Museum 2024 Winter Lyceum Offers Eclectic Mix of Topics  

PLATTEVILLE, Wis., Feb. 9, 2024 — The Mining & Rollo Jamison Museums are excited to announce the line-up for the 2024 Winter Lyceum. Each year, the museum invites a series of speakers to share their unique stories, histories, and insights. This year’s program features an interactive look at Wisconsin’s Ice Age creatures, an introduction to the world of sail and oar cruising in small boats that you can build in your backyard, a look at pre-Columbian Native American and later Euro-American use of freshwater mussels in the Upper Mississippi River region, new geologic mapping and interpretations associated with lead-zinc deposits in the historic Highland mining district, Welsh immigration and settlements in Wisconsin’s lead mining district, and a discussion of the Museum’s recent taxidermy restoration efforts.

The weekly programs will take place at 5 p.m. on Sunday evenings from February 25 through April 7, except for March 31. The talks will be held primarily online via Zoom, with two held in person on February 25 and April 7. Each presentation will be approximately 1-hour and will include a 45-minute presentation and 15-minute Q&A with the speaker. Advance registration is required for the Zoom presentations, and recommended for the in-person events. Participants can purchase a season pass for $20 or may attend individual presentations for $4 each.

The first Lyceum will be in-person at the Platteville Municipal Auditorium in City Hall on February 25. Author and retired teacher  Tim Fox, will present a fun, interactive program reenacting Wisconsin’s tremendous Ice Age creatures, including the mastodon, short-faced bear, stag moose, and the saber-toothed cat! Additionally, participants will learn how glaciers shaped Wisconsin’s landscape including moraines, drumlins, kames, kettles, and eskers. This hands-on program for the whole family stirs imagination and deepens connections to our wonderful state!

The full 2024 Winter Lyceum schedule is as follows:

• Sunday, February 25: Tim Fox Presents "Journey into Ice Age Wisconsin!" In-Person at the Platteville Municipal Auditorium
   
• Sunday, March 3: Tom Pamperin Presents "Landlocked: The Midwesterner's Guide to Building and Sailing Small Boats" via Zoom, link provide upon registration.
   
• Sunday, March 10: James Theler, Presents “River Pearls: Freshwater Mussels of the Upper Mississippi Valley" via Zoom, link provide upon registration. 
   
• Sunday, March 17: Billy Fitzpatrick, Presents "New Geologic Interpretations in the Upper Mississippi Valley Lead-Zinc Mining District" via Zoom, link provide upon registration.
   
• Sunday, March 24: Robert Humphries, Presents "The Welsh in Wisconsin's Lead-Mining Region" via Zoom, link provide upon registration.
   
• Sunday, April 7: Christina Grev, Presents "How We Saved the Boxing Squirrels and the Taxidermy Collection" In-Person at The Mining & Rollo Jamison Museums

For program summaries, to register for an individual program, or to purchase a season pass visit www.mining.jamison.musuem/programs. For additional information or other assistance, please phone  (608) 348-3301 or email Museums@platteville.org.