The Wausau Club

A Wausau landmark since 1901

Step through the fluted columns at the entrance of the Wausau Club and you step into more than a century of Wausau memories. Built in 1901 and listed on the National Register of Historic Places, this stately building has hosted generations of the community’s dances, class reunions, black-tie affairs, and wedding receptions. Chances are, someone you know has a story that begins here.

Where the museum lives

Since 2017, the renovated first floor has been home to the Wausau Museum of Contemporary Art, where internationally known artists are shown in a historic setting, with a primary focus on realism. The museum has drawn international attention for exhibitions of artists including Alyssa Monks, Margaret Bowland, Eloy Morales, Bo Bartlett, Vincent DeSedario, Ann Gale and Carmelo Blandino. Its permanent collection grows every year, and some of those works hang upstairs in the Wausau Club itself.

The ballroom

Upstairs, the second-floor ballroom, lounge and bar feel like a step back in time. A 1900s Brunswick-style backbar in quarter-sawn oak anchors the room, and a dramatic matching fireplace warms the ballroom. Sink into an Italian leather club chair, listen to live music on a stage framed by velvet curtains, and let the glow of turn-of-the-century crystal chandeliers and wall sconces set the mood.

Host your event here

A wedding, a gala, a fundraiser, a social or a family gathering: whatever you’re celebrating, you’ll have a world-class setting for it. Bring your own caterer. The Wausau Club holds up to 330 guests standing or 265 seated. You can also keep the museum open during your event, so guests can wander the galleries. The museum has a capacity of 211 people.