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A restored downtown building holds changing exhibits and research collections, while a self-guided walking tour connects visitors with the history of the surrounding street.
All times are local to the venue · America/Chicago
Open year-round Wednesday and Thursday, 1:00 pm–4:00 pm. Additional summer hours June 5–August 29, 2026: Friday 1:00 pm–4:00 pm and Saturday 10:00 am–2:00 pm. The current edition is Wednesday, October 28, 2026, 1:00 pm–4:00 pm.
The Port Washington Historical Society Resource Center offers two ways into the city’s past: explore its exhibits and local collections, then pick up a map and follow the historic buildings along Franklin Street.
The center occupies an 1852 building that the Society restored between 2012 and 2014. The work revealed the original tin ceiling, wood floors and plaster walls. Alongside the exhibits, the building houses the Society’s offices, collections and research area.
Research materials and files are available for community access. The holdings include the Wiening Photograph Collection of lake freighters and the Wisconsin Chair Company/Paramount Record Collection, as well as collections associated with Smith Bros. and Port Washington Breweries. These are avenues into the area’s maritime and business history, though collection items are not necessarily on exhibit.
Further reading: HOME | Port Washington Historical Society | PWHS ↗ · RESOURCE CENTER | PWHS ↗
The Society identifies “Port Washington’s Shipwreck Coast” as its latest exhibit, created in partnership with NOAA/Wisconsin Shipwreck Coast National Marine Sanctuary. It combines artifacts and stories with hands-on elements and videos about shipwrecks later found by explorers and marine archaeologists.
Exhibits change, so visitors making a special trip for that display should call the Society to check its current status. The center also has digital kiosks covering subjects including local industry, agriculture, commercial fishing and maritime history.
Further reading: RESOURCE CENTER | PWHS ↗ · Experience Our History - Port Washington ↗ · Port Washington Historical Society Resource Center - Port Washington ↗
Maps for downtown historical walking tours are available at the center. The Franklin Street Historic Walking Tour normally begins at the Smith Brothers Building, 100 North Franklin, but its online guide lets visitors start at any numbered marker. Brass markers are set into the sidewalk; some identify one building and others cover several structures at a site.
The tour puts the street in the context of major changes. A fire that began at the Wisconsin Chair Company in 1899 spread across six downtown blocks. By 1909, Franklin Street had trolley tracks down its center; the electric Interurban connected communities between Milwaukee and Sheboygan.
Further reading: Port Washington Historical Society Resource Center - Port Washington ↗ · WALKING TOUR | PWHS ↗
The October 28, 2026, listing runs from 1 to 4 p.m. The center’s regular year-round hours are Wednesdays and Thursdays, 1 to 4 p.m.
Additional 2026 summer hours were listed for June 5 through August 29: Fridays from 1 to 4 p.m. and Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Port Washington Historical Society Resource Center - Port Washington ↗ · RESOURCE CENTER | PWHS ↗
For questions about collections, research access or the current exhibit, call the Society at 262-268-9150.
The gift shop carries themed merchandise and books featuring Port Washington’s two lighthouses; purchases are separate from free admission.
Port Washington Historical Society Resource Center - Port Washington ↗
The Resource Center is at 205 N Franklin St, Port Washington, WI 53074. It is a separate site from the Society’s 1860 Light Station. Use the map links to calculate directions from your starting point.
Port Washington Historical Society Resource Center - Port Washington ↗ · HOME | Port Washington Historical Society | PWHS ↗
No. Admission to the Resource Center is free.
Port Washington Historical Society Resource Center - Port Washington ↗ · RESOURCE CENTER | PWHS ↗
Yes. The Society says research materials and files are available for community access. Call 262-268-9150 to discuss a particular research question or visit.
No. That is the usual starting point, but the online guide’s Quick Start option lets you choose another numbered marker.
The Society identifies it as its latest exhibit, but displays change. Call ahead if seeing it is central to your visit.
205 N Franklin St, Port Washington, WI 53074
Map search by venue and address. Check the organiser’s entrance details before travelling.
Images from the linked sources. Each caption identifies the context of the image.
Event, planning and background information checked 2026-10-28 against the linked sources.