Madeline Island Museum

09/05/2026

The Madeline Island Museum is pleased to support the Madeline Island Initiative! Come by the Museum’s Big Lake Space this Saturday, September 5 and join the Native Expressions Drum and Dance Troupe for a celebration of community, culture, and connection through Indigenous song, dance, visual arts and Ojibwe history.

09/01/2026

You won’t want to miss the last Wednesday evening program for the 2026 season! Ojibwe Culture and Flute Music: An Evening with Anishinaabe Musician and Storyteller Laughing Fox at 7 pm on September 2.

Join us to enjoy an evening of music and storytelling with Michael Laughing Fox Charette, a gifted Native American storyteller, poet, and member of the Red Cliff Band of Lake Superior. As a self-taught Native American flute player, he enhances his stories with hauntingly beautiful flute music. Growing up surrounded by the pristine beauty of the Apostle Islands and Lake Superior led him to dedicate his gifts as an artist to educating about Native American history, culture, and ways of life. Laughing Fox’s work as both a visual and performance artist is varied and tied together by the traditional teachings of the Anishinaabe people, which is respectfully incorporated into his work.

Laughing Fox captivates audiences of all ages with his authentic, relaxed style.

08/27/2026

Don’t miss out on this weekend’s seasonal lifeways programs at the Madeline Island Museum! Ivan Curry will be at the teaching lodge sharing flint knapping skills Saturday and Sunday, August 29-30 from 10 am to 3 pm. See you at the Big Lake Space!

08/26/2026

Tonight at the Madeline Island Museum - August 26 at 7 pm! Join us for this engaging look at the science of animal behaviors.

Discover why a bear returns to the same backyard night after night, how raptors learn to stay calm in front of school groups, and the best ways to teach your pets. We’ll even try training each other to see the science in action!

Haley Selen, Naturalist at Cable Natural History Museum. She is a MuseumMobile educator, bringing the science of nature into elementary classrooms across northern Wisconsin. She loves to share the stage with live animals and connect people to Wisconsin.

This is a great program for families!

08/23/2026

The wiigwaasi-jiimaan launched today under the bluest of skies. This canoe honors the 1854 Treaty of La Pointe and will be featured in the new Wisconsin History Center in Madison, opening in early 2028.

The jiimaan was built at the Madeline Island Museum by Red Cliff Ojibwe Elder and master canoe builder, Marvin DeFoe who was assisted by apprentices over the last three weeks. A celebration of history, artistry and community...

The Canoe Journeys program is supported by a generous gift from an anonymous donor and additional support from the Apostle Islands Historic Preservation Conservancy.

08/22/2026

Miigwech to Wisconsin Public Radio for helping to share the story of the 1854 Treaty Canoe, a wiigwaasi-jiimaan (birch bark canoe) built by Red Cliff Ojibwe Elder Marvin DeFoe with help from apprentices and community members.

The jiimaan’s maiden journey took place today, August 22, 2026. Watch for photos and video coming soon!

08/22/2026

It was a packed house as the Friends of the Museum hosted the Annual Capser Tribute Event Friday night featuring Pulitzer Prize and and National Book Award winning author, Louise Erdrich in a “Fireside Chat” with Paul Demain, businessman, and director of the Flicker House, whose roots go way back on Madeline Island. The Friends support the Madeline Island Museum’s mission to preserve and tell Island stories.

08/22/2026