For more information contact:  Lisa Marshall, 608/267-3773

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

MOTORCYCLES, MANSIONS AND HISTORY

New museums, tours and hotels are on tap for Wisconsin in 2008

MADISON, Wis. (Nov. 8, 2007) – Motorcycles, mansions, breweries and eclectic collections are not new to Wisconsin’s tourism landscape. However, several brand new museums and the renovation of one of the state’s most renowned attractions will present the state’s unique history for visitors to see up close and personal in the summer of 2008. Also, the traditional Northwoods experience “goes luxury” with the opening of the new Northernaire resort in Three Lakes.

Harley-Davidson Museum, Milwaukee 

Steel beams and sheets of glass are evidence that the much-anticipated opening of the Harley-Davidson Museum is on schedule for the summer of 2008. The new museum will be the legendary motorcycle manufacturer’s showcase and gift to its loyal following of passionate riders. Not just a bricks-and-mortar tribute to the Harley-Davidson motorcycle, it will also be a gathering place for up to 15,000 riders with its park-like setting on the grounds overlooking Milwaukee’s Menominee River. Among the expected exhibits are motorcycles from Harley-Davidson’s collection of more than 400 vehicles; Elvis Presley’s 1956 Harley-Davidson KH motorcycle; the famous “King Kong,” a customized 13-foot-long bike; and, of course, a Series One motorcycle that came off the assembly line in 1903. Three buildings will house the museum, restaurant, gift shops and a special event space equipped to handle up to 1,050 people. (www.h-dmuseum.com ; 414/343-4636)

Iron Horse Hotel, Milwaukee 

Across the river from the Harley-Davidson Museum, the Iron Horse Hotel, a luxury boutique hotel catering to motorcycle riders and business travelers, is also expected to open in June 2008. The 102-room hotel will offer high-end amenities in cool and edgy accommodations that also include a signature restaurant, lounges, conference facilities, business and fitness centers and a special covered parking area for motorcycles. (www.theironhorsehotel.com; 1-888-543-IRON) 

Potosi Brewery Company Complex, Potosi

For beer enthusiasts interested in breweriana (the collecting of beer memorabilia) and brewery history, there will soon be a place that has it all under one roof right in Wisconsin. And that’s only natural given the state’s long association with brewing. It all began in 2004 when the American Breweriana Association picked the Potosi Brewery in Grant County as the site for their National Brewery Museum. Scheduled to open in the summer of 2008, the museum will include changing exhibits of breweriana: collections of beer labels, bottles, coasters and other memorabilia. A brewery transportation exhibit will show how the area’s trifecta of transportation (road, railroad and riverboat) influenced the local brewing industry. In addition to the exhibits, the Potosi Brewery, which operated for 120 years (1852-1972), will again re-open as a microbrewery and restaurant. An interpretive center for Great River Road is also part of the complex. (www.potosibrewery.com)

Jill Prescott's École de Cuisine, Elkhart Lake 

French-trained chef, Jill Prescott, has returned to her native Wisconsin to share the rich tradition of gourmet cooking in a format that is accessible to the home cook. Menus focus on organic ingredients and local products that Chef Prescott handpicks from area farms or the herb and vegetable garden she maintains at the resort. Conveniently located in the beautiful Osthoff Resort, École de Cuisine offers classes year round that range from a five-day intensive workshop on traditional French cooking to one and two day courses that run 5-6 hours and include lecture, participation cooking and a meal with wine pairings. (www.osthoff.com; 800-876-3399) 

Black Point Estate Tours, Lake Geneva 

Lake Geneva earned its nickname the “Newport of the Midwest” for its many lovely homes, estates and cottages that were built as summer homes for Chicago’s well-to-do residents. One of the most notable, Black Point Estate, is now open to the public for tours. Visitors arrive at the estate via boat, the same way the residents arrived at their summer home each year. Black Point was built in 1888 as a summer home for the family of Conrad Seipp, a German immigrant who established a successful Chicago brewery. The stately home includes 13 bedrooms and a four-story tower that can be seen from many points on the lake. The tour starts with a narrated 45-minute boat tour from Lake Geneva Cruise Line followed by a guided 90-minute tour of the first two floors of the mansion and the exterior grounds. (www.cruiselakegeneva.com; 1-800-558-5911)

Civil War Museum, Kenosha 

Wisconsin played a vital role in the Civil War even though no battles were actually fought inside the state’s borders. Wisconsin - along with Minnesota, Illinois, Iowa, Indiana and Michigan - sent 500,000 troops to the Civil War. Now a new Civil War Museum will not just remember the battles but illustrate the experience of the war before, during and after, and its effects on society, from families torn apart to industries that were changed forever. Life-sized, interactive exhibits will capture the personal stories from the warfront and home front crossing all ethnic backgrounds. Located in Harbor Park, next to the Kenosha Public Museum and Dinosaur Discovery Museum, the 57,000-square-foot museum will include a resource center, archives, gallery for temporary exhibits, meeting space and gift shop. The Civil War Museum is expected to open in March 2008. (www.kenosha.org/museum; 262/653-4140)

The House on the Rock, Spring Green 

A Wisconsin landmark is getting a facelift. The House on the Rock has been a favorite of visitors for more than two generations, and now nearly 50 years later, the famous attraction is undergoing a series of renovations and additions to make the experience even more enjoyable. The first phase, which is scheduled for completion in 2008, includes construction of a new Welcome Center, improved covered walkways and sidewalks, renovation of the mill pond, installation of a new waterwheel and the creation of an authentic Asian garden designed in the Japanese tradition. The second phase will include the development of a four-season conservatory overlooking the Asian garden and the addition of The Alex Jordan Historic Center that examines the life and work of The House on the Rock creator. The final phase of renovation, timed to open with the House on the Rock’s 50th anniversary in 2010, will include a retail center, restaurant and a plaza to showcase hundreds of the attraction’s container plants. (www.thehouseontherock.com; 1-800-334-5275)

Northernaire Resort, Three Lakes 

A traditional Northwoods vacation takes a modern turn with this luxury resort visitors can call their home base. Ideally situated in the town of Three Lakes, on the world's largest freshwater chain of lakes, Northernaire Resort features one- and two-bedroom suites with lofts and modern kitchens to lavish 4,000-square-foot villas complete with open floor plans and attached garages. Other property amenities include: 33 boat slips, 106 miles of shoreline, indoor pool, boat rental and access to world-class outdoor recreation that is at the heart of the Northwoods experience. Future plans include the addition of a full-service spa. (www.northernaireresortandspa.com; 715/546-2700)

For more information on Wisconsin and free travel planning guides, including the Wisconsin Activity Guide, the public can visit TravelWisconsin.com or call the Wisconsin Department of Tourism's toll-free number 1-800-432-TRIP/8747. Travelers can also obtain guides and information at the 10 Wisconsin Welcome Centers, located in select state-border cities.

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