Do you picture a dairy museum as just a collection of old milk bottles and statues dedicated to cows? You may want to take time to discover Wisconsin’s National Dairy Shrine. It’s located in Fort Atkinson and honors the dairy industry on a local and global scale. Plus, the Dairy Shrine and its Museum may just surprise you!
Let’s start with this item. An animal-powered butter churn.
Yes, you read that right.
This unusual piece of history is part of the many artifacts on display. It’s also where the story of the dairy industry is revealed — as it stretches from the farm to the foods that eventually land on the dinner table.
LISTEN to Teri Barr’s complete interview with the Dairy Shrine’s Mike Opperman here:
A museum built around dairy history
The National Dairy Shrine was founded in 1949 by a group of industry professionals. They wanted to preserve dairy history while recognizing the people who helped shape it.
Today, the organization has more than 20,000 members from all around the world.
Executive Director Mike Opperman says the Dairy Shrine’s mission centers around three pillars: inspiring youth, recognizing dairy leaders, and preserving dairy history.
“That first pillar includes scholarships for college students pursuing careers in the dairy industry. Each year, we awards just under $50,000 in scholarships,” Opperman explains. “The second focuses on recognizing the people who have made a difference, including dairy producers, cattle breeders, and industry pioneers.”
And then there’s the museum.
It opened in 1981 and has become a place where visitors can learn how the dairy industry has changed dramatically over the years.
From the cow to the cheese aisle
One of the museum’s biggest goals is helping people understand how much effort goes into the dairy products they enjoy every day. And many of the visitors arrive with little knowledge of agriculture or dairy farming.
“They learn how milk is made, how cows are cared for, where their cheese and ice cream and cottage cheese and other products come from,” Opperman said.
And that can be a bit of a revelation.
“There is animal care, genetics, feeding, equipment, processing, transportation, and an entire industry working behind the scenes before that gallon of milk — or block of cheese — reaches the consumer,” he explained.
And for dairy farmers and others who have been around the industry for decades, the museum offers something different. It’s an opportunity to look back.
“You can see items that demonstrate how dairy cows were managed, and how dairy products were produced generations ago,” Opperman said.
A Hall of Fame for dairy
But, the museum isn’t just about old equipment.
The National Dairy Shrine also serves as a Dairy Hall of Fame. It features photos and stories of people who have been recognized for their contributions to the industry.
This is also personal for Opperman. He grew up around the industry and has been connected to the National Dairy Shrine since he was a kid. It gave Opperman the opportunity to meet many of the people who are now recognized in the Hall of Fame.
Meet the “first robotic butter maker”
Then there’s the butter churn.
The museum’s antique machine used a small animal — a sheep or dog — to power a wooden treadmill. As the animal walked, the movement powered the paddles inside the butter churn.
“It’s probably the first robotic butter maker in history,” Opperman jokes.
This is exactly the kind of exhibit that makes history memorable. And sometimes taking a walk through the past is the best way to learn about the future of agriculture, too.
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