s annual “Museum Day Live!” event, you can download a ticket for free admission for two people to the Chippewa Valley Museum in Eau Claire’s Carson Park. If you’ve never been there – or even if it’s been a year or two – the museum is well worth a visit, free or otherwise. There are 12,000 square feet of exhibits, including the massive “Changing Currents,” which opened a little over a year ago and outlines a broad swath of the region’s history with the help of text, objects, and interactive elements; “Farm Life,” which traces our region’s rich agricultural heritage; “This Day,” a multimedia object theater; a children’s gallery; a 21-room dollhouse; and more. After you’ve explored the exhibits, be sure to stop at the authentic 1950s-style ice cream parlor for a frozen treat. “Museum Day Live!” is a nationwide event designed to encourage Americans – especially women and girls – to visit museums and other cultural institutions during March, which is Women’s History Month. The program provides tickets for two guests per household per email address. Other participating museums in the region include the Chippewa Falls Museum of Industry and Technology, the New Richmond Heritage Center, and the Children’s Museum of La Crosse. To learn more about the program, and to get your free tickets, visit Smithsonian.com/museumday, then get ready for a blast in the past. 

Museum Day Live! at the Chippewa Valley Museum • 10am-5pm, Saturday, March 12 • Chippewa Valley Museum, Carson Park, Eau Claire • FREE with ticket downloaded from Smithsonian.com/museumday (search for “Chippewa Valley Museum”) • (715) 834-7871 • cvmuseum.com