BHA
Exhibits!
Our exhibits, both in-person and virtual, truly bring history to life! Not able to make it to our Bayfield museum? We have captured the highlights here! Our recently retired exhibits can be viewed in the Exhibit Archive.
ART
NEW!
EXHIBIT
Silent Mooring – The Watercolor Legacy of Leonard Anderson
Anderson’s depictions of the Apostle Islands and the rich heritage of Bayfield, Wisconsin from the mid to late 1900s, offer viewers a chance to experience the historical and natural beauty of this unique region through the eyes of a past local watercolor painter.
BHA
All Exhibits
EXHIBIT
Bayfield Model Railroad
The Bayfield Model Railroad exhibit in our lower level depicts early Bayfield when the “Omaha” train line first arrived in Bayfield, through the mid-1920’s. This exhibit was generously donated by Larry Reiten.
EXHIBIT
R.D. Pike
Robinson Derling “R.D.” Pike was a dynamic and important force in the early days of Bayfield. This exhibit presents information about his history and involvement in our community. For the full experience, take the 360 tour.
EXHIBIT
Cahill Barbershop
This true-to-life installation celebrates small- town barber shops as a center of activity, and the 53-year history of barber Ray Cahill in Bayfield. After Ray’s death in the 1980’s, his family donated the entire contents of the shop to the Bayfield Heritage Association.
EXHIBIT
Old Bayfield City Jail
Bayfield’s historic city jail is a 25’ x 25’ stone building located on Washington Avenue next to the Iron Bridge. It offers a glimpse of the old days and of the rascals who made amends in the “hoosegow!”
EXHIBIT
Traditional Anishinaabe Birchbark Canoe – Wiigwassi-Jiimaan
This beautiful canoe was created by Red Cliff Elder, Marvin Defoe, using thousand-year old methods from his Anishinaabe ancestors.
EXHIBIT
History of Bayfield
In this exhibit, the people of the Bayfield region welcome you to their past as you are part of their present and perhaps, part of their future.
EXHIBIT
Timber & Agriculture
The first people living in this region used the virgin forests for fuel, to construct shelters, and make tools. Small-scale logging began soon after white settlers arrived in the 1830’s at La Pointe on Madeline Island. This exhibit tells that story through images and tools.
EXHIBIT
Commercial Fishing
For 175 years, fishing in the Apostle Islands and Chequamegon Bay provided both subsistence and income. This exhibit provides a glimpse of what that life may have been like.
VIRTUAL
EXHIBIT!
French-Canadian Trapper Winter Garb
This interactive exhibit features a display of winter garb that represents the remarkable fusion of European trade goods and Indigenous survival technology that defined frontier life in early North America.
VIDEO
Lost Formations of the Apostle Islands
This virtual exhibit features postcard images of brownstone formations in the Apostle Islands circa 1900 that have since been lost to the waves of time. These postcards are not on display in the museum and can only be viewed here. Click ‘Learn More’ to see the exhibit video along with two bonus videos and additional reading material about Sam Fifield.
Get Involved
Support BHA
Do you enjoy BHA’s free programs, resources, and museum?
Please consider making a donation to support our mission to continue bringing history to life. There are so many ways you can be involved in bringing history to life!
