Wisconsin Historical Society seeks input on proposed $120 million museum

Dean Mosiman:

As it plans a new, world-class facility, the Wisconsin Historical Society is bringing a statewide effort to get public input on the project to Madison for the first time this week.

The Historical Society and private developers, determined to fulfill a two-decade-long dream, are pursuing a striking new history museum with commercial and residential space above it on Capitol Square that could be the city’s biggest project ever.

The state, the Historical Society, Hovde Properties and landowner Fred Mohs have long eyed part of the block that fronts the Square and holds the current, undersized museum and surrounding properties for a joint redevelopment.

The Historical Society is pursuing a $120 million, 100,000-square-foot museum that would more than double exhibition space, and provide learning, meeting and flexible spaces with state-of-the-art technology that would attract 150,000 visitors annually. It would be topped by the Hovde-Mohs $80 million to $120 million private development bringing 200,000 to 250,000 square feet of commercial and residential space.

In recent months, the Historical Society initiated a series of more than 40 events to get input on the museum from diverse populations across the state.