The Wisconsin Historical Society is an agency of the state and a membership organization. By statute and tradition dating from its founding in 1846, the Society seeks to carry out its responsibilities for the benefit, enjoyment and education of the public, while maintaining high standards of historical integrity and professional ethics. Today, the Society ranks among the pre-eminent state historical agencies in the nation and its collections have grown to comprise the largest library in the world dedicated exclusively to North American history. The Society's historical museum and its statewide network of 10 historic sites provide one of the nation's most comprehensive laboratories for the study, appreciation and enjoyment of Midwestern frontier history.
Your membership in the Society also helps support such activities as the Library and Archives with its significant collection of rare books, manuscripts and photographs; the Office of School Services, reaching thousands of elementary school students and their teachers throughout Wisconsin; a website that attracted more than 1.2 million unique hits; and services for local historical organizations throughout Wisconsin.