Don't Miss These Iconic Architectural Sites Around the State

From lighthouses dotting Door County’s shorelines to architect Frank Lloyd Wright’s 800-acre homestead in Spring Green, Wisconsin is a diverse state when it comes to design and architecture. Great news, too: These not-to-miss beauties aren’t just in big cities. Rural and small-town environments also host eye-popping architectural marvels — often with picturesque prairies or meadows as the backdrop. 

Fifteen years before Spanish architect Santiago Calatrava’s vision for the Oculus in New York City’s Lower Manhattan became a reality, he unveiled his first North American design in 2001 along Lake Michigan in downtown Milwaukee. At this home for the Milwaukee Art Museum’s permanent collection and rotating exhibits, crisp white wings soar above the Quadracci Pavilion. Akin to a bird’s wings, they are lowered on windy days. Luckily for admirers of the grand design, admission fees are not required to enter the soaring pavilion, which faces the lake. Gather with friends for a unique view from inside this architectural feat. Pick up a drink at Discourse Coffee on the lower level and stroll along the walls of windows offering lake views on three sides, or head out into the sun where outdoor café tables invite a leisurely visit. 

Art-loving groups will want to head further up the coast to the John Michael Kohler Arts Center Art Preserve, which debuted in Sheboygan in 2021 as a sister museum to its downtown counterpart. Both campuses are free to visit. Tucked into a 36-acre nature preserve, the art preserve’s three-story wood-and-glass building was designed by Tres Birds, an architecture firm in Denver. This is a museum like no other; the first in the world to focus on artist-built environments. As you explore the open-air layout, you will get a sneak peek into preserved studios in which artists, many of whom were self-taught and achieved great national acclaim, lived and worked. Several of the featured creatives have roots in Wisconsin, including the late Mary Nohl of Fox Point, a suburb just north of Milwaukee. 

Fans of architecture and design won’t want to miss Taliesin, which famed architect Frank Lloyd Wright established in 1911 in Spring Green and used as his home and studio up until his death in 1959. Take a tour to step inside the studio where Wright and his fellow architects created hundreds of drawings. Wright rebuilt his beloved structures after two tragic fires. He also built Hillside Home School on the estate for his two aunts, who were teachers. You will marvel at how the buildings feel like a natural part of the rolling hills and beautiful landscape. Wright’s organic-architecture concept has earned the site international acclaim, and in 2019, the property was named a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Take advantage of the creative energy here by participating in scheduled photography, plein-air painting and creative-writing workshops; see live-music performances; or join a hike. Every autumn, the “A Day at Taliesin” event offers reduced fees to experience the estate as part of its mission to be accessible to all. 

Any enthusiast of Wright knows he had many protégés — as well as architects in the region who were inspired by his work, even if they didn’t have the chance to work beside him at Taliesin. Architect Alex Jordan is one such example. His House on the Rock, also in Spring Green, features an eclectic interior that includes the world’s largest carousel and an Infinity Room that boasts 3,000 pieces of glass and, during the winter holiday season, more Christmas decor (think 6,000 Santas) than you’ve ever seen in one place. Jordan created this masterpiece between 1945 and 1960. To fully experience these two Spring Green attractions, a night at either the House on the Rock Resort (which also features a 27-hole golf course) or Spring Valley Inn (designed by Taliesin architects) means your time here is not rushed. 

Picturesque lighthouses enhance many of Wisconsin’s already pretty coastal vistas. And none of those lighthouses are the same, which makes viewing them a rainbow of an experience. Asylum Point Lighthouse in Oshkosh, on Asylum Point hugging Lake Winnebago’s western shoreline, was built in 1937 as part of the Works Progress Administration — but never went into operation and was never lit. While not open for tours, the natural surroundings, including a wooden footbridge, makes an ideal setting for a picnic. Another pair of lighthouses in Wisconsin worth a visit are the Lower Range Light Lighthouse and the Upper Range Light Lighthouse in Baileys Harbor. Built in 1869 and on the National Register of Historic Places, the Lower Range’s white wood exterior and red roof are a perfect spot to snap an iconic Door County photo of your travel group, particularly along the Lake Michigan side. A short boardwalk connecting the two lighthouses makes for a pretty stroll. 

Similarly, the 60-foot-tall Eagle Tower in Fish Creek is also perched above the water (in this case, the bay of Green Bay) within Peninsula State Park. The impressive structure was erected in 2021 and provides a 253-foot-high view of the bay below. What’s more, thanks to its ramped construction, it is the country’s only wheelchair-accessible, wood-constructed observation tower of such a height, making that amazing bird’s-eye view more accessible.