Breweriana, transportation, and Great River Road history

ABA National Brewery Museum at Potosi Brewery

About 21.7 miles straight-line southwest of the Fennimore museum; actual rural-road travel is longer

Explore American breweriana, Potosi transportation history, and Great River Road interpretation inside a restored nonprofit brewery complex in southwest Wisconsin.

The place

About ABA National Brewery Museum at Potosi Brewery

The ABA National Brewery Museum is a joint project of the Potosi Foundation and American Breweriana Association inside the Potosi Brewery complex. Its bottle and can collections, glassware, trays, coasters, signs, advertising, and other breweriana interpret brewing as material culture rather than simply presenting a tasting room.

Museum visits are self-guided and use audio and video stations. The same complex contains the free Potosi Brewing Company Transportation Museum, which follows the brewery's transportation story from 1852 to 1972, and a free Great River Road Interpretive Center with regional travel resources.

The current Potosi Brewery museum page lists National Brewery Museum admission at $10 general and $8 for seniors, with hours of 11 a.m.-9 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 11 a.m.-8 p.m. Sunday. It also publishes a $20 all-inclusive brewery-and-museum bundle. A separate guided brewery tour is scheduled Saturday at 1 p.m. for $20, while Sunday-Friday tours may be requested but depend on guide availability.

A legacy National Brewery Museum visit page gives older prices and hours, but it remains the official source for the 209 S Main visitor address, elevator-and-ramp access statement, and ample free vehicle, RV, and bus parking claim. Because its volatile fields conflict with Potosi Brewery's current page, use current Potosi prices and hours and call before relying on the older page's logistics. Potosi Brewery's separate contact address is 215 S Main.

What stands out

Read brewing history through objects

Use bottles, cans, glasses, trays, coasters, signs, and advertising to see how American brewing brands reached customers and communities.

Follow Potosi's transportation story

Move into the free transportation museum for the local company's 1852-1972 movement of ingredients, products, workers, and customers.

Add Great River Road context

Use the interpretive center's regional orientation and travel resources to connect Potosi with the Mississippi River corridor.

See a restored nonprofit brewery complex

The Potosi Foundation received the property in 2001, completed a $7.5 million restoration, and reopened the brewery in 2008.

Choose self-guided or guided depth

Tour the museums at your own pace, or arrange the separately priced production-facility tour when its limited schedule fits.

Pair it with the train

Why it belongs in a Fennimore Railroad Historical Society Museum trip

The Potosi complex is about 21.7 miles straight-line from the Fennimore museum, so it is a substantial southwest Wisconsin history extension rather than a quick walkable stop. Protect Fennimore's limited weather-dependent weekend ride first, then allow a separate rural drive and enough time for self-guided exhibits.

Before you go

Plan your visit

  • Current museum hoursMonday-Saturday 11 a.m.-9 p.m.; Sunday 11 a.m.-8 p.m. on the current Potosi Brewery page
  • National museum admission$10 general and $8 seniors on the current Potosi Brewery page
  • Free companion exhibitsPotosi Transportation Museum and Great River Road Interpretive Center
  • Museum formatSelf-guided exhibits with informational audio and video stations
  • Brewery tourSaturday at 1 p.m., $20 per person; other days sometimes available by request at 608-763-4002 ext. 109
  • All-inclusive option$20 bundle currently advertised for brewery and museum tours, a Potosi pint glass, and samples
  • AccessibilityLegacy official museum page describes wheelchair, elevator, and ramp access; call because that page's prices and hours are stale
  • ParkingLegacy official museum page describes ample free motorcycle, auto, RV, and bus parking; confirm current layout before travel
  • Visitor addressUse 209 S Main Street for the museum; Potosi Brewery's contact page separately lists 215 S Main
  • Train pairingA separate rural drive from Fennimore; actual road mileage exceeds the 21.7-mile straight-line measure

Return to the Fennimore train guide

Add Fennimore Railroad Historical Society Museum

Use the operator guide for the remaining 2026 weekend youth-ride dates, weather caveat, museum hours, equipment distinctions, and call-ahead advice.

View the guide →

Useful answers

Frequently asked questions

When is the National Brewery Museum open?

The current Potosi Brewery museum page lists Monday-Saturday 11 a.m.-9 p.m. and Sunday 11 a.m.-8 p.m. Check that page again before travel because an older museum site shows different hours.

How much is admission?

The current Potosi Brewery page lists $10 general admission and $8 for seniors. The Transportation Museum and Great River Road Interpretive Center are free.

What will I see?

The National Brewery Museum displays breweriana such as bottles, cans, glassware, trays, coasters, signs, and advertising. The complex also interprets Potosi transportation history and the Great River Road.

Are the museum tours guided?

Regular museum visits are self-guided with audio and video stations. Guided group packages may sometimes be available by request.

Can I tour the working brewery?

Yes, separately. The current brewery-tour page lists Saturday at 1 p.m. for $20 per person. Sunday-Friday tours may sometimes be arranged by calling 608-763-4002 ext. 109.

Is the museum accessible?

The legacy official museum visit page describes wheelchair access using an elevator and ramps. Because that same page has stale prices and hours, call before travel for current route and assistance details.

Is parking available?

The legacy official museum page describes ample free parking for motorcycles, cars, RVs, and buses. Confirm current access and parking arrangement because the page's hours and prices are outdated.

Which address should visitors use?

Use 209 S Main Street for the National Brewery Museum visitor complex. Potosi Brewery's contact page separately lists 215 S Main Street and PO Box 177.

How should I pair Potosi with the Fennimore train?

Treat it as a separate half-day extension. The straight-line separation is about 21.7 miles and the actual rural-road trip is longer, so protect Fennimore's limited weather-dependent ride schedule first.

Trust and accuracy

Sources

Source checked 2026-08-25. This free guide has not yet been confirmed by the venue. Current hours, prices, services, and accessibility can change; confirm time-sensitive details directly.