A dedication to arts, cultural, and historical preservation greatly enhances the experience of living in Platteville. Residents can enjoy many artistic and cultural events, and learn about the area’s rich history in "living" museums.

The Mining Museum honors the area’s mining history, with a unique display tracing the development of lead and zinc mining throughout the Upper Mississippi Valley. Visitors will find items including models, artifacts, and photographs. For a truly hands-on learning experience, visitors can take a guided tour through the 1845 Bevans Lead Mine - a mine that produced more than two million pounds of lead in one year.

The Mitchell-Rountree Stone Cottage, founded in 1837, is a limestone building patterned after a distinctive Tidewater Virginia style. With its two-foot thick dolomite Galena limestone walls, Stone Cottage is a truly unique structure. The cottage is filled with original furnishings, and tours are available.

A stunning collection of arrowheads, art, tools, games, and turn-of-the-century artifacts is on display at the Rollo Jamison Museum. Jamison began collecting arrowheads while a boy in the late 1800s, ultimately amassing a vast collection. UW-Platteville’s Center for the Arts includes a 600-seat recital-concert-theater space and a 250-seat playhouse and offers many diverse programs for the public all year long.

The gazebo in the Downtown City Park is the site for weekly summer concerts in the park which are enjoyed by the entire community.

The Platteville Public Library system offers residents a source of reference materials to enhance educational study. Residents have access to the library’s thousands of reference books, magazines and more than 40 newspapers are available for research or leisure reading. With the interlibrary loan system, residents can access items from other libraries throughout Wisconsin. Free Internet use is available on library computers. A variety of programs are offered for residents of all ages, and free public meeting space is available with audiovisual equipment.

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