For over fifty years, Waupun's Carnegie Library has been home to the Waupun Heritage Museum. Our collection began in the basement when it served as the Waupun Public Library. In 1911, a small collection of fossils and Civil War relics were put on display in a vacant corner. Decades later, an overcrowded library was looking to find a new home for the museum which, by that point, was occupying an entire room.

In 1956, the Waupun Historical Society was established, and the collection went into storage. When a new library was built in 1968, the old Carnegie Library became the Education Service Center for the Waupun School District, and served that purpose for three years until October of 1971 when the City leased it to the Society for $1 per year.

The Historical Society spent 2020 completely emptying, cleaning, and revamping the entire building! Fresh exhibits describe local history, influential events, and treasured stories from Waupun's past. The Society and the City are working in partnership to preserve and restore the 1904 Carnegie Library, which has retained much of its original charm.  Today, the Waupun Historical Society serves educate locals and visitors alike on the history of the Waupun area and our connection to the world around us.  We do so by creating thoughtful exhibits on a variety of topics, providing tours to people young and old alike, advocating for communities reflected in our collection, and safeguarding historical truths from misuse.  We seek to establish and maintain connections with individuals, community partners, and other historical and archival institutions to better share our heritage.