Visit Us

A sign next to a flag pole and brick building, trees, parking lot and flowering plants. The sign reads: "U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Whitney Genetics Laboratory, La Crosse Fish Health Center, and La Crosse Fish and Wildlife Conservation Office, 555 Lester Avenue, and a logo with a fish, a mountain, water and a duck."/
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Our lobby features informational displays describing local aquatic wildlife and our scientific research and conservation efforts, a Mississippi River mural and an aquarium of local native fish. The lobby is open to the public. Our laboratories and other work areas are generally not open for tours so we encourage visitors to email or call to pre-arrange a tour with Rebecca Neeley, Rebecca_Neeley@fws.gov, 608-684-0085.

Activities

An orange spotted fish in an aquarium with river landscape background
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If you have 15 minutes
  • Visitors can view the lobby aquarium of native fish and the Mississippi River mural
If you have one hour
  • Visitors can view the lobby aquarium of native fish, the Mississippi River mural, view the displays on our scientific work and history and take a pre-scheduled tour of our labs and pollinator garden

Other Facilities in the Complex

The Midwest Fisheries Center houses the La Crosse Fish Health Center, La Crosse Fish and Wildlife Conservation Office, Whitney Genetics Lab and administrative, GIS and outreach staff, as well as the Regional Watercraft Safety Coordinator.

Person dissecting three fish on tray
La Crosse Fish Health Center
Fish health centers provide expertise in aquatic animal health through diagnostics, monitoring, investigations, certifications and training related to both wild and captive populations. Centers coordinate the Wild Fish Health Survey and address emerging pathogen issues through applied research and...
Conservation Office
Onalaska,WI
PCR machine with blue strand of DNA
Whitney Genetics Laboratory
The Whitney Genetics Laboratory uses environmental DNA (eDNA) testing for early detection of invasive carp in the Chicago Area Waterway System, the Illinois, Upper Mississippi and Ohio Rivers as well as tributaries of all five Great Lakes. The lab also provides species identification via genetic...
Conservation Office
Onalaska,WI
Bluff with green foliage with the city of La Crosse in the distance.
Midwest Fisheries Center
The Midwest Fisheries Center is the region’s Fish Technology Center for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Fish Technology Centers provide leadership in science-based management of trust aquatic resources through applied research and the development of new concepts, strategies and techniques to...
Conservation Office
Onalaska,WI

Locations

La Crosse Fish and Wildlife Conservation Office
(608) 684-0085
555 Lester AvenueOnalaska,WI54650-8552
Hours
Visitor Center Hours
Monday - Friday, except federal holidays
7:30 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.