Museums in Wausau

A Deeper Look at the Woodson

The Leigh Yawkey Woodson Art Museum has served the heart of Wisconsin since 1976. After 50 years and through the support of our community, we’re proud to be the only full-service art museum in Wausau.

In 1973, John E. Forester and Alice W. Forester donated an English Tudor home and four-acre estate to the community to become an art museum, the first one of its kind in Wausau. After renovations and the addition of a two-story gallery, the Leigh Yawkey Woodson Art Museum opened in 1976, alongside a bird-themed exhibition that would become Birds in Art.

In 1987, the Museum added a second two-story gallery. In 1997, we built a new main entrance, and in 2012, we completed a 9,000-square-foot addition. Most recently, we’ve opened our Glass Box Studio, expanding our ability to host visiting artists and offer art programs, workshops, making sessions, and more.

Throughout its development, the Museum has been supported by the Woodson and Yawkey families. These families have supported much of Wausau’s business, cultural, and philanthropic affairs for decades. Their generosity and love for the art of the natural world helped establish the Woodson Art Museum’s guiding spirit—the intertwining of art and nature.

Our Museum’s Namesake

Leigh Yawkey Woodson (1888-1963) and her husband, Aytchmonde P. Woodson (1881-1958), generously supported the Wausau community throughout their lifetimes. Their 3 daughters wished to honor and continue their parents’ legacy through the creation of an art museum.

Nancy Leigh Woodson Spire (1917-1998) resided in New York throughout her adult years with her husband, Dr. Lyman J. Spire; she generously supported every phase of the Museum’s growth.

Alice Woodson Forester (1918-1994) and her husband, John E. Forester, spearheaded the effort to create an art museum in memory of Mrs. Woodson, donating their property.

Margaret Woodson Fisher (1920-1972), who supported the founding of the Museum, died before it opened. The Sculpture Garden is named in her honor.

The History of Birds in Art

To accompany the opening of the Leigh Yawkey Woodson Art Museum, the Woodson family asked their friend and respected Wisconsin artist, Owen J. Gromme (1896-1991), to organize the Museum’s inaugural exhibition.

This exhibition, called Birds of the Lakes, Fields, and Forests, exceeded expectations and won wide acclaim. Its success led to the establishment of the highly competitive annual juried Birds in Art exhibition. Taking place every year, this exhibition has shown the work of almost 1,000 international artists and has started the careers of many now prominent artists.

Awards and Accreditations

The Leigh Yawkey Woodson Art Museum is the only accredited art museum in Wausau and one of nine in Wisconsin, winning recognition across the region and on a national level.

In 2017, the Woodson Art Museum won the National Medal, the nation’s highest Museum honor for service in the community. Around 123,000 libraries and 35,000 museums are eligible for this award, and the Woodson Art Museum was only one of two art museums to be named a winner in 2017. In 2016, the Woodson Art Museum was a finalist for that same award.

Also in 2016, the Woodson Art Museum won the Wisconsin Governor’s Arts, Culture, and Heritage Tourism Award. In November 2020, our director emerita, Kathy Kelsey Foley, received the Association of the Midwest Museums’ Distinguished Career Award for her significant contributions to the museum field.

The Leigh Yawkey Woodson Art Museum is accredited by the American Alliance of Museums, and is a founding member of the Wisconsin Art Destinations.