APPLETON (WLUK) — The Trout Museum of Art is ready for its big reveal.
The museum’s new location at the east end of downtown Appleton is set to host a grand opening on Saturday. Before the event, museum officials invited members of the media inside for a sneak peek at the new facility.
“It’s been a long time coming,” said Marketing Manager Ashley Acker. “We’re about 3 years in, and it’s so exciting to finally see it all come together, and the public can finally see what we’ve been working on for the past year or two.”
The museum closed its former location just off Houdini Plaza in May. It is moving to 325 E. College Ave., a new building shared with Lawrence University.
“It allows us to be able to hang big artwork from the ceiling, which you’ll see in the space,” Executive Director Christina Turner told us. “It allows us to be able to put monumental artwork that are 20, 30 feet long on the walls which we wouldn’t have had that type of space in the old building.”
Pieces from local artists like Michelle Grabner fill the space, and the piece welcoming visitors to the museum, Ravelled Edge, comes from an artist out of Sheboygan Falls.
“Getting local people and highly professional people that have more established careers together really elevates everyone. It’s a really important part of the artistic journey that an artist goes through,” Turner said.
The Trout plans to rotate pieces in the museum every 2 to 4 months, showcasing both world-renowned and locally known artists.
And thanks to Boldt construction, admission is free to the museum for guests through 2026.
Events are scheduled throughout the day on Saturday, beginning with a ribbon-cutting at 9 a.m.