Museums

A Unique and Wonderful World

Museums up north are not copycats of larger cities, they speak of the history and culture of the region and attest to the talent of its residents. Where else can you find The Shipwreck Museum to give one a glimpse into the danger and high cost of developing a region through the inland seas?

You'll also find a living history museum in The Mackinac State Historic Museum and The Indian Hills Trading Company & Indian Art Gallery which showcases the area’s Native American art. The Dennos Museum Center on the campus of Northwestern Michigan College has three changing galleries, two permanent ones and a sculpture court.

The communities of Northern Michigan also are home to a variety of artists and the galleries that showcase them--potters, glassblowers, sculptors, craftsmen in metal, and gems, photographers and painters who celebrate the changing landscape and wildlife. Come visit these artists and artisans in their workshops, studios, or meet them at a gallery opening.  Here are some more Picks for a Historical and Cultural Adventure:

Andrew Blackbird Museum, Harbor Springs
Named after Chief Andrew Blackbird, the first postmaster of Harbor Springs, the museum contains American Indians relics and handwork.

Little Traverse Historical Museum Center, Petoskey
Located in the picturesque former Chicago and West Michigan Railroad Depot at Bay Front Park, this museum is full of area history.

Harsha House, Charlevoix
Community leader and businessman Horace Harsha built this house in 1891. It features three Victorian rooms, more than 9,000 historic photographs and negatives, local artifacts, and a 1917 working player piano.

Cross-in-the-Woods
Visit this outdoor 55-foot-high cross with its seven-ton bronze image of Christ in Indian River. Also see the 525 nun-doll museum on site.

Boyne City Historical Museum, Boyne City
Step back in time to an era when horses outnumbered cars, logging was the main industry, and every yard had an outhouse.

Pond Hill Farm, Harbor Springs
Environmentally sustainable farm grows fruits, vegetables, and herbs, and raises sheep, pigs, chickens, and cows. Buy what’s raised, grown, and canned onsite.

Portside Art & Historical Museum, East Jordan
In addition to hosting a prestigious juried art show each summer, this is the premiere point of reference when it comes to information, photographs, and artifacts of the Jordan Valley.

The Old Mormon Print Shop Museum, Beaver Island
Built in 1850, the old printing press and the Mormons have captured the imagination of many writers and historians.

Railroad Depot Museum, Charlevoix
The Charlevoix Railroad Station was donated to the local historical society in 1992, on the 100th anniversary of the first train arriving in Charlevoix. It houses a variety of