Paper Discovery Center
Come explore the world of paper!
The Paper Discovery Center invites you to explore the world of paper through a study of science & technology with a look at its past, its future, and the role paper plays in all facets of our lives.
Whether it's a gift for a couple celebrating their first anniversary (the year of paper) or a special memento of a visit to the Paper Discovery Center, remember to stop by the Paper Discovery Center Gift Shop for those special gifts for family and friends. The Paper Discovery Center Gift Shop is open regular museum hours ( Monday through Saturday 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Closed Sundays and holidays). No admission is necessary.
Appleton, Wisconsin, is located between US Highways 41, 10 and 47, thirty minutes south of Green Bay and two hours north of Milwaukee. Appleton's airport is Outagamie County Airport.
The Paper Discovery Center, home of the Paper Industry International Hall of Fame, is located on the banks of the Fox River near downtown Appleton.
Coming from the North on Hwy. 41: Merge onto WI-441 S via EXIT 145. Take the CR-CE/College Avenue exit, turn right off exit ramp, heading west. Follow College Avenue past Lawrence University. Turn left onto Drew St at the traffic light. Drew St. turns into Water St. Go straight past the stop sign at Olde Oneida, remaining on Water St. The Paper Discovery Center will be on the left hand side at the next stop sign.
Coming from the South on Hwy. 41: Merge onto US-10 E/WI-441 N via EXIT 134. Continue east. Take the Hwy 47 / Memorial St Exit near Goodwill. Turn left and continue north on Memorial St. Turn right onto Sixth St at traffic light. Take right at State St. Turn left onto Jackman, angled intersection. At the bottom of the hill, go straight into the parking lot - the Paper Discovery Center is on your left.
Coming from the Fox River Mall in Grand Chute: Follow College Avenue east to downtown Appleton. Take State Street south from College Avenue. Past 4th Street, take a left onto Jackman (angled intersection). At the bottom of the hill, go straight into the parking lot - the Paper Discovery Center is on your left.
In May of 1992, a group of former and current paper industry executives in the Fox River Valley had met to discuss how the importance of paper, and particularly some of the giants of the industry, could be recognized. They especially felt the industry deserved recognition as the cornerstone of the Valley's economy. Later in 1992, formal meetings were held with the Neenah Historical Society to develop the concept and format of the Paper Industry International Hall of Fame, Inc., which was formally registered with the Bureau of Patents and Trademarks in Washington, DC, in 1993.
Beginning with its first induction ceremony in 1995, the Paper Industry International Hall of Fame continued to grow in size of inductees and prominence. The donation by Kimberly-Clark enabled the Hall of Fame not only a home but a place to exhibit the many artifacts it had been collecting and tell the story of paper.
The Paper Discovery Center opens as a science and technology center in Northeast Wisconsin with the aim of celebrating the art and science of paper through interactive and engaging educational programs, exhibits, and activities, with a focus on the industry's exciting future. It is upholding the vision of one 1878 news reporter who said of the Atlas Mill: "The foundations of this building are being laid with the intention that they will serve the interests of coming generations, and this object in view is a sign of real progress."
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