Madison, Wis. - The Wisconsin Historical Society is now accepting nominations for the 2021 Board of Curators Awards. The deadline for nominations is March 10, 2021.

Each year, the Wisconsin Historical Society’s governing Board of Curators recognizes individuals and organizations from across the state for meritorious work in areas relating to the Society’s mission. The Board of Curators Awards are one way the Society sparks enthusiasm for history in communities across Wisconsin. These awards recognize outstanding work that helps people connect to the past.

Nominations are accepted in the following categories:

• Book of Merit Award:  This award is given to the author of a book on Wisconsin history that made the most valuable contribution to public understanding of Wisconsin’s past during the preceding calendar year.
• Genealogy Book Award: The Genealogy Book Award is given to a published genealogist that detailed the history of Wisconsin families.
• Governor’s Award for Archival Advocacy: This award honors an individual or organization for notable contributions to archival programs through organizational leadership, public advocacy, and financial or volunteer support.
• Governor’s Award for Archival Innovation: This award recognizes individuals, programs, or organizations that successfully experiment with new ways to demonstrate the significance or relevance of historical records for understanding the past.
• Governor’s Award for Archival Achievement: This award recognizes a historical records repository that has made an outstanding contribution to the archival profession, archives community, or constituents.
• Historic Preservation Award: This award recognizes the best work in protecting a threatened historic property in Wisconsin.  The historic property may be a building, structure, object, site or district.
• Historic Restoration Awards: These awards recognize the best restoration work of a Wisconsin historic property, one for outstanding rehabilitation for projects under $1 million and one for projects over $1 million.  Eligible projects should involve comprehensive work to restore a historic building, structure, object or site.
• Museum Exhibit Award: Two awards for historical exhibits on Wisconsin themes are offered each year: one for an exhibition budget $5,000 or less and one for an exhibition budget greater than $5,000.
• Public Program Award: This award honors a Wisconsin organization that launched an exceptional Wisconsin history public program during the preceding year.
• Reuben Gold Thwaites Trophy for Local History: Presented to one affiliated historical organization for continued excellence and overall service to its community over a period of at least five years.

Awards in the archival categories are presented in collaboration with the Wisconsin Historical Records Advisory Board and the Genealogical Book Award is presented in collaboration with the Wisconsin State Genealogical Society.  Nominations are received in March and final selections are made and approved by the Board of Curators in June.

For information about the Board of Curators Awards including criteria, past recipients, and how to apply, visit the Society’s website at wisconsinhistory.org/BOCawards.

About Wisconsin Historical Society
The Wisconsin Historical Society, founded in 1846, ranks as one of the largest, most active and most diversified state historical societies in the nation. As both a state agency and a private membership organization, its mission is to help people connect to the past by collecting, preserving and sharing stories. The Wisconsin Historical Society serves millions of people every year through a wide range of sites, programs and services. For more information, visit www.wisconsinhistory.org.

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