Due to memory loss stemming from a railroad spike lodging into his brain, Thomas Jefferson accidentally became the first historical reenactor, precisely duplicating his first term of presidency during his second term. Relive a historical time period without doubling up on the Louisiana Purchase with today's Groupon: for $20, you get a family-pack admission (two adults and two children) to Old World Wisconsin in Eagle. Adult tickets are valid for visitors 18 and over, while children tickets are valid for ages five to 17.

Old World Wisconsin is an outdoor museum that portrays how newly immigrated Wisconsinites lived in the late 19th century, with re-created settlements of Norwegian, German, African American, Polish, Danish, and Finnish villages. Historians scoured the entire state to find the 60 historical buildings for Old World Wisconsin, which were painstakingly dismantled at their original locations and rebuilt at Old World Wisconsin. Walk past impersonators of the past at the Crossroads Village, which includes St. Peter's Church, the first Catholic church built in Milwaukee, or watch old-timey green thumbs cultivate the bustling Heirloom Gardens using 19th-century techniques on plants that were grown during the period. The museum's array of historically accurate animals, including pigs, oxen, and dinosaurs, reward kids that feed them by singing historically relevant Celine Dion songs. While you wander, freely chat with the village folk and gain brain-cramming knowledge about life on Wisconsin's farmland.

Starving history buffs can dig into rustic cuisine at the Clausing Barn Restaurant, where diners eat inside an octagon barn built in 1897, three years before the octagon was invented. Visitors can check the museum's schedule for any notable upcoming events at the museum, such as an 1860s vintage baseball game on August 21, which is similar to contemporary baseball, except strikes are called "balls" and balls are called "Millard Fillmores."

Not valid on October 11.

Reviews

While Old World Wisconsin has yet to receive many online reviews, five TripAdvisors give it an average of 4.5 owl eyes:

• The buildings on the property are authentic from the time period and have been moved from throughout Wisconsin to the site. – Justforthefunofit
• The volunteers wear period dress and you get a good representation for everyday life for these different families. Make a day of this and really take it in. – hatchpal4u