NATIONAL HISTORIC CHEESEMAKING CENTER MUSEUM

MONROE, WISCONSIN, USA

Located in the heart of Wisconsin, which is known as the dairy state of America due to its long association with dairy farming, the National Historic Cheesemaking Center Museum is an excellent introduction to the development of the cheese industry not just in Wisconsin but also throughout the United States.

At the heart of the museum is the restored 19th century Imobersteg Farmstead Cheese Factory, which houses the authentic machinery used by German, Swiss and Dutch immigrants to make their native cheeses. Once a year, on the second Saturday in June, visitors are invited to watch a 41kg wheel of Swiss cheese being made using traditional methods. There are also numerous displays charting the history of cheesemaking and dairy farming in Wisconsin. Although there isn’t a cheese shop on site, there are plenty of places to buy cheese locally, such as the famous Baumgartner’s Cheese Store and Tavern, which was established in 1931 and is the oldest cheese store in Monroe.

The National Historic Cheesemaking Center Museum is open from 1 May to 31 October and costs $5 (£3.60) to enter.

Monroe in Wisconsin has been associated with cheesemaking for over two centuries