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
October 15–November 21, 2024
Admission includes viewing the mansion and gardens
Tuesday–Sunday
11:00 AM–4:00 PM
$9 Adult
$5 Youth (ages 5-17)
Free for Paine Members
Free for children ages 4 and under
Nutcracker in the Castle
November 22, 2024 – January 6, 2025
Kids Free Days at the Nutcracker
Children enjoy free admission to self-guided tours with a paid adult admission
November 22-27, 2024
10:00 AM–8:00 PM
Reservations required
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.
$16 Adult
Free for Paine Members
Limit of five (5) free children per one adult admission. Children must be accompanied by an adult.
Self-guided tours
Featuring 20 decorated settings and 70 Christmas trees in the historic Paine mansion
November 29, 2024–January 6, 2025
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.
$16 Adult
$12 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 self-guided tours. Proof of membership required. Amcor employees receive 2-for-1 admission for self-guided tours. Proof of employment is required.
Candlelight tours
Featuring the decorated settings illuminated by Christmas trees in the evening
November 29, 2024–January 3, 2025
Sundays: Dec. 8, 15, 22, & 29 | 5:00–8:00 PM
Mondays: Dec. 16, 23, & 30 | 4:30–8:00 PM
Tuesday: Dec. 17 | 4:30–8:00 PM
Thursdays: Dec. 5, 12, 19, & 26 | 4:30–8:00 PM
Fridays: Nov. 29, Dec. 6, & Jan. 3 | 4:30–8:00 PM
Reservations required
Candlelight tours offer guests an especially entrancing 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.
$19 Adult
$15 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.
Guided tours
Featuring live musical, acting, and dance performances
November 30, 2024–January 5, 2025
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.
Youth dancers from Valley Academy for the Arts will perform Nov. 30–Dec. 1; Dec. 7–8; and Jan. 4–5. Professional dancers from the Minnesota Ballet will perform Dec. 13–15; Dec. 20–22; and Dec. 27–29.
$35 Adult
$30 Youth (ages 5-17)
Paine Members:
$28 Adult
$23 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. 6 or on Friday, Jan. 3.
Sugar Plum Fairy’s Cupcake Café
Located in the Conservatory at the back of the Paine property
November 22, 2024–January 5, 2025
Thursdays & Fridays | 5:00–7:30 PM
Saturdays | 11:00 AM–7:30 PM
Sundays | 12:30 PM–7:30 PM*
Closed on Thanksgiving and on Thurs., Jan. 2.
Additional holiday hours
Nov. 25–27 | 5:00–7:30 PM
Dec. 16–17 | 5:00–7:30 PM
Dec. 23, 26–28, and 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! With the Sugar Plum Fairy herself as hostess, the café serves cupcakes and hot cocoa in a fairyland setting within the Paine’s Conservatory.
$9 includes cupcake and hot cocoa, milk, or coffee.
Cupcakes are made by Manderfield’s Home Bakery.
*Sunday, Nov. 24 | 11:00 AM–7:30 PM
*Sunday, Dec. 1 | 12:30–3:30 PM
*Sunday, Jan. 5 | 12:30–3:30 PM
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.
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.
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.
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.
Frequently Asked Questions
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Food and drinks are not allowed inside the mansion. Water only.
In order to preserve the botanical gardens, there is no smoking or vaping allowed on the Paine property.