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Elevator Project

The elevator is now up and running! It was completed in the fall of 2016. To ride the elevator, visitors enter the museum through the main door, proceed through the research room, and find the elevator located next to the stairs. The elevator takes visitors to the exhibit halls on the 2nd and 3rd floors of the museum building.

The first floor elevator entrance
The first floor elevator entrance

The Grand Opening was held on Saturday October 29. The museum was full of people celebrating the completion and taking elevator rides.

Dr. Robert and Janet Starr of Viroqua taking the first elevator ride
Dr. Robert and Janet Starr of Viroqua taking the first elevator ride.

front door to the museum

Our goal of making the Vernon County Museum handicapped accessible (HA) started in the early 2000's. In 2004 we completed Phase 1 - a new HA entrance and parking lot, as well as Phase 2 - a HA restroom. In the fall of 2011 the old boilers were removed and a new floor installed in their place. We now have a beautiful new conference room that is frequently used for meetings and educational purposes. Phase 3 of our project is now complete with the addition of the elevator. This elevator makes every floor and exhibit area available to all our visitors, as well as allowing us to bring major touring exhibits to our Museum. This addition will dramatically increase our Museum's public outreach and solidify the VCHS's mission well into the future.