Rhinelander Historical Society Museum

VIRTUAL TOUR ONLINE!  Local history displayed in one of Rhinelander's first homes. The Rhinelander Historical Society, Inc. was formed as a charitable non-profit organization in 1991.  We receive no funding from the City, County or State, so we are totally reliant on memberships and donations. The mission of the Society was two fold, to purchase and renovate an older home into a Museum, and secondly to become a depository for Rhinelander related items.The first order of business was to purchase a very neglected house and begin a two-year restoration project. The house (at 9 South Pelham Street) was built in 1894, the same year that Rhinelander was incorporated as a city.The first floor renovation was far enough along that the Museum was opened to the public for the first time for a Christmas Open House in December 1992.  As the restoration continued, a request was made for items of historical significance.  The community was amazing and soon the house was filled with period correct items, many with significant Rhinelander connections.We enjoy having the Museum open for public tours and providing information on the many items as well as interesting stories about the early years of Rhinelander. In addition to being the custodians of the furniture and other objects, we also receive and try to answer many questions about the early Rhinelander area and the families that lived here.

While the Museum is usually open for tours on Tuesdays and Thursdays between Memorial Day and Labor Day, and by appointment any time, concerns about the ability to maintain proper social distancing in an older house with small rooms and narrow halls dictate that the Museum is not open for In-Person Tours at this time.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, our Special Events will most likely not occur in 2020. Under normal circumstances, we would host a 5 cent ice cream cone sale after the July 4th parade; a Halloween Open House on the Saturday before October 31st (offering Apple Cider and distributing 1890's period correct candy to children); host a Fall Violin Recital (featuring Robert Schubert); and a Holiday Open House in early December (featuring local musicians playing and singing Christmas carols plus we serve eggnog and delicious Holiday treats).We miss sharing the Museum with all of you and truly hope we can resume our normal schedule starting in 2021.