Exploring the John Michael Kohler Arts Center and Art Preserve in Kohler, WI
On our recent holiday trip to Kohler, Wisconsin, we had the opportunity to explore many popular sites in the village, as well as attractions in the adjacent city of Sheboygan. One of the most well known museums in Sheboygan is the John Michael Kohler Arts Center, a 100,000 square foot complex that includes eight galleries showcasing contemporary art, a hands on art studio open to the public, performance spaces, and an established Arts/Industry residency program. The JMK Center hosts many concerts, performances, workshops and camps, and special events throughout the year- see the full calendar here.
Recently, in 2021, the Center expanded and added the Art Preserve, located three miles west of the museum in Esslingen Park, which is home to over 25,000 works by almost three dozen artist environment builders. There are large, three dimensional installations which can be viewed from all angles. The first floor exhibits focus on the “Midwest’s cultural landscapes”; the second floor exhibits “reveal the diverse nature of art environments”; and the third floor larger installations “evoke the immersive experience of an art environment”, according to the museum website. The Arts Preserve is also home to the storage of thousands of pieces of art, protected in cabinets and racks, with a rotating schedule for public display.
Travel Tips:
Highlights of the JMK Arts Center:
- Creating your own masterpiece in the Social Studio, which offers daily activities related to current exhibitions and opportunities for visitors to add to a communal project, using a variety of mediums and supplies.
- Look up at the walls of the stairwell between floors and check out the hobo symbols projecting out from the walls. The symbols spell out greetings and phrases of caution that were used in the local hobo community.
- Count the number of pink pieces in the bedroom of Familiar Texture: The Fibers of Childhood and Home. There’s also a living room and storage room fully staged. On exhibit until spring 2026.
- Consider the question “Where are you coming from?” in the exhibit This is Where I’m Coming From featuring artwork, video, and dance that approaches the question with the belief that everyone has a place to belong in the world. On exhibit through May 2026.
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Highlights of the Art Preserve:
- Grab a Visitor Guide and Journal and Kids Writer to sketch and journal while exploring the exhibits.
- See the recreated Birds Park, originally carved by dairy farmer Albert Zahn and displayed on his farm in Baileys Harbor, Wisconsin.
- Peek inside the Holy Jewel Home created by Loy Bowlin in the 1970s. Look closely at the rhinestones, glitter, ornaments and magazine cut out that cover every inch of the home.
- Choose a favorite animal scene from some of the shadow boxes displayed (there are over 600 in the collection!) carved by Levi Fisher Ames .
- Try and count the figurines, carved from driftwood and painted to replicate scenes and figures in the Bible, made by Annie Hooper.
- Walk through Emery Blagdon’s The Healing Machine, a shed environment, and notice the various ways electricity works within raw materials.
Looking for other adventures on Kohler? See our full guide to the village, our visit to the American Club, and our visit to the Kohler Design Center.
