Bucky! documentary showcases UW Archives curation of a Wisconsin icon

For an 85-year-old woodland creature, Bucky Badger looks good for his age.

Of course, it’s easy to cut a dashing figure when you have the powerhouse team of the UW Archives pulling your best glamour shots. Their curation of archival images and materials has been instrumental in illustrating the UW–Madison icon’s impact over the years, but their work got the primetime treatment in fall 2025 with the release of the PBS Wisconsin documentary Bucky! 

The detailed collaboration on Bucky! was a labor of love, Head of UW–Madison Archives Katie Nash told PBS Wisconsin.

“With Bucky! it’s so rewarding to see some of the materials that are part of University Archives, their role and seeing them appear in a bigger picture,” Nash said. “Through documentaries like this, it really helps these materials come to life.” 

Archival materials featured in Bucky! include vintage photos and video, newspaper clippings, and even buttons that depict the beloved mascot in the 1950s, 60s, and 70s. 

Tune in to Bucky! to see more of the UW Archives work, or check out the Wisconsin State Journal article tracking the beloved badger’s evolution since his debut in the 1940s.