Fort Crawford Museum

Fort Crawford stood guard over Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin, from 1816 until 1856. Now, the Fort Crawford Museum displays the history of the fort, its city, and the many lives that crossed here.

Visit us May through October for a self-guided tour, reserve a group tour, or attend an upcoming event. Your group may setup a tour November-April by calling 608-326-6960.

NEWS & ANNOUNCEMENTS

OPENING DAY - May 21, 2025
The Museums of the Prairie du Chien Historical Society will be opening May 21, 2025, the museums will be open Wednesday-Mondays 10:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. (closed Tuesday)

BECOME A MEMBER online

Print Membership Form

Courier Press, May 3, 2023 - Article regarding new exhibit featuring the Peters Dioramas.
Reprint with permission of the Courier Press, Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin.

Group Tours
The museums of the Prairie du Chien Historical Society are great for groups of visitors - activities can be arranged for children, adults, and combinations of adults and children. See our Group Tour Information page to get more details.

GROUP TOUR INFORMATION

ONLINE MUSEUM STORE
The Museum Store is now taking orders for books, memberships and merchandise - Free curbside pickup and in-town delivery are options along with standard shipping for many of our products!! Find out more here...

ONLINE DONATIONS
Funds are used to sustain, maintain and develop programming at the Fort Crawford Musuem - The Prairie du Chien Historical Society is recognized by the United States Internal Revenue Service as a Charitable Organization (EIN 39-1846430), as such, your donations may be tax-deductible.

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St. Germain dit Gauthier-Coorough House

Follow the St. Germain dit Gauthier-Coorough House Project.

Learn how you can help the Prairie du Chien Historical Society restore the St. Germain dit Gauthier-Coorough House by clicking on the image for a viewable PDF file.

Union Newsletter

Things to To

See the Tools of Frontier Medicine

Learn how army surgeon William Beaumont pioneered the study of human digestion through his experiments at the Fort Crawford Military Hospital. Next, discover Civil War Medicine and the history of the Swift U.S. Army Hospital.

Explore Wisconsin's Military History

View the artifacts uncovered in archaeological excavations of old Fort Crawford as you follow the story of the Black Hawk War and its participants, including Zachary Taylor and Jefferson Davis.

Delve into Prairie du Chien's Past

See how Wisconsin's second oldest city grew from a frontier fur trading village into a midwestern rivertown as you encounter exhibits on local schools, historic businesses, and the coming of the railroad.