Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
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Leigh Yawkey Woodson Museum
Ornithological mavens rub elbows with puzzled ginseng buyers during the internationally
regarded early autumn
Birds in Art
exhibition at the
Leigh Yawkey Woodson Museum
(700 N. 12th St., 715/845-7010,
www.lywam.org
,
9am-4pm Tues.-Fri., noon-5pm Sat.-
Sun., free), when the museum rolls out its exquisite and astonishing menagerie of birds in
all media. The little museum in a grand Cotswold-style mansion has holdings that draw
artists and birders worldwide. The 8-12 exhibitions each year, plus a steadily growing per-
manent collection, include rare Royal Worcester porcelain, Victorian glass baskets, and
complete multimedia artist collections with birds as the focus.
Rib Mountain
Dominating the terrain—if not the local psyche—is
Rib Mountain,
for most of the state's
history presumed by most to be the highest point in the state. Technically not a mountain,
Rib is a 70-billion-year-old quartzite monadnock rising 1,940 feet above sea level and 800
feet above the surrounding peneplain. Though not exactly imposing in height, its slopes are
steep—there's a 1,200-foot rise per mile.
ArtsBlock
Wausau is to be commended for its devotion to cultural affairs. The city block bordered by
Scott,Fourth,Jefferson,and5thStreetsnowcomprisesanartsdistrictunrivaledinWiscon-
sin,knownas
ArtsBlock.
Thecornerstone1927Greekrevival
Grand Theater
(4274thSt.,
715/842-0988,
www.grandtheater.org
) was recently given a multimillion-dollar facelift to
bringbackitsoriginalshineandallowspacefornationalandinternationalacts.Studiosand
galleries of
Center for the Visual Arts
(427 4th St., 715/842-4545,
www.cvawausau.com
,
10am-3pm Mon.-Sat., free) and performances by the
Performing Arts Foundation
are
also right there.
Historic District
The lumber wealth of the area went to some superlative use. More than 60 structures of
many architectural styles are showcased in a well-planned
walking tour
through part of
downtown. The maps are available at the information center.
The Center
TakeWI29westtoPoniatowski(followthesigns)andatsomepointyoumightstartfeeling
some odd twinges inside. It could be you're approaching 45 degrees longitude and 90 de-
