- Wisconsin’s only geological history museum, the Weis Earth Science Museum, faces an uncertain future as UW Oshkosh prepares to close its Fox Cities campus in June
- The museum serves up to 10,000 students annually, providing a unique educational resource on the state’s geological history and mining industry
- Negotiations over the campus’s future are ongoing, with museum leaders hopeful that community support will help secure its place
(The following is a transcription of the full broadcast story)
The Weis Earth Science Museum, Wisconsin’s only dedicated geological history museum, is facing an uncertain future as UW Oshkosh prepares to close its Fox Cities campus at the end of June.
The museum, established 25 years ago, received high recognition when former Gov. Tommy Thompson signed a commendation declaring it the “Mineralogical Museum of Wisconsin.”
“It’s the only museum in the state that has a built-in narrative to tell the history of Wisconsin’s geographic features and its mining industry,” said Scott Schaefer, the museum’s interim director.
The museum serves as an educational resource for thousands of students, providing hands-on learning experiences in earth sciences.
“We serve up to 10,000 students from local schools every year, so that would be a major loss because this museum is the only one in the state that truly tells the complete geological history of Wisconsin,” Schaefer said.
As the university’s departure looms, the museum’s future remains unclear, and staff members are left wondering if they will have to relocate.
“Right now, we’re not entirely sure of the plans going forward, but our hope is that we can stay here in this building, operating as we do, to continue serving the community that we’ve known,” Schaefer said.
For collections manager Kali Sipp, a Fox Valley native, the uncertainty is personal.
“It hurts more to know that a place that I grew up coming to as a kid could shut down,” Sipp said.
As the closure date nears, negotiations over the campus’s future are still ongoing.
“The two counties, Outagamie and Winnebago, are co-owners of this campus, and the two county executives are in serious negotiations about the new occupant of this campus after June 30,” said Walt Ulbricht, a Winnebago County Board supervisor representing Menasha’s third district.
Despite the uncertainty, Schaefer remains optimistic, saying that the museum’s fate depends on support from the community.
“Whether or not we’re able to stay here, we just really hope that we can, and it all hinges on local community support,” he said.
Until a new administrator is named and final decisions are made, the museum’s future remains in limbo. Whether it will stay in its current space or be forced to relocate depends on the outcome of ongoing discussions.
