Students and Teachers
If your class or group is planning to visit our State Capitol in March, April, May or early June,
now is the time to schedule your trip. Dates fill up quickly during these popular months.
Tours are free of charge and are offered Monday 
- Saturday at 9 a.m, 10 a.m., 11 a.m., 1 p.m., 2 p.m. and 3 p.m, and Sundays at 1 p.m., 2 p.m. and 3 p.m. A 4 p.m. tour is offered M-F from Memorial Day through Labor Day. The sixth floor museum and observation deck are also open during the summer months. Groups of ten or more can make a tour reservation online or by calling 608-266-0382.
If you have a large group, having the kids bring a brown bag lunch might work best. Seating is available in the basement of the Capitol, near the vending machines or on the Capitol grounds.
In addition, visiting the Wisconsin Veterans Museum or the State Historical Society may also be of interest to your group. The Executive Residence, located at 99 Cambridge Road in Maple Bluff, is open for public tours during the summer and for holiday viewing. Groups of 20 or more are encouraged call ahead for reservations (608) 246-5501.
Contact me for assistance by calling my office at (608) 266-7678 and we can assist your group, including arranging for a group photo.
Resources and Links
Here are some resources students and teachers can use to learn more about Wisconsin State Government and the history of the Badger State. If you have any questions about any of this information, feel free to contact my office.
The Legislative Reference Bureau has done a great job putting together a series about brief discussions of how government works in Wisconsin. Some of the topics include: redistricting, the governor's veto power, the state court system, lobbyists, forms of local government, separation of powers, the role of political parties, American Indian powers, etc.
The Wisconsin Blue Book is published in the fall of odd-numbered years and serves as the official state publication regarding the organization, operation and related fuctions of our government. It is an excellent reference resource pertaining to all aspects of state government.
Want to learn more about the state of Wisconsin? Follow these links to various pages with games, trivia and other cool stuff. Topics include: environment, veterans, history, eating right/staying active, underwater archaeology, lessons on money and Searchasaures. For additional resources, check out Badgerlink.
The Legislative Audit Bureau is non-partisan legislative service agency created to assist the Legislature in maintaining effective oversight of state operations. The Bureau conducts objective audits and evaluations of state agency operations to ensure financial transactions have been made in a legal and proper manner and to determine whether programs are administered effectively, efficiently, and in accordance with the policies of the Legislature and the Governor.
A 96-page booklet describing the legislative process in Wisconsin.
A 16-page booklet on "How a Bill Becomes Law
This is a great resource for writing a paper on state government. In January of odd-numbered years, the Legislative Fiscal Bureau puts together around 90 Informational Papers covering a wide range of topics such as taxes, certain government programs and/or agencies, etc.
Check out the Legislative Council's home page. Great information on summaries of bills signed into law, information on study committees, etc.
Click here to view the Wisconsin Constitution, the U.S Constitution and the Declaration of Independence.
A link to the National Conference of State Legislators (NCSL) Back to School Program Materials, including "Your idea counts" video Citizen Brain.
Free primary source materials for social studies teachers.