Exhibits at the Castle

Explore history through hands-on activities at The History Museum! Exhibits weave national and local events together to provide perspective and inspire an appreciation for history. One-of-a-kind artifacts, documents and photographs from the Museum’s extensive collection helps increase our understanding of the people and experiences of the past.

Picturing Main Street: Postcards From Our Past

The History Musem’s newest exhibit, Picturing Main Street: Postcards From Our Past is scheduled to open to the public March 23, 2010. The exhibit is a celebration of local business, leisure activities and the hustle and bustle of downtown.
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Sports & Spirit

From Little League to tavern leagues, individual athletes to teams, players to fans, Sports & Spirit highlights how organized sports create and strengthen Fox Valley community ties. One-of-a-kind artifacts, multi-sensory activities, and audio-visual technology delivers a powerful experience that will engage visitors of all ages.
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Why McCarthy?
Senator Joseph McCarthy, born and raised in the Appleton area, went on to become the figure-head of anti-communist persecutions in the 1950s. An icon of the Cold War Era, his controversial role in the Red Scare led to the blacklisting of hundreds of Americans. Senator Joseph McCarthy’s bronze bust is the centerpiece of a new, permanent installation entitled, Why McCarthy?
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AKA Houdini
How’d He Do That? The AKA Houdini exhibit gives visitors aninside look at world-renowned magician and performer Harry Houdini. Houdini's genius lay in his ability to assume identities that captivated his audiences. Children will enjoy uncovering the secrets behind Houdini’s famous illusions through hands-on activities. Will you pass the test?

• straight jacket escape
• break out of jail
• shack off shackles and pick a padlock
• escape from the padlocked milk can
• perform metamorphosis on stage

The History Museum holds an important collection of performance paraphernalia and historic documents relating to Harry Houdini. The AKA Houdini exhibit, recipient of the 2005 American Association for State and Local History Award of Merit, became controversial months before it opened when people learned that the exhibit intended to allow visitors to perform Houdini’s escape illusions, thus exposing the secrets of the magician. Regardless, the exhibit and its subject continue to draw interest for visitors, filmmakers, authors and news media.
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In Her Own Words: Edna Ferber
Spend a few moments with Edna Ferber and enjoy her wit and perspectives on growing up in a small Midwestern town. Ferber won the Pulitzer Prize for So Big and was also the author of Cimarron, Showboat and Giant.

“I sometimes wish I was back on the Appleton Daily Crescent. No, I don’t either.”
~ E.F. to her sister, ca. 1923

model T Tools of Change
Examine the tools, the people, the work and everyday life in the Fox Valley region from 1840 to 1950. See the bank in Nichols that was robbed and the Model T Ford in a vintage gas station.

Don't miss the virtual exhibits. Links are located in the right column on this page.

Virtual Exhibits

A.K.A. Houdini
Learn more about the world-renowned magician who claimed Appleton, WI as his hometown. Take the quiz and see if you are a Houdini expert!

Call to Duty: Outagamie County in World War II
This interactive exhibit focuses on the lives of Outagamie County residents, and their life-changing experiences during World War II on the homefront and the battlefront.

Houdini: A Magician Among the Spirits
Why did Houdini crusade against mediums? What is Spiritualism? Did medium debunking save Houdini's career? Has Houdini's spirit ever come back from the dead? These are some of the questions asked in this exhibit.

Joseph McCarthy: A Modern Tragedy
See the Museum's first exhibit about the life and times of this controversial man.