Programs and
Special Events
Upcoming Events
Holiday Horse-Drawn Carriage Rides | Family-Size Wagon
Dates: December 1, 8, & 15, 2023
Time: 4-8:30 p.m.
Cost: $120/Family-Size Wagon (Up to 10 people)
Delight in the holiday spirit with a horse-drawn carriage ride through downtown Platteville! Enjoy the scenery and holiday lights of Main Street while learning about local history and key architectural landmarks with the background sound of a beautiful team of draft horses. Rides depart from The Mining & Rollo Jamison Museums regularly between 4 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. Shop in the Museum Store before or after your ride.
• Registration Required
Holiday Mine Sing
Dates: December 16, 2023
Time: 4-6 p.m.
Cost: $18/General (13+), $15/Seniors (65+), $9/Youth (6-12), $4.50 Child (under 5)
Join us for a beautiful evening of holiday choral music representing musical traditions of Germany and Cornwall — nations from which many of our region’s founders immigrated. A traditional Christmas concert in the round circling the 14-foot holiday tree by the Madison Maennenchor featuring a selection of carols, both German and American, will be followed by the Chough Singers performing 50 feet underground in the Museum’s Bevans Mine. The Chough Singers repertoire will include classic Cornish holiday favorites plus a couple of mining songs.
Holiday Shopping at the Museum Store
Dates: December 1, 8, & 15, 2023
Time: 4-9 p.m.
The Museum Store will be open for holiday shopping the first three Friday evenings in December! We offer STEAM toys, books by local authors, gems and minerals, museum shirts, and MORE that make perfect stocking stuffers and gifts. While shopping, be sure to visit the beloved 14-foot holiday tree in East Display Gallery! No registration necessary.
Miners Ball - Save the Date!
Date: February 17th, 2024
Location: Velzy Commons in Ullsvik Hall
The Friends of The Mining & Rollo Jamison Museums invite all to get into the Valentine’s Day spirit early by registering for the Miners Ball, which will take place Saturday, February 17, 2024. Go back in time, dress to the nines, and join this Platteville tradition full of food, cocktails, and big band music to dance to!
Past Events
UW-Platteville Family Day
Date: November 11, 2023
Time: 10 a.m. - 1 p.m.
Cost: Students (with ID) $1, General (13+) $12, Seniors (65+) $10, Youth (5-12) $6, Child (under 3) $3
The Mining & Rollo Jamison Museums and the University of Wisconsin Platteville are partnered for Family Day on November 11th to welcome students and their families to Platteville's features and attractions. At the Museums, UW-Platteville students will receive a special rate with tours available every half hour 10 a.m. - 12 p.m.
Beer Tasting and Gallery Talk: Friends Annual Meeting & Program
Date: Thursday, November 9, 2023
Time: 6-7:30 p.m.
Cost: Free for members and donors (Join or renew today!)
This year’s free Friends of The Mining & Rollo Jamison Museums Annual Meeting and Program will be held on Thursday, November 9, from 6–7:30 p.m. To complement the annual report from Museum leaders, the program this year features a Gallery Talk and Craft Beer Tasting by Platteville’s new UpDraft Brewery, plus homemade pie and Pioneer Sweets ice cream. The Annual Meeting and Program is offered as a free benefit for 2023 members of the Friends of the Mining & Rollo Jamison Museums and donors over $35 (Join or renew today!). Attendees will enjoy free food and drink (light hors d'oeuvres) and will have time to mingle. A silent auction of tasty pies will be featured as well.
Holiday Pasty Fundraiser
Sales: Now through November 3rd
Pick up: November 18th
Celebrate the birth of Wisconsin and its Badger State identity with the food that our earliest miners ate: Cornish pasty! Enjoy the authentic and award-winning taste of Cornish pasties from the Walker House in Mineral Point. These 7-ounce pasties will be offered frozen, to be baked at home for a piping hot meal and accompanied by your favorite condiment (we recommend chili sauce!). Stock up your freezer in time for the holidays!
Fall Community Free Day
Date: October 29, 2023
Time: 10 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Cost: FREE for Platteville residents
To thank the citizens of Platteville for their support since 1964, The Mining & Rollo Jamison Museums offers two community free days: season opening day, May 3; and season closing day, October 29. Museum admission, including a Guided Mine Tour and Train Ride (weather permitting) will be free to Platteville residents with proof of residency. Registration is suggested.
Haunted Mine Tours
Date: October 28, 2023
Time: 5 p.m. - 9 p.m.
Cost: General (13+) $20, Seniors (65+) $16, Youth (6-12) $12
Platteville’s spookiest Halloween tradition has returned with ghost miners around every corner! Descend deep into the past and experience an underground mine illuminated by candles and lantern light as you discover historical truths that are stranger than fiction. Tour every half hour starting at 5 p.m. Registration recommended.
Sweet Treats on Main
Date: October 28, 2023
Time: 11 a.m. - 1 p.m.
Cost: Free
As part of the Sweets Treats on Main event held by the Platteville Main Street Program, the Museum will offer one free train ride per child as a “treat.” While the children and their families wait for their turn on the train, they can create a fun Halloween craft for children ages 3 and up. No registration necessary.
Wisconsin Science Festival - Weeklong Activities Exploring "Time"
Dates: October 18-22 Special Content and Exhibitions
Saturday, October 21 FREE Admission
Time: 10 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Unleash your curiosity with an exploration of deep time at the Museum during this weeklong festival celebrating the wonders of science throughout Wisconsin! Enjoy fun, hands-on activities and special exhibits that delve into this deep subject. Explore relative versus absolute time, climb a geologic stratigraphic column, use a Geiger counter to learn about measuring time through radioactive decay and radiometric dating, and discover the Household Objects That Glow Under Ultraviolet Light exhibit.
Land, Place, and Life: A Driftless Walking Tour
Date: Select Saturdays, 1 p.m.
Cost: General (13+) $12, Seniors (65+) $10, Youth (5-12) $6, Child (Under 5) $3
The Walking Tour connects nature, history, and culture as visitors venture from the Museum on a 2-hour, 1.5-mile guided tour of portions of the David Canny Rountree Branch Trail. Explore the landscape of the Driftless Area and the Upper Mississippi Valley Mining District, learning how the geographical features developed into a way of life from prehistory to the establishment of Wisconsin as the Badger State to the development of contemporary communities. This walk along a scenic, certified trout stream is offered in partnership with the Platteville Community Arboretum.
Fall Plant Sale
Saturday, September 16, 10 a.m. - noon
Location: The Mining & Rollo Jamison Museums
Join us on Saturday, September 16, 10 a.m. - noon, for a native perennial plant fundraiser (38 varieties available). Plants from the Museum pollinator gardens along Main Street and Virgin Avenue were divided last spring and nurtured by master gardeners over the summer. On Sept. 16, these Driftless Area native plants and hybrid cultivars will be available to you! All proceeds go to the Friends of The Mining & Rollo Jamison Museums to support memorial signage in the Gail E. & Wesly E. Kopp Memorial Pollinator Garden.
25th Annual Historic Re-enactment
Dates: September 8-10, 2023
Friday, September 8 (School Day): 8 a.m. - 4 p.m.
Saturday, September 9: 11 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Sunday, September 10: 10 a.m. - 3 p.m.
Location: Mound View Park, Platteville
Cost: Free Will Donation
Held since 1998, the 3-day Platteville Historic Re-enactment showcases the history of America’s Upper Mississippi Valley from the mid-1700s to 1840, featuring educators, artisans, and re-enactors all taking part in the celebration. The 25th Annual Historic Re-enactment presents a hands-on living history experience for the general public, as well as thousands of students whose visit enhances their educational curriculum. No registration necessary.
Pick & Gad Raffle
Drawing: August 12, 2023 (Mine Day)
Support the Friends of The Mining & Rollo Jamison Museums and win valuable cash prizes by purchasing a ticket for the annual Pick & Gad Raffle! Pick up your tickets at the Museum or from a board member. The prize drawing will take place on Mine Day, August 12 at 3 p.m.
Mine Day
Date: August 12, 2023
Free Events: 10 a.m. - 4 p.m.
UV Light Prospecting Mine Tours: 10:00 a.m. & 11:00 a.m.
Guided Mine Tours: 6 tours from 12:00 p.m. - 3:45 p.m.
Cost: Free Backyard Events, Specially Priced Ticketed Tours
Celebrate place-based industry with this classic family festival of bluegrass music and Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Math (STEAM)! Join us for a backyard bluegrass music festival featuring Holy Crowe, Prairie Lights String Band, and Genesee Ridge Band. Spark a lifelong passion for rock and mineral collecting with earth science games and activities available all day. Special UV Light Prospecting Mine Tours will be offered at 10 and 11 a.m. Blacksmithing and other industrial craft demonstrations celebrate the pioneering spirit of ingenuity, inquiry, enterprise, and development that shaped our nook of the Driftless Area.
Hometown Festival Day
Dates: July 19, 2023
Time: 10 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Cost: General (13+) $6, Seniors (65+) $5, Youth (5-12) $3, Child (Under 5) $1.50
Celebrate Platteville's Hometown Festival with special admission and ice cream discounts! Museum Admission, Guided Mine Tour & Train Ride will be HALF-PRICE for all visitors. Registration is suggested. In the Museum Store, enjoy the custom flavors created by Pioneer Sweets in a 2-for-1 ice cream deal!
Young Pioneers Camp
Dates: July 10-13, 2023
Time: 1-3 p.m.
Cost: $35 per Student | $25 per Student within Household or Grandparent Museum Membership | Registration Required (Scholarships available)
Young Pioneers Camp is a fun day camp for students entering 2nd through 5th grades. Travel into the past and discover life in our region in the pioneering period of the early 19th century. Prospect for minerals, create unique crafts, cook over a fire, play historic outdoor games, and more.
Heritage Day
Date: July 4, 2023
Time: 9 a.m. - 4 p.m.
Cost: FREE Family Activities; Regular Admission for Guided Mine Tour & Train Ride
Heritage Day is a July 4th community celebration of Platteville’s rich history and bright future that draws more than 700 visitors annually. Visitors will enjoy a day of games, historical demonstrations, special exhibits, live music, and food, including custom ice cream flavors produced by Pioneer Sweets of UW-Platteville.
Edward Jones Firecracker 5k
Date: July 4, 2023
Time: 8:30 a.m. Kids Dash, 9 a.m. 5k
Cost: $15 Pre-Registration (includes t-shirt), $20 Day of Race, Kids Under 12 are Free (t-shirt not included)
Taking place as part of the 4th of July Celebrations in Platteville, Wisconsin, the event will feature two races designed for runners of all ages and experience levels: Kids Dash and 5k. Proceeds will be used to support the City of Platteville Fireworks Fund and the Friends of The Mining & Rollo Jamison Museums.
Make Music Underground: Tri-State Homeschool Choir at the Museum
Date: June 21, 2023
Time: 1 p.m.
Cost: FREE
Make Music Platteville is an annual one-day, citywide, free day of music held on the summer solstice, June 21. The Museum welcomes the Tri-State Homeschool Choir for a free underground music performance in the 1845 Bevans Mine, where visitors experience the unique acoustics and atmosphere 50 feet underground as they listen to an enticing lineup of music. The performance will be followed by light refreshments including lemonade. Registration suggested.
Make Music Platteville: Supermarket Circuits
Date: June 21, 2023
Time: 11 a.m. - 1 p.m. (drop in anytime)
Cost: FREE
Is a banana conductive? The world is full of conductive objects and materials—bananas included! Join Sonia Case in making musical circuits with liquids, fruits, and low cost office supplies. This interactive activity allows all ages to be creative and learn about what conducts sound. The event is part of Make Music Platteville, an annual one-day, citywide, free day of music held on the summer solstice, June 21. No registration necessary.
Book Signing: 100 Things to Do in Wisconsin Before You Die
Date: May 8, 2023
Time: 6:00 p.m.
Location: Platteville Municipal Auditorium, 75 North Bonson Street
Cost: FREE
To kick off National Travel & Tourism Week in Platteville, the Museum has partnered with the Platteville Regional Chamber to offer a program and book signing with Dannelle Gay, author of 100 Things to Do in Wisconsin Before You Die. This is part of the Tourism Recognition Evening, which will include a recognition of local Outstanding Hospitality Customer Service Employees and a talk by Regional Tourism Specialist Drew Nussbaum. Join us in the Platteville Municipal Auditorium for this free event. No registration necessary.
Spring Community Free Day and Season Opening
Date: May 3, 2023
Time: 10 a.m. - 5 p.m., Reservation Recommended
Cost: FREE for Platteville residents
To thank the citizens of Platteville for their support since 1964, The Mining & Rollo Jamison Museums offers two community free days: season opening day, May 3; and season closing day, October 29. Museum admission, including a Guided Mine Tour and Train Ride (weather permitting) will be free to Platteville residents with proof of residency. Registration is suggested.
Winter Lyceum
Zoom Webinars
Date: Sundays, February 19 - April 2, 2023
Time: 5-6 p.m.
Cost: $4 each or $20 for the entire lecture series
Each year, the Museum invites a series of speakers to share their unique stories and insights on topics that shed fresh light on various facets of our mission, collection, and areas of interpretation. The 2023 Winter Lyceum will feature seven engaging hour-long lectures. The talks will be held online via Zoom, and a link will be provided upon registration. Each roughly 45-minute talk will be followed by a Q&A period. This year's electrifying lineup covers topics that explore the realm of "energy" in the context of our Driftless Area landscape and historic mining district.
Scroll down to view and register for individual lectures, or register now for a season pass. Season pass holders will also receive premiere access to each lecture's video recording, usually shared within a week of airing.
Winter Lyceum (7 of 7)
Kevin Watson Presents "Not So Easily Lead: From Weardale to Wisconsin with the Miners of the North Pennines"
Zoom Webinar
Date: April 2, 2023
Time: 5-6 p.m.
Cost: $4 or $20 for the entire lecture series
Just off one of the highest stretches of road in the north of England in a place called Killhope there stands an impressive wrought-iron water wheel. Nearly 34 feet in diameter and six feet wide, it stands as a testament to Victorian ingenuity and, in the case of lead mining in the area, the ability of the Victorians to use and reuse not steam but water to power the industrial revolution in this part of the world. In his talk, Kevin Watson will give an overview of lead mining in the North Pennines of England, showing how the dominance of two companies allowed for an efficient and effective use of resources. The talk will also explore what life was like for those who worked in the mines and what ultimately led some to seek out new beginnings in the lead mining region of Wisconsin.
Winter Lyceum (6 of 7)
Designer Aris Georges Presents "Nature Patterns: Generating Creative Energy Through Geometric Abstraction in the Tradition of Frank Lloyd Wright's Taliesin"
Zoom Webinar
Date: March 26, 2023
Time: 5-6 p.m.
Cost: $4 or $20 for the entire lecture series
Knowledge of using geometry and pattern as a language of composition has been developing for decades at Taliesin, the rural Driftless Area-based design studio of architect Frank Lloyd Wright, coming together for practice and creation in a long-standing design workshop known as “nature patterns.” When Aris Georges trained in nature patterns as a student in the '80s, his love for geometry, born in the vigorous Greek secondary curriculum, found new wind. With a growing conviction that geometry is an essential exercise in design education, Aris Georges started teaching the class when he became a member of the senior fellowship in the '90s. He dubbed the workshop “design etudes” to emphasize that the nature of the exercise is to practice design moves, not unlike the musical etudes, as studies of ideas independent of a larger composition (in this case, architectural design). The digital design tools emerging in recent decades and spreading like a wildfire bring a layer of challenge to the exercise. The speed and precision with which the computer can map complex patterns in relatively simple steps brings new excitement and energy to the process.
Winter Lyceum (5 of 7)
Biological Farmer Gary Zimmer Presents "Energy and Biological Farming: How Farmers Can Reduce Energy Use and Build Soil Carbon by Farming Differently"
Zoom Webinar
Date: March 19, 2023
Time: 5-6 p.m.
Cost: $4 or $20 for the entire lecture series
Renowned farmer, author, and biological farming consultant Gary Zimmer presents the farmer's role in energy conservation and carbon building. With incentives and guidance, farmers have a role in reducing energy use and impacting climate change by planting cover crops, organic farming, reducing fertilizer use, making methane with on-farm digesters, making compost, and producing bio char.
Winter Lyceum (4 of 7)
Engineer Mark Nussbaum Presents "Greening From the Ground Up: Integration of Ground Source Heat Pumps into Historic Buildings"
Zoom Webinar
Date: March 12, 2023
Time: 5-6 p.m.
Cost: $4 or $20 for the entire lecture series
This leading engineer specializing in historic properties and the integration of energy-efficient technologies will review the basic concepts of ground source heat pump systems, how they work to provide climate control for buildings, and what specific features often make them an excellent choice in historic buildings. We will look at some of the challenges of integrating modern systems into historic buildings, work-around strategies for these challenges, and the need to sometimes compromise system performance to allow the preservation of historic building fabric. We will review case studies of historically significant projects including Unity Temple, the Glessner House, and Pleasant Home, among others.
Winter Lyceum (3 of 7)
Engineer Camie Platner Presents "EaglePicher's NASA Launch Silver Zinc Batteries: The Power Behind the Mercury, Gemini, Apollo, and Skylab Missions"
Zoom Webinar
Date: March 5, 2023
Time: 5-6 p.m.
Cost: $4 or $20 for the entire lecture series
Locally mined zinc in outer space? Since the beginning of the Space Age, EaglePicher silver zinc batteries have been trusted to power historical NASA launches, including Mercury, Gemini, Apollo, and Skylab. Today, with more than 50 years of silver zinc battery production heritage, and more than 200 battery designs, EaglePicher continues to produce reliable, complex systems for the missile, aerospace, and maritime industries. EaglePicher initiated development of automatic and remote-activated silver zinc batteries in the early 1950s. The early systems EaglePicher developed were simple, single-section batteries with one voltage output. By maintaining flexible engineering, which ensures custom design, development, qualification, production, and delivery, EaglePicher continues to meet the requirements of each unique application.
Winter Lyceum (2 of 7)
A Panel of Regional Energy Experts Presents "Mining for Energy: The Story of Southwest Wisconsin's Electricity Journey"
Zoom Webinar
Date: February 26, 2023
Time: 5-6 p.m.
Cost: $4 or $20 for the entire lecture series
Listen as panelists from Badger Hollow Solar, RENEW Wisconsin, and the electricity transmission industry share updates on major renewable energy projects in the region, talk about why these projects are happening here, and discuss what impacts they have on our economy, environment, and communities.
Panelists:
- Michael Goff, Project Developer, Uplands Wind
- Cooper Johnson, Senior Manager, Renewable Development with Invenergy
- Andrew Kell, Policy Director, RENEW Wisconsin
- Robert Vosberg, Owner, Vosberg Consulting
Moderator:
Amy Seeboth-Wilson, Board President for RENEW Wisconsin, Director of Grants for Southwest Tech, former Sustainability Coordinator for UW-Platteville
Winter Lyceum (1 of 7)
Archeologist Tim Scarlett Presents "Abandoned Mines as Tools of Economic Revitalization: Converting Liabilities into Assets for Post-Mining Communities"
Zoom Webinar
Date: February 19, 2023
Time: 5-6 p.m.
Cost: $4 or $20 for the entire lecture series
In this talk, archeologist Dr. Timothy Scarlett of Michigan Tech’s Keweenaw Energy Transitions Lab (KETL) will explain the potential applications of evolving energy technologies and the ways in which heritage practices and policies can be key to future partnerships to facilitate the electrification of everything. KETL has been thinking about how abandoned mines can be adapted and reused to facilitate the energy transition. More than just complex techno-economic analysis, the team is interested in the ways that the heritage of post-mining communities supports these choices. Dr. Scarlett will propose how old mines create opportunities to revitalize and energize culture through these projects, if they are designed to solve problems for both the large service regions of electrical networks and locally defined needs and priorities.
Winter Pasty Fundraiser
Order Deadline: Friday, February 17
Pick up: Saturday, March 4, 10 a.m. - 1 p.m. at the Millennium Cinema Parking Lot
The Cornish Pasty Fundraiser is back in 2023 for another round of deliciousness in time for St. Piran's Day! Enjoy the authentic and award-winning taste of Cornish pasties from the Walker House in Mineral Point. These 7-ounce pasties will be offered frozen, to be baked at home for a piping hot meal and accompanied by your favorite condiment (we recommend chili sauce!). To make pasty pick-up more convenient, distribution will take place on March 4 as a drive-by curbside operation in the spacious outdoor area between A&W Restaurant and the Millennium Cinema at 111 Millennium Drive, Platteville.
Miners Ball
Date: February 4th, 2023
Location: Velzy Commons in Ullsvik Hall
Time: 5 p.m. Social Hour | 6 p.m. Elegant Dinner Buffet | 7 p.m. Dance & Auction
Cost: $50 Dinner & Dance | $10 Dance Only | $500 Reserved Table for 8
Registration Deadline: January 16th for dinner tickets | dance only tickets available at the door
The Friends of the Mining & Rollo Jamison Museums are pleased to carry on the tradition of this classic Platteville dance celebration started by engineering students in the 1930s. This formal event for couples of all ages invites everyone passionate about the history of Platteville to dress up, to enjoy a great dinner, and to swing to the music of a Big Band orchestra— just like generations of young engineers in training did starting back in 1926.
Holiday Mine Sing
Date: December 10, 2022
Time: 4-6 p.m.
Cost: General (13+) $15, Seniors (65+) $11.25, Youth (5-12) $7.50, Child (Under 5) $3
Get in the holiday spirit with festive songs and caroling above ground around a 14-foot holiday tree as well as underground in the 1845 Bevans Mine. Enjoy a traditional American Christmas choral presentation by the Platteville Chorale, followed by the Platteville High School Blue Notes performing jazz standards and holiday carols.
Wisconsin Science Festival - Free Admission Day and Glass Beadmaking Demonstrations
Date: October 12, 2022
Time: 10 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Cost: Free
The Wisconsin Science Festival is a statewide celebration with activities for people throughout Wisconsin, this year honoring the International Year of Glass. As part of the festivities, The Mining & Rollo Jamison Museums debuted a new exhibit titled “The Science and Art of Glass.” On Wednesday, October 12, we offered free museum admission, guided mine tours, & train ride to all attendees. There were live glass beadmaking demonstrations offered by Julie Lukosaitis of Beadazzled By Julz to showcase a live transformation of glass into art.
Frozen Mine Experience
Location: The Mining & Rollo Jamison Museums
Date: Saturday, February 19, 2022
Time: 1-4 p.m., tours depart every half hour
Cost: $12 ages 13+, $10 ages 65+, $6 ages 5-12, $3 ages 0-4
Visitors to Platteville’s underground frozen mine discovered a miraculous wonderland of natural ice sculptures. They learned about the differences between caves and mines and celebrated the beauty of the natural wonders of winter underground.
In 2021, cold February temperatures brought natural ice stalagmites, nicknamed "ice cobras," to the Bevans Mine. These beautiful formations grew up to four feet tall. This year, the museum will provided a "Frozen Mine Experience" where visitors can experience these unique and wonderful formations first-hand.
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HOURS
In Season: May - October
Open Wednesday - Sunday
10:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Guided Mine Tours: 10:30 a.m., 12:00 p.m., 1:30 p.m., & 3:00 p.m.
Off Season: November - April
Closed Except for Seasonal Programs
405 East Main Street, P.O. Box 780 Platteville, WI 53818
(608) 348-3301