History Buff Book Chat: All the Light We Cannot See
2026-03-25 12:00 - 13:00 (America/Chicago) | Winona County History Center, 160 Johnson Street, Winona, MN, 55987
For our March History Buff Book Chat, we will discuss All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr.
Marie-Laure lives with her father in Paris near the Museum of Natural History where he works as the master of its thousands of locks. When she is six, Marie-Laure goes blind and her father builds a perfect miniature of their neighborhood so she can memorize it by touch and navigate her way home. When she is twelve, the Nazis occupy Paris, and father and daughter flee to the walled citadel of Saint-Malo, where Marie-Laure’s reclusive great uncle lives in a tall house by the sea. With them they carry what might be the museum’s most valuable and dangerous jewel.
Join in a conversation about a different book each month from 12:00 – 1:00 p.m. The Book Chat group is open to everyone. Meet in Wanek Hall on the second floor of the Winona County History Center. Feel free to bring your lunch!
Upcoming books:
The Briar Club | April 22
This Tender Land | May 27
The Kitchen Front | June 24

Members-Only 91st Annual Meeting
2026-03-26 19:00 - 20:30
Mark your calendars for the members-only 91st Annual Meeting of the Winona County Historical Society. We invite you to enjoy a program by Reggie McLeod, following a short business meeting. Then, gather for a dessert reception to celebrate another year of history!

Museum Makers Class: Pisanki Egg Decorating
2026-04-01 13:00 - 15:30, 2026-04-01 16:00 - 18:30
Registration Required: Call 507-454-2723 ext. 0 or stop in at the History Center. Class limit 12 people.
Cost: $10 for WCHS members and $15 for non-members. No refunds unless class is cancelled by WCHS.
The seasonal favorite is back — Pisanki Egg Decorating! A WCHS class leader will help you to create your own colorful egg masterpiece. All the supplies are provided, and you can take your decorated egg home. Best for 12 and older, any minors must be accompanied by an adult.
Pisanki (Polish) or Pysanky (Ukrainian) are traditional Slavic decorated eggs, created using a wax-resist method (batik) to draw designs or
symbols with beeswax before dipping in dyes. The wax is then melted off to reveal all the colors and full design.

The Winona County History Center is open daily 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. at 160 Johnson St. in downtown Winona. Not a member? It is always a great time to join! Call 507.454.2723 or visit winonahistory.org to find more!

History Buff Book Chat: The Briar Club
2026-04-22 12:00 - 13:00
For our April History Buff Book Chat, we will discuss The Briar Club by Kate Quinn.
Capturing the paranoia of the McCarthy era and evoking the changing roles for women in postwar America, The Briar Club is an intimate and thrilling novel of secrets and loyalty put to the test.
Join in a conversation about a different book each month from 12:00 – 1:00 p.m. The Book Chat group is open to everyone. Meet in Wanek Hall on the second floor of the Winona County History Center. Feel free to bring your lunch!

History Buff Book Chat: This Tender Land
2026-05-27 12:00 - 13:00
For our May History Buff Book Chat, we will discuss This Tender Land by William Kent Krueger.
In the summer of 1932, on the banks of Minnesota’s Gilead River, Odie O’Banion is an orphan confined to the Lincoln Indian Training School, a pitiless place where his lively nature earns him the superintendent’s wrath. Forced to flee after committing a terrible crime, he and his brother, Albert, their best friend, Mose, and a brokenhearted little girl named Emmy steal away in a canoe, heading for the mighty Mississippi and a place to call their own.
Join in a conversation about a different book each month from 12:00 – 1:00 p.m. The Book Chat group is open to everyone. Meet in Wanek Hall on the second floor of the Winona County History Center. Feel free to bring your lunch!
Upcoming books:
The Kitchen Front | June 24

History Buff Book Chat: The Kitchen Front
2026-06-24 12:00 - 13:00
For our June History Buff Book Chat, we will discuss The Kitchen Front by Jennifer Ryan.
Two years into World War II, Britain is feeling her losses: The Nazis have won battles, the Blitz has destroyed cities, and U-boats have cut off the supply of food. In an effort to help housewives with food rationing, a BBC radio program called The Kitchen Front is holding a cooking contest—and the grand prize is a job as the program’s first-ever female co-host. For four very different women, winning the competition would present a crucial chance to change their lives.
Join in a conversation about a different book each month from 12:00 – 1:00 p.m. The Book Chat group is open to everyone. Meet in Wanek Hall on the second floor of the Winona County History Center. Feel free to bring your lunch!
Upcoming books:
