Inside the Weis Earth Science Museum in Menasha, October 3, 2024. PC: Fox 11 Online
APPLETON, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) — Weeks before the doors shut, Winnebago and Outagamie counties are inching toward a decision on the future of the UW-Oshkosh Fox Cities campus.
On Tuesday, Appleton’s Property, Airport, Recreation & Economic Development Committee approved the latest proposal. The Outagamie County Board of Supervisors will vote on the measure on May 13 — the final of four approvals required.
It previously passed in a Winnebago County committee and board of supervisor vote.
The deal would move the Weis Earth Science Museum to the History Museum at the Castle in Appleton. In exchange, the rest of the campus — which is located in Menasha, part of Winnebago County — would go to Winnebago County for just $1. Winnebago County has expressed its commitment to preserving the Barlow Planetarium and Communication Arts Center.
Click here for The History Museum’s complete transition plan.
The above plan, initially released privately in February, includes details on a Barlow Planetarium move to Appleton, which is not on the table currently. As of now, there are no plans of expansion unless Winnebago County elects to move the Barlow Planetarium to the History Museum.
Two main concerns have been raised from residents of the two counties: cost of a transition and available space in the History Museum. They’ve privately raised $233,000, which includes provision for two positions — a science educator and collections specialist.
“We hope that by the earned revenue from people visiting the museum, excited to see the new exhibits and what we have to offer, that we’ll be able to retain both positions long term,” said History Museum Executive Director Dustin Mack, who added they don’t anticipate requesting public funding.
The Weis Earth Science Museum’s current facility is 5,000 square feet, which includes both display and storage. The History Museum would dedicate 3,000 square feet in the main gallery to display contents from the Weis Earth Science Museum with additional room for storage.
If the proposal is passed on May 13, the museums will then work with the Universities of Wisconsin to begin the process, though the move itself won’t begin until a legal agreement is in place between the counties and the UW. Despite opposing the move, Mikulic and the current Weis Earth Science Museum staff have said they’re open to helping with the transition.
The proposal needs to go through both Winnebago County and Outagamie County since they share joint ownership of the campus. The $800,000 annual maintenance costs would be pushed to Winnebago County as part of the deal, but they also would receive the benefits of a sale under most conditions. Neither county will pay those maintenance costs unless they fail to find a buyer before December 31.
Winnebago County also went through a transfer of leadership last week after Gordon Hintz defeated incumbent Jon Doemel in the April 1 election.
The proposal has full support from Outagamie County Executive Tom Nelson.
“I was pleased with the response and the vote from the committee,” said Nelson at Tuesday’s meeting. “This is a very strong proposal. It ensures that resources remain in our community and allows us to proceed forward and gives Winnebago County the latitude and the space that they need in order to make the overall campus work.”
The transition would ensure the collection stays in the Fox Valley, but its status as a well-respected independent science museum would be lost.
“We must also seriously ask the question of what has been lost with its reputation and brand identity in this deeply flawed acquisition process,” said Winnebago County Supervisor Walt Ulbricht, who represents District 3 – the area that includes the UW-Oshkosh at Fox Cities campus.
Last week, Weis Earth Science Museum Volunteer Curator Don Mikulic said that he had no indication that it may leave the area.
“There’s very little, if any, public support for this,” said Mikulic, whose late wife designed the existing museum. “I’ve got a petition signed by over a thousand people.”
The History Museum has support in the process from the Universities of Wisconsin and the City of Appleton, according to Mack, who added that Stephen Weis and Bruce Danz, who own a significant portion of the museum’s contents, have also expressed support.
Mack said they also have a partnership agreement with Lawrence University in place to work with professors and students to create an additional learning tool for students while gaining expertise from the instructors.
“We felt like by getting involved, we were doing the community a service,” said Mack, “maintaining these things locally where they belong, and making sure that these exhibits and collections still exist, accessible for the community.”
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