The Michigan History Center team is gearing up for an exciting summer season. As the warm weather approaches, we have been preparing each of our 11 museums. We've cleaned, swept and prepared artifacts. Our museums are just about ready for you!

As you begin planning your summer travels, don't forget to add some Michigan history to the list. From Jackson County to the tip of the Keweenaw Peninsula, each museum offers a glimpse into the rich past of our great state. You can learn about life in the Upper Peninsula, the mining industry or what it was like to be a lighthouse keeper. There's so much to explore!

Learn more about the museums, their hours and more visitor information on our website. 

The Forest Heritage Trail is an interpretive project along the 17-mile trail between North Higgins Lake State Park and Hartwick Pines State Park. The Michigan History Center has spent the past three years working with the community, researching the historic connections of people and the forest in the Grayling area. The culmination of this effort are the 19 interpretive signs that share this forest heritage, which the center installed in mid-April.

The public is invited to a ceremony to dedicate the Forest Heritage Trail on Thursday, May 23, starting at 11 a.m. It will be held at Kirtland Community College's new trailhead. Refreshments will be provided. 

The address is 4800 W 4 Mile Rd, Grayling, MI 49738. The trailhead is located on the north end of campus, between the main college building and I-75. 

Learn more about the Michigan Heritage Trail program on our website. 

On Monday, April 29, representatives from the Department of Natural Resources, Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians, Bay Mills Indian Community, Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Indians, Match-E-Be-Nash-She-Wish Band of Potawatomi Indians (Gun Lake Tribe), Moran Township, Mackinac Straits Health System and Lake Superior State University gathered for a blessing and breaking of the ground on a new project at Straits State Park in St. Ignace. 

The event unofficially kicked off the project, called the Heart of the Great Turtle Island/Gchi Mshiikenh Deh Minising, which will add Native American context to the Father Marquette National Memorial site with new buildings, exhibits and art. 

Learn more about the project on the Michigan History Foundation's website.

Join the Archives of Michigan and the Michigan Genealogical Council on Friday, May 10 through Saturday, May 11 for a seminar about family history.

The seminar, offered in person and virtually, will teach attendees the importance of family history and teach genealogy research skills. Ari Wilkins, a genealogist who has been researching family history for over 25 years, will be the featured speaker. Also included are speakers from the Michigan Genealogical Council, the Library of Michigan and more. 

Learn about the event schedule, how to register and more on the Archive of Michigan's website. 

The Michigan History Museum's 2024 special exhibit takes visitors through the evolution of consumer technology between 1970 and 2000, and asks them to consider how personal devices have impacted their lives. See the first portable computer used by Michigan History Center staff, early calculators, an original Nintendo Game Boy and more. Take a walk down memory lane or discover technology before your time!

This exhibit is available for a limited time—don't miss out on your chance to see it. Visit us today to check it out. The museum is open Monday-Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Sunday from 1 to 5 p.m. Learn more about admissions and hours on our website.