A $160.5 million Wisconsin History Center at the top of State Street downtown was unanimously approved by the State Building Commission on Wednesday, according to the Wisconsin State Journal. The Wisconsin Historical Society’s History Center will include 100,000 square feet of space and offer unprecedented access to state and regional history collections.
The project will be constructed at a property covering 30 N. Carroll St. and adjacent 20 and 22 N. Carroll St. It will feature a facade with rotated top floors, a transparent lobby, a cafe, three permanent galleries, a rotating community gallery, a temporary gallery to host national shows, and interactive exhibit spaces. There will also be an event space and terrace that overlooks the Capitol on the fifth floor.
Demolition on the sites will begin in 2024, and construction is slated to begin later in the year. The project is expected to be complete in 2026. Its design and construction budget is supported by $112.3 million in state funds and $48.2 million in private gifts.
The center is projected to welcome over 200,000 guests annually and double the number of school students served to 60,000.
