09/14/2026
Sign Up Now to be a Volunteer Guide at the Museum Next Season!
One of the crown jewels in the old part of the Madeline Island Museum is the Fresnel lens from the Raspberry Island Lighthouse. In 1947 the Coast Guard retired the lens with its hundreds of pieces of specially cut glass. An electric bulb took its place. Leo and Bella Capser, who founded the museum, persuaded the Coast Guard that the lens should be displayed at the Madeline Island Museum.
One of the perks of being a volunteer at the museum is turning on the light and watching visitors’ faces as the Fresnel lens slowly begins to rotate, casting its beams around the room.
2026 was the first year the Friends provided volunteer guides for the Museum, answering visitors’ questions and providing information about the objects on display. If you’re interested in becoming a volunteer, please contact Pat Spaulding, at [email protected]. Training will be provided, and you’ll have the fun of learning more about the museum, meeting interesting people and turning on the Fresnel lens.
