Behind-the-Scenes: Sneak Peek
A Firefighing Icon: The 1931 Seagrave
Once you’re behind the scenes, things get interesting fast. One of the first show-stoppers is a gleaming 1931 Seagrave firetruck that once rolled through the streets of Eau Claire. With its bright red body, twin leather seats, polished brass bells, working pumps, and ladders still intact, this beauty isn’t just a vehicle. It's a life-saving piece of history!
Iron Lung: A Glimpse Into Polio's Past
Nearby sits an iron lung (yes, an actual iron lung) built for a teenager battling polio. These massive machines acted as life support chambers, helping patients breathe when the disease paralyzed their lungs. Imagine living your entire life inside a metal cylinder, with only your head sticking out?! Hauntingly, the last known person to live in one passed away just a few years ago.
Medical Oddities & Tools of the Past
If that’s not enough to pique your curiosity, the museum’s medical collection might do the trick. Think scalpels, sutures made of cat guts, mercury-based medicines, and even vintage dental tools. Things sure have changed over the years, and this is your chance to travel back in time to see the real deal!
Taxidermy & Old Abe's Legacy
The museum is also home to a variety of taxidermied animals. One of the most well-known is the one and only Old Abe, a bald eagle with deep roots in Wisconsin history. The eagle is so valued that it even requires strict paperwork to be in the collection. Many of the taxidermied animals are unable to be displayed due to the arsenic that was used in older practices.
Where History Gets Processed
On the tour, you'll also get to see the space where the historical team works through new artifacts donated to the museum and is performing proper preservation practices. This is also where they decide what to keep, what goes on display, and even where they try to figure out each piece's story. You never know what you're going to find in here!
That’s all we’ll spoil for now. If you're curious to see what other treasures are hiding behind the scenes, don't wait. Book a tour and step into the hidden world of the Chippewa Valley Museum!