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Children’s Museum opens new firehouse exhibit

Published

4 weeks ago

June 11, 2025

It’s the hottest and coolest new exhibit at the Children’s Museum of La Crosse.

Today, Fire Station 4 ½ was officially opened at the museum with members of the La Crosse Fire Department and Trane Technologies.

ribbon cutting at the children's museum. — *Members of the La Crosse Fire Department and Trane Technologies join Executive Director Ann Christianson for a ribbon cutting at the new firehouse exhibit at the Children’s Museum.*

Both helped with what the kids can now discover at the museum, said Executive Director Ann Christianson.

“Now we have an entire little kids-sized fire station with a bunkhouse and its own slide and all kinds of things so that they can pretend to be a firefighter rescue. Including the clothes. I think that’s what makes it. Their eyes have just lit up and it’s been really great.”

*Kids try on firefighter clothes at the Children’s Museum exhibit.*

Christianson said it’s also a learning opportunity for kids to pick up on fire safety and the adults getting a safety refresher, too.

Trane helped bring in some science and technology to the exhibit with what Christianson called “The ABCs of HVAC” that simulates helping keep the fire station cool.

The La Crosse Fire Department has been a part of the museum since it first opened. A fire truck is one of the popular exhibits for visitors to the museum.

This new exhibit is one way the community has stepped up to support the museum and its activities said Christianson.

Related Topics:education featured

Kevin Millard

Kevin Millard is News Director for WIZM News. A West Salem native, he's spent most of his life, except for a year each in Florida and Wausau, here in the La Crosse area. Broadcasting and the media has been a part of his life since he was filmed in his first commercial in 2nd Grade. Most of his career has been spent working behind the scenes in the newsroom at a local television station. He's been the host of WKTY Outdoors since October 2005.