Located near downtown Janesville, the Rock County Historical Society campus features a number of historical buildings integral to Rock County’s unique history: the Lincoln-Tallman House, Frances Willard Schoolhouse, Wilson King Stonehouse, Helen Jeffris Wood Museum Center, and the Tallman Carriage House. Also featured on the RCHS campus is the Charles Tallman Archives, where members of the community are welcome to research local history.

Fresh produce, meats, cheese, eggs, honey, baked goods, plants, cut flowers, artisan gifts from Wisconsin and Rock County can be found at the Janesville Farmer's Market! Open Saturdays from 8 am - 1 pm, May through October, in downtown Janesville with plenty of free public parking.  

The market website provides a list of vendors each week, a map of the market, and also has helpful recipes and videos on long term storage. And if you're unsure of how to prepare and cook an item, just ask! The market also accepts SNAP benefits. Other helpful hints include: bring your own bag, small bills and change, and take your time!  It is a fun, lively atmosphere with live music, enjoy it! 

Rotary Botanical Gardens has 20-acres filled with beautiful plants in 24 different styled gardens located on Palmer Drive in Janesville. Their garden styles are unique and internationally themed. They have won awards in landscape design and have been recognized for their Japanese garden. The Gardens host weddings and are a popular destination for scenic pictures as well as offering several programs and classes for children to adults that are fun and educational. They host an annual Holiday Light Show in December covering the Gardens in brilliant lights and holiday-themed decorations to create a magnificent winter wonderland. Guided tours are available for visitors as well as a gift shop featuring local artisans’ work.

The Hedberg Public Library is located downtown and offers a large collection of over 150,000 books, 14,000 DVDs, 12,000 music CDs, and many other materials including magazines, newspapers, and more. In addition to this wide collection, they offer Interlibrary loans through other Wisconsin public libraries. The Hedberg Public Library displays new exhibits every month from local hobbyists and groups such as the Janesville Senior Center. A list of displays can be found here.

The library has many events for kids, teens, and adults. The events for children, ranging from book readings to educational programs to battle of the bands among many others, are hosted by the library. They have many opportunities for adults including free online 6-week classes in a variety of subjects, as well as in-person computer classes and book groups. 

Recreation Division

Janesville's Recreation Division offers a variety of activities and programming for youth, adults, and seniors.  Check out classes, sports clubs, community events and more!  From the Ice Age Trail to various river walks, bikeways and nature trails there are over 250 miles of identified trails that weave throughout the county. Whether you’re a beginner or seasoned path connoisseurs, there are multiple trail options that appeal to bicyclists and horse riders.  Alternatively, the county's designated rustic roads capture picturesque views.  

A dozen golf courses present a variety of layouts and playing options for the occasional hacker as well as the scratch golfer. Whether your interest falls along the lines driving for show or putting for dough, course cards reach over 6,800 yards as well as offering miniature options for those hardly old enough to grip a club. 

Located on the city's south side, Janesville's Youth Sports Complex is a 90-acre park facility located at 100 South Wuthering Hills Drive that is leased to the Youth Sports Coalition. The Coalition is comprised of four different sports organizations, the YMCA, Youth Football, Youth Baseball & Softball and RockSoccer. The complex includes several baseball diamonds, four football fields and ten soccer fields. Off street parking and restrooms are also available.  

The Janesville Ice Arena provides opportunities for indoor ice skating on a year-round basis. For those skaters who are looking for more than a recreational skate, we have that too! The Ice Arena is home to the Janesville Jets of the North American Hockey League.  Throughout the year we offer open hockey practice and league play for adults, figure skating, youth hockey practice, special skating events and seasonal celebrations.  For more information on the ice arena, visit the city's website or contact Bill Scherer.  

The Rock County Fairgrounds is in the heart of Janesville and offers an outdoor grandstand that seats up to 2,200 people. There are many events held here throughout the year including the annual Rock County 4-H Fair. This is the oldest     4-H fair in the United States and offers entertainment from farm animals to carnival games and rides. They showcase students’ talent from local schools through their art designs, photography, baking, and more. Animals are on the grounds for viewing and judging all week long during the fair. Each year the fair brings in different musical artists to perform during the evenings in the grandstands.