PLATO upcoming events

A Pop-Up Art Tour at The Chazen (September 18, 2026)

Fri, 18 Sep 2026 18:00:00 GMT

Friday, September 18 from 1:00-2:30

Free to PLATO members and guests.

Registration is required

Join PLATO member Alan Garfield, Professor Emeritus and retired art historian, on Friday, September 18 from 1:00-2:30 pm for an art tour of the Chazen Museum of Art collection which will feature artworks in the new exhibition titled, Recollection: Exhibiting the Collection.

Plan to arrive by 12:45pm to meet in the lobby of the main entrance of The Chazen which is located at 750 University Ave. Be sure to wear comfortable shoes.

There is no entrance fee, though members will need to pay for their own refreshments at the Museum Café when we take a break.

Please send questions about this event to Professor Garfield at AGarfield@dbq.edu.

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Transportation Options:

Bicycle: Bike racks are available

Bus: The Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) Route A and Route B buses run every 15 minutes and stop at the Chazen.

Parking: The State Street Campus Garage is closest. The Lake street entrance opened on August 24 after years of being closed for remodeling!

West Rail Corridor Historic Architecture Walking Tour (October 04, 2026)

Sun, 04 Oct 2026 19:00:00 GMT

West Rail Corridor:

Railroads Transform Madison

Sunday, October 4, 2:00-3:45

Registration is required.

Registration opens September 8

Join us as we collaborate with the Madison Trust for Historic Preservation on a guided walking tour through the historic West Rail Corridor.

In the 19th century, the West Rail Corridor area was a hotbed of businesses that depended on the railroad to transport raw materials and finished products, as well as businesses that served railroad passengers and workers. This area, birthplace of a number of long-term Madison businesses, includes repurposed historic buildings that are home to offices, businesses, and residents. This will be a nostalgic, up-close look at Madison's railroad history through many architectural gems.

Leading the tour will be PLATO Board member Steve Sparks. The tour will accommodate up to 18 pre- registered guests. It will last approximately 1 ¾ hours and involves walking about one mile. While this tour is on sidewalks and the bike path, some sections are uneven and we will be crossing busy streets.

Comfortable shoes for walking are strongly recommended. Tour participants are encouraged to bring water with them as the tour will be taking place entirely outdoors and shade will vary. Walking tours will happen rain or shine. In the case of inclement weather, consider bringing an umbrella. There are no restrooms on the tour.

To improve the guest experience on this tour, an audio headphone system will be used. The tour will start near the Brittingham Boathouse and begin promptly at 2 p.m., Sunday October 4.

Leading the tour will be PLATO Board member Steve Sparks. A certified Toastmaster, he holds a master's degree in journalism and mass communication. In retirement Steve is doing consulting work in communications and indulging his interest in history by working as a tour guide at the Wisconsin State Capitol and as a docent for the Frank Lloyd Wright-designed Monona Terrace and for Historic Architecture Walking Tours through the Madison Trust for Historic Preservation.

Registration: Cost is $20/person with all the registration money donated to the Madison Trust for Historic Preservation.

The registration deadline is Friday, October 2. PLATO refunds an event fee if cancelled prior to the registration deadline. Refunds after the registration deadline are only processed if a wait-listed registrant can attend.

A tour may be cancelled for extreme weather or lightning. We will alert guests at least four hours in advance by email. Purchased tickets will be refunded.

Parking: You can park in the Brittingham Boathouse parking lot (701 W. Brittingham Place) or a nearby street.

Questions? - Contact tour organizer Steve Sparks at swsparks@charter.net

Fearless Science Tour (November 10, 2026)

Tue, 10 Nov 2026 16:00:00 GMT

Fearless Science Tour

Tuesday, November 10 from 10:00 AM-12:00 PM

Free to PLATO Members and Guests

Registration is Required

Because our August Fearless Science Tour filled up within hours when registration opened, we are scheduling another one on November 10.

Registration opens Tuesday, October 13

Join us for a Fearless Science Tour at the Morgridge Institute for Research – a private, nonprofit research institute dedicated to interdisciplinary biomedical research in partnership with the University of Wisconsin–Madison.

This 2-hour tour is designed to introduce individuals and groups to the curiosity-driven research and STEM education/engagement work accomplished at the Morgridge Institute.

Fearless Science Tour Timeline

Introduction Presentation (30 min)
- Overview & History of the Morgridge Institute
Scientist Visit 1 (30 min)
- Scientist visits are typically a combination of a short presentation, opportunity for questions, and perhaps a quick look inside the lab
Scientist Visit 2 (30 min)
Principal Investigator (PI) Presentation (30 min)
- Values of Curiosity-Driven Research
- Their perspective on the value of Morgridge as an institute/why they choose to work here
- Q&A as time allows

Logistics: The PLATO tour of the Morgridge Institute on Tuesday, November 10 will be held from 10 am - 12 pm, beginning and ending in the Researcher's Link Room on the 2^nd floor of the Discovery Building. On the attached map, the elevator is highlighted (next to the Welcome Desk). The closest building entrance to the space is Door E, at the corner of Orchard St. & University Ave, though it’s accessible no matter which entrance to the Discovery Building you use. Card access is required to use the elevator and there will be a staff member stationed at the elevators to welcome us and scan us up to the 2nd floor.

Note that the Morgridge Institute in the Discovery Building is in a different building than Morgridge Hall, the new computer, data, and information sciences building. They are in adjacent buidings; however the Discovery building is at 330 N. Orchard street and Morgridge Hall is at 1205 University Avenue.

Transportation/Parking:

The Discovery Building at 330 N. Orchard is located near several city of Madison Metro Transit bus stops and UW-Madison bicycle routes.

Although onsite parking is not available, three UW-managed lots (17, 20 and 80) are nearby. Due to construction around the engineering campus and Randall Ave., Lot 17 is only accessible coming from the north (University Ave. & Johnson St.) and has a different, less direct (but clearly marked!) walking route to the Discovery Building. However, it seems that Lot 17 usually has more open parking spaces than the other two nearby options. Each of the links for the three UW-managed lots (17, 20 and 80), has a real-time update of the number of open spaces to help plan your route as you’re headed to campus.

Questions? - Contact tour organizer Bob Shaw at robert.e.shaw@gmail.com or 608-255-3486