Strangely, even while living in Madison, I always put off visiting the museum, thinking, 'I'll go next time.'

However, recently, my kids kept asking, "Let's go somewhere fun," so I left the house with the mindset of just checking out the museum without any high expectations.

Honestly, I thought I would just kill some time, but once I started exploring, I found there was much more to see than I expected, and I ended up enjoying it even more.

Living in Madison, you can really feel how well the cultural infrastructure is developed thanks to the university. In particular, the museums and art galleries associated with the university are large and have high-quality exhibitions. Most importantly, many of them are free, making them great options for family outings.

The first place I would recommend is the Chazen Museum of Art. Located on the UW-Madison campus, it opened in 1970 as the Elvehjem Art Center and was renamed in 2005. The exhibition space spans about 176,000 square feet and houses over 25,000 works of art.

From ancient Greek and Roman artifacts to Western European paintings, Mughal Indian art, Edo period Japanese works, and contemporary African art, the collection is impressive, crossing various eras and regions. Above all, the fact that admission is free is its biggest advantage.

Anyone can visit freely, not just students or staff. This makes it easy to stop by and enjoy the artworks for an hour or two without any pressure.

It's within walking distance from the State Capitol, making it a great addition to a downtown tour. After visiting the museum, grabbing a meal or a coffee on State Street can easily fill up half a day. Since special exhibitions change with the seasons, you can feel something new even if you visit multiple times.

Meanwhile, the Wisconsin Historical Museum is currently in a temporary hiatus.

Located at 30 N. Carroll Street on Capitol Square, this museum has long been a representative space showcasing the history and culture of Wisconsin, but it is currently demolishing its existing building to make way for a new Wisconsin History Center.

As of 2026, there will be no exhibitions, and only the gift shop will be open, with the new museum expected to open in 2028.

The released renderings show that it will transform into a much more modern space, which is exciting.

If you're with kids, you can't miss the Madison Children's Museum. It's not just a place to look at exhibits; there are many hands-on programs where children can learn through interaction, making it especially popular with young kids. If you're interested in contemporary art, the Madison Museum of Contemporary Art is also worth a visit. They frequently host free exhibitions and consistently showcase works by local artists.

At the UW-Madison Geology Museum, you can see dinosaur fossils and mineral displays, while the Wisconsin Science Museum offers science experience programs.

If you enjoy performances, I also recommend the Monona Terrace and the Overture Center for the Arts.

In particular, the Overture Center plays a central role in Madison's cultural life, hosting a variety of programs throughout the year, including Broadway musicals, classical performances, opera, and jazz concerts.

Looking back, I think the place I will visit most often among Madison's cultural facilities will be the Chazen Museum of Art. It's free, the quality of the exhibitions is high, and the fact that I can encounter new works each time is a big draw. The Wisconsin Historical Museum will also be a place I want to visit first when it reopens in 2028.

In the past, I only thought of Madison as a quiet college town, but now my perspective has completely changed.

If you take a little interest and look around, you'll find museums, performance venues, and galleries scattered throughout the city, making the day fly by.

It's great for spending time with kids, and it's also sufficient for enjoying cultural activities alone at a leisurely pace.

If you have nothing to do on a holiday, consider taking the kids to a museum. The new experiences gained at the museum today will likely stay in your memory for a long time.