On Nov. 1, the Archives of Michigan reopened to the public Monday-Friday from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. While appointments are not required, they are encouraged to verify research details. Schedule an appointment using the research appointment form

Until further notice, the Michigan History Museum is open to the public Fridays and Saturdays, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Sundays, 1 to 5 p.m. The museum is open Monday-Thursday only for scheduled school field trips and group tours (10 person minimum). Visit our website for information on scheduling a school or group visit.

The State of Michigan has adopted a mask mandate for state buildings. This includes the Michigan Library and Historical Center building, which is home to the Michigan History Museum and Archives of Michigan.

Per the policy, a face mask is defined as an N95/KN95/KN94 respirator or other multi-layered breathable fabric that completely covers the nose and mouth, fitting snugly against the sides of the face. View the full face mask policy [PDF] for more information.

Watch the Lake Huron Red Tails documentary 

Lieutenant Frank H. Moody, one of only a thousand African American pilots trained by the U.S. Army Air Corps during World War II, earned his wings at Tuskegee Army Airfield in February 1944 and became part of an elite group of pilots belonging to the 332nd Fighter Group. They would come to be known as “Red Tails.”

After being commissioned a second lieutenant in the U.S. Army, Moody was transferred to Selfridge Field at Mt. Clemens, Michigan, for advanced training. On April 11, 1944, he took off with three other pilots to conduct live-fire gunnery exercises over lower Lake Huron. A tragic accident brought Moody and his plane down. He was killed and the plane was lost in the lake.

Seventy-seven years later, in August 2021, Lt. Moody’s nephew Eric Bryant flew with his family from Los Angeles to Detroit to be a part of the effort to record and recover as much of the wrecked airplane as possible.

This short film tells the story of Moody and the recovery project in more detail. It was created by Nick Lusardi, son of the Michigan History Center's Wayne Lusardi, the project’s lead maritime archaeologist. Watch "Lake Huron Red Tails" on YouTube, 

Heritage signs installed along Mike Levine Lakelands Trail State Park

The Mike Levine Lakelands Trail State Park stretches 34 miles between Hamburg Township in Livingston County and Leoni Township in Jackson County. A linear state park, the trail is popular with locals and visitors looking to stretch their legs, ride a bike or simply enjoy the outdoors.

Now trail users can learn about the area’s history, too. The Michigan History Center, Eastern Michigan University's Historic Preservation program, DNR Parks and Recreation Division and local volunteers finished a three-year project adding 11 interpretive signs along the trail at the end of October.

Stationed at trailside communities and points of interest, people can learn about the heritage that makes these places special and unique. In 2022, a twelfth interpretive sign will be added after the trail is extended two more miles to Jackson.

The project is part of the Michigan History Center's Heritage Trail program. Learn more about the Mike Levine Lakelands Trail State Park and plan your visit at the DNR website. 

Shop with us this holiday season for unique Michigan-themed gifts!

The Museum Stores at the Michigan History Center in Lansing and the Michigan Iron Industry Museum in Negaunee specialize in unique items made by Michigan artists, including jewelry, candles, lotions and soaps, coffee and tea, chocolates and candy, drinkware and apparel.

The Michigan History Center store, located at 702 W. Kalamazoo St, is open Friday and Saturday, 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. and Sunday 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. The store is also open by appointment Monday - Thursday. Call 517-335-2582 to make an appointment.

The Michigan Iron Industry Museum store, located at 73 Forge Road, is open Wednesdays through Sundays, 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Can't get to one of our stores? The shop at Michiganology.org is always open! Purchase hand-made puzzles and prints, mugs, t-shirts and socks that feature images from the collection of the Archives of Michigan. All proceeds benefit education and programs at the Michigan History Center.

I Voted: Michigan's Struggle for Suffrage

Learn why voting is important from diverse stories about the people, protests, and policies that transformed voting in our state, from 1837 to the present day. The exhibit features a range of documents, photographs and objects - including a 1920s voting machine, artifacts from the 1961 Constitutional Convention and a variety of campaign ephemera. The exhibit is free with museum admission.