Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
pretty combination of small, grassy state capital and liberal, bookish college town. An
impressive foodie/locavore scene has been cooking here for years.
Sights & Activities
State St runs from the capitol west to the University of Wisconsin. The pedestrian-only
avenue is lined with free-trade coffee shops, parked bicycles and incense-wafting stores
selling hacky sacks and flowing Indian skirts.
Chazen Museum of Art
MUSEUM
(
www.chazen.wisc.edu
;
750 University Ave; 9am-5pm Tue-Fri, 9am-9pm Thu, 11am-5pm Sat &
Sun)
The university's art museum is huge and fabulous, fresh off an expansion and
way beyond the norm for a campus collection. The 3rd floor holds most of the genre-
spanning trove: everything from the old Dutch masters to Qing Dynasty porcelein vases,
Picasso sculptures and Andy Warhol pop art. Free chamber-music concerts and arthouse
films take place on Sundays from September to mid-May.
Monona Terrace
ARCHITECTURE
(
www.mononaterrace.com
; 1 John Nolen Dr; 8am-5pm)
Frank Lloyd Wright designed the
cool, white semicirclular structure in 1938, though it wasn't completed until 1997. The
one-hour tours ($3) explain why; they're offered daily at 1pm. The building serves as a
community center, offering free lunchtime yoga classes and evening concerts; check the
events schedule online. The rooftop garden and cafe offer sweeping lake views.
Dane County Farmers Market
MARKET
(
www.dcfm.org
;
Capitol Sq; 6am-2pm Sat late Apr-early Nov)
On Saturdays, a food
bazaar takes over Capitol Sq. It's one of the nation's most expansive markets, famed for
its artisanal cheeses and breads. In winter it moves indoors to varying locations.
State Capitol
BUILDING
( 608-266-0382; 8am-6pm Mon-Fri, to 4pm Sat & Sun)
The X-shaped capitol is
the largest outside Washington, DC, and marks the heart of downtown. Tours are avail-
able on the hour most days, or you can go up to the observation deck on your own for a
view.
Museum of Contemporary Art
MUSEUM
