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The fountain in the Formal Garden during spring.Eric Reischl

Plan a Visit

Visit a historic estate with art galleries and botanical gardens


The Paine Art Center and Gardens is located in Oshkosh, Wisconsin. Founded in 1948, the English country estate includes a historic mansion, art collection, and nearly four acres of botanical gardens. The Paine is accredited by the American Alliance of Museums and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. 

With art exhibitions that change throughout the year, display gardens that vary by the season, and events for people of all ages and backgrounds, the Paine offers a spectrum of experiences to enjoy throughout the year.


Daily Admission

August 1–October 26, 2025

Admission includes viewing the mansion, gardens, and HYBYCOZO Sculptures in Daylight exhibition


Tuesday–Sunday
11:00 AM–4:00 PM
Reservations recommended

$12 Adults
$7 Youth
Free for Paine Members
Free for children ages 4 and under

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The Nature of Light

August 1–October 26, 2025

Main Experience

Outdoors Only


Sunset–10:30 PM Daily
Reservations required

The Main Experience includes full access to the outdoor display featuring 17 illuminated settings with more than 36 sculptures and performances by light dancers.


Sunday–Thursday
$20 Adult
$12 Youth (ages 5-17)

Friday–Saturday
$28 Adult
$18 Youth (ages 5-17)


25% off reservations after 9:00 PM.

 

Paine Members receive 50% off admission rates.
Join or renew when making a reservation!

 

Free reservations for children ages 4 and under.

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Ultimate Experience

Indoors & Outdoors


Sunset–10:30 PM Daily
Reservations required

The Ultimate Experience includes the outdoor display and adds access to seven rooms inside the Paine mansion featuring light installations and an interactive sculpture.


Sunday–Thursday
$30 Adult
 
$20 Youth (ages 5-17)

Friday–Saturday
$40 Adult
$28 Youth (ages 5-17)


25% off reservations after 9:00 PM.

 

Paine Members receive 50% off admission rates.
Join or renew when making a reservation!

 

Free reservations for children ages 4 and under.

View Details


Nutcracker in the Castle

November 21, 2025–January 5, 2026

Kids Free Days at the Nutcracker

Children enjoy free admission to self-guided tours with a paid adult admission


November 21–26, 2025

10:00 AM–8:00 PM 

Reservations required. Reservations available beginning October 8, 2025.

Children ages 17 and under enjoy free admission to self-guided tours of Nutcracker in the Castle on select days and times with a paid adult admission, courtesy of Verve, a Credit Union. Verve will also collect donations to Toys for Tots under the giant Christmas tree. 


$17 Adult
Free for Paine Members


Limit of five (5) free children per one adult admission. Children must be accompanied by an adult.

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Self-guided tours

Featuring 20 decorated settings and 70 Christmas trees in the historic Paine mansion


November 28, 2025–January 5, 2026

Monday–Saturday | 10:00 AM–4:00 PM*

Closed on Thanksgiving and Christmas Day

Christmas Eve, New Year’s Eve, New Year’s Day:
10:00 AM–4:00 PM

Reservations recommended

On self-guided tours, journey through more than 20 rooms and spaces elaborately decorated as the fantastic scenes of the Nutcracker story. On the first floor, each setting features a large storybook with illustrations that reveal a portion of the fairy tale. On the second floor, the rooms portray the home and lifestyle of the Stahlbaum family, as well as the workshop of Godfather Drosselmeyer and a wide variety of finely crafted wooden Nutcrackers. Throughout both floors, more than 60 mischievous mice are hidden within the settings.


$17 Adult
$13 Youth (ages 5–17)
Free for Paine Members
Free for children ages 4 and under


*Reservations for self-guided tours are especially recommended for Saturdays and between Christmas and New Year’s. Those with reservations are admitted first, and walk-ins are only admitted if space allows.

*Verve, A Credit Union members receive 2-for-1 admission to self-guided tours. Proof of membership required.

*Amcor employees receive 2-for-1 admission for self-guided tours. Proof of employment is required.

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Candlelight tours

Featuring the decorated settings illuminated by Christmas trees in the evening


November 28, 2025–January 2, 2026

Sundays | Dec. 7, 14, 21, 28 | 5:00–8:00 PM
Mondays | Dec. 15, 22 & 29 | 4:30–8:00 PM
Tuesdays | Dec. 16, 23 & 30 | 4:30–8:00 PM
Thursdays | Dec. 4, 11, & 18 | 4:30–8:00 PM
Fridays | Nov. 28, Dec. 5, & Jan. 2 | 4:30–8:00 PM

Reservations required

Candlelight tours offer guests an especially enchanting way to take a self-guided tour of the Nutcracker display in the evening. The lights of the “castle” are dimmed and the settings are illuminated by the glow of more than 70 Christmas trees. As guests enter, they are handed electric candles to carry as they wander through the glowing rooms.


$21 Adult
$16 Youth (ages 5–17)
Free for Paine Members
Free for children ages 4 and under


Verve, A Credit Union members receive 2-for-1 admission to candlelight tours. Proof of membership required.

Amcor employees receive 2-for-1 admission for candlelight tours. Proof of employment is required.

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Guided Tours

Featuring live musical, acting, and dance performances


November 29, 2025–January 4, 2026

Fridays | 5:00–8:00 PM*
Saturdays | 5:00–8:00 PM
Sundays | 12:00–3:30 PM

Reservations required

A guided tour of Nutcracker in the Castle brings the characters and scenes of the fairy tale to life. The tour begins with a festive party in the “Ballroom” and live performances by a string quartet. Guests enjoy punch and cookies while Godfather Drosselmeyer tells the story of Clara and the Nutcracker Prince.

Afterwards, he leads guests through the elaborately decorated rooms of the mansion. The story culminates in the “Lands of Afar” where youth and professional dancers perform selections from the Nutcracker ballet. Guests then tour the second-floor rooms, which are fancifully decorated as Clara’s family home and Drosselmeyer’s workshop.


$40 Adult
$32 Youth (ages 5–17)

 

Paine Members:
$30 Adult
$24 Youth (ages 5–17)

 

Free for children ages 4 and under


Tours begin every 30 minutes and last about an hour.

*Guided tours are not available on Friday, Dec. 5 or on Friday, Jan. 2.

Youth dancers from Valley Academy for the Arts perform Nov. 29–30; Dec. 6–7; and Jan. 3–4.

Professional dancers from the Minnesota Ballet perform Dec. 12–14; Dec. 19–21; and Dec. 26–28.

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Sugar Plum Fairy’s Cupcake Café

Located in the Conservatory at the back of the Paine property


November 21, 2025–January 4, 2026

Thursdays & Fridays | 5:00–7:30 PM
Saturdays | 11:00 AM–7:30 PM
Sundays | 12:30 PM–7:30 PM*

Closed on holidays

Kids Free Days at the Nutcracker hours
Nov. 21 | 5:00–7:30 PM
Nov. 22-23 | 11:00 AM–7:30 PM
Nov. 24-26 | 5:00–7:30 PM

Additional holiday hours
Dec. 15–16 | 5:00–7:30 PM
Dec. 22–23, 26 & 29–30 | 11:00 AM–7:30 PM

No reservations necessary

Visit the Sugar Plum Fairy’s Cupcake Café for a scrumptious treat before or after tours of Nutcracker in the Castle! There, you’ll meet a fairy from the Land of the Sugar Plums as you enjoy cupcakes and hot cocoa in a fairyland setting within the Paine’s Conservatory.


$9 includes cupcake and hot cocoa, milk, or coffee.


*Sunday, Nov. 23 | 11:00 AM–7:30 PM
*Sunday, Nov. 30 | 12:30–3:30 PM
*Sunday, Jan. 4 | 12:30–3:30 PM

Cupcakes are made by Manderfield’s Home Bakery.

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A view of a blooming tree, with a stained glass window in the background.
Ken Cravillion

Location & Parking

The Paine is located at 
1410 Algoma Boulevard, Oshkosh, WI 54901.

Visitors may park in a lot on Algoma Boulevard just north of the Paine mansion, which offers accessible parking spaces and a drop off area near the entrance gate. An additional lot with accessible parking is located on Congress Avenue. Street parking is also available on Algoma Boulevard and Congress Avenue.

A planter with pink and white flowers stands next to the mansion in spring
Eric Reischl

Photography

Amateur photography is allowed in the mansion and gardens with paid admission. Photography of art exhibitions varies by the exhibition. Photo shoots and professional photography of any kind require a permit and advance scheduling.

To arrange for a permit, please contact weddings@thepaine.org or call
(920) 235-6903.

A group of people view the Dining Room in the mansion.
Jim Koepnick

Tour Groups

Tour group visits of the mansion and gardens are available by appointment and must be arranged at least two weeks in advance. Availability varies by the season. Please plan to spend about two hours with us. To coordinate a visit for a tour group, please fill out a Tour Group Inquiry. For more information, email tours@thepaine.org or call (920) 235-6903. 

For information on field trips and school tours, please visit our Field Trips page.


Click to interact with map
illustrated map of The Paine gardens

Tour the Paine Before You Visit

Click, drag and zoom in to interact with the garden map to the left.

Explore the spacious Paine estate, from the Mansion entrance through the Great Lawn, the Rose Garden down to the Carriage House and more. Click here to read more about the Gardens.


An aerial view of the mansion façade with colorful tulips in spring.
Jim Koepnick

More Resources

The following sites may be of help in planning your visit to Oshkosh: 
Discover Oshkosh 
Portal Wisconsin 
Travel Wisconsin 
EAA AirVenture Museum 
Grand Opera House 
Oshkosh Public Museum

Travel Beyond Your Horizon

The Paine is proud to be a founding member of Wisconsin Art Destinations. Learn more at wisconsinartdestinations.com.

Logo for Wisconsin Art Destinations

Frequently Asked Questions

How long should I expect a visit to last?

Touring the mansion and gardens on one’s own takes about an hour each. Plan for two hours total. To arrange for a docent-led tour, please contact the Paine two weeks before your visit.

Is the Paine accessible?

The Paine mansion is accessible and has an elevator for the second floor, however, a portion of the second floor is not wheelchair-accessible. Large wheelchairs may not fit through some doorways. The Paine has wheelchairs that fit through all doorways available at the mansion entrance. The Carriage House, Conservatory, and gardens are wheelchair-accessible.

Do I need a reservation to visit?

Reservations are recommended, not required. Walk-ins are welcome during open hours. Reservations are sometimes required during special events. For help with a reservation, please email reservations@thepaine.org or call (920) 235-6903.

Are dogs allowed?

Only fully-trained service dogs are permitted, and must comply with ADA requirements. Therapy dogs, emotional support animals, and other pets are not permitted on the property, including in the gardens.

May I bring a stroller?

Large strollers are not allowed. Visitors with small children should use umbrella strollers, which are available at the mansion entrance. The Paine does not offer storage for strollers.

Are backpacks allowed?

In order to protect the art and décor, backpacks are not allowed to be worn on backs inside the mansion. Backpacks may be worn in front or carried by the handle. This includes backpack-style diaper bags.

Are food or drinks allowed inside the mansion?

Food and drinks are not allowed inside the mansion. Water only.

Is there a smoking area?

In order to preserve the botanical gardens, there is no smoking or vaping allowed on the Paine property. 

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