Think ‘n Drink Programs
Our Thursday Think & Drink programs feature a range of historical and maritime experts. It is the first Thursday evening of every month, starting at 6:30 pm. Admission is free in person and online, and there is a limited cash bar that features a specialty cocktail and non-alcoholic alternative related to the theme of the talk. Doors and bar open at 6:00 pm.
2023 marks 80 years since USS Cobia‘s keel laying and launch. In celebration of the boat’s birthday, the Wisconsin Maritime Museum is hosting a year of Thursday Think & Drinks focused on interesting and untold stories from World War II.
June 1 – Racine Belles, Kenosha Comets, and Milwaukee Chicks
The inspiration for A League Of Their Own; The All-American Girls Professional Baseball League (AAGPBL) was a professional women’s baseball league that existed from 1943 to 1954. Out of 10 teams, three were from Wisconsin, including the first league champions, The Racine Belles.
July 6 – History of Wheelchair Basketball
Listen to Wheels of Courage author David Davis tell the story of how disabled WWII veterans formed the first wheelchair basketball teams. These athletes helped jump-start a global movement about human adaptability. Their unlikely heroics on the court showed the world that it is ability, not disability, that matters most.
September 7 – How WWII Saved America’s Beer
Have a pint while listening to Professor Karl Brown from UW Whitewater discuss how anti-German sentiment from WWI helped lead to the passing of prohibition and how WWII helped reinvigorate the beer market when the government declared beer brewing an essential wartime industry.
October 5 – Ghost Army
The Ghost Army was a unique tactical deception unit during WWII, filled with artists, architects, actors, and set designers. Their job was to deceive Hitler’s forces and mislead them as to the size and location of Allied forces, giving the actual units elsewhere time to maneuver. Learn how inflatable tanks, fake radio transmissions, and sound trucks were key to D-Day.
November 2 – Oneida Nation and the World Wars
Learn about Oneida involvement in the World Wars and the stories of the men who served their nations.
December 7 – Pearl Harbor
Hear the story of Pearl Harbor and how it launched the US’s involvement in WWII.
Past Topics
- 125, 284 – Japanese Internment, Racism, and Americanism
- Eating for Victory – Food Stories from World War II and Beyond
- Underground Resistance – The Story of Mildred Fish-Harnack
- Disney & Dolphins – Insignia that Defined the Silent Service
- On Eternal Patrol – Finding the Wreck of USS Robalo
- Endurance22 – Finding Ernest Shackleton’s Endurance
- Fire On the Water – Revisiting the shipwrecks Niagara and Phoenix
- Sketching the Great Loop
Funded in part by a grant from Wisconsin Humanities, with funds from the National Endowment for the Humanities. Wisconsin Humanities strengthens our democracy through educational and cultural programs that build connections and understanding among people of all backgrounds and beliefs throughout the state.
Any views, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this project do not necessarily represent those of the National Endowment for the Humanities.
Sponsorship Opportunities
Help us to continue offering these programs for free! Program Sponsorships are available! Visit our Sponsorship page for more information.