List of museums in Michigan Facts for Kids

Michigan is a state in the United States that is home to many amazing museums! Museums are special places where people collect, care for, and show off cool objects. These objects can be about art, science, history, or different cultures. They help us learn about the past and understand the world around us.

This article will tell you about some of the exciting museums you can visit in Michigan. From giant airplanes to ancient fossils, there's a museum for everyone!

Awesome Museums to Explore
Museums That Are No Longer Open
Michigan's Regions
See Also
More Information

Awesome Museums to Explore

Michigan has tons of museums that are open and ready for you to visit. They cover all sorts of interesting topics!

Art Museums

Art museums are places where you can see beautiful paintings, sculptures, and other creative works.

Detroit Institute of Arts in Detroit is one of the biggest art museums in the country. It has art from all over the world and from different time periods. You can see ancient Egyptian art, European paintings, and modern American pieces.
Grand Rapids Art Museum in Grand Rapids shows art from the Renaissance all the way to modern times. They have many European and American paintings and sculptures.
Muskegon Museum of Art in Muskegon also has a great collection of art.
Cranbrook Art Museum in Bloomfield Hills focuses on modern art. It's part of a famous art school.
Eli and Edythe Broad Art Museum in East Lansing is part of Michigan State University. It features cool contemporary art.

Science and Nature Museums

These museums are perfect for curious minds who love to learn how things work or explore the natural world.

Ann Arbor Hands-On Museum in Ann Arbor lets you touch and play with exhibits to learn about science.
Michigan Science Center in Detroit is full of hands-on exhibits about science, technology, and engineering. It's a super fun place to discover new things.
Cranbrook Institute of Science in Bloomfield Hills has exhibits on natural history and science. It also has a planetarium where you can explore space!
Kingman Museum in Battle Creek has exhibits on dinosaurs, geology, and wildlife. They even have a planetarium too.
Michigan State University Museum in East Lansing covers natural history and different cultures. They even have a "Bug House" where you can see live insects!
Curious Kids' Museum in St. Joseph and Flint Children's Museum in Flint are designed especially for younger visitors to learn through play.

History Museums

History museums help us understand the past, from local stories to big events.

Detroit Historical Museum in Detroit tells the story of the city. You can walk through a 19th-century street scene and learn about car companies.
The Henry Ford in Dearborn is a huge museum complex. It's all about American innovation, from cars to famous inventions. It includes the Henry Ford Museum and Greenfield Village, an outdoor village with historic buildings.
Michigan Historical Museum in Lansing covers five levels of Michigan's history. You can learn about everything from Native Americans to the state's industries.
Grand Rapids Public Museum in Grand Rapids focuses on local history. It even has a carousel and a planetarium!
Automotive Hall of Fame in Dearborn celebrates the important people who helped create the car industry.
Motown Museum in Detroit is also known as Hitsville U.S.A. It's dedicated to the famous Motown Records music and its artists.

Unique and Special Museums

Michigan has some truly one-of-a-kind museums!

Air Zoo in Portage is an aviation museum and amusement park all in one. It has historic airplanes and even flight simulators!
American Museum of Magic in Marshall has magical items and illusions. Some even belonged to famous magicians like Harry Blackstone, Sr.
Marvin's Marvelous Mechanical Museum in Farmington Hills is filled with old and new arcade games, strange wonders, and cool machines.
Great Lakes Shipwreck Museum in Paradise shows artifacts from shipwrecks in the Great Lakes. It's located at the Whitefish Point Lighthouse.
USS Silversides Submarine Museum in Muskegon lets you explore a real World War II submarine and a Coast Guard cutter.
Michigan Military Technical Historical Society in Eastpointe shows the history of Michigan's military efforts in the 20th century.
Jim Crow Museum of Racist Memorabilia in Big Rapids is part of Ferris State University. It collects and displays racist items to teach about their harmful history.

Historic Homes and Villages

Step back in time by visiting these preserved homes and outdoor villages.

Edsel and Eleanor Ford House in Grosse Pointe Shores is a beautiful mansion with gardens. It was the home of Henry Ford's son, Edsel.
Meadow Brook Hall in Rochester Hills is a huge 110-room mansion. It has amazing art and gardens.
Cobblestone Farm and Museum in Ann Arbor shows what a farm looked like in the mid-1800s.
Crossroads Village in Flint is a recreated village from the late 1800s. You can see how people lived back then.
Troy Historic Village in Troy has ten historic buildings on a village green, showing local history.

Lighthouses and Maritime Museums

Michigan is surrounded by the Great Lakes, so it has many museums about ships and lighthouses.

Dossin Great Lakes Museum in Detroit is located on Belle Isle Park and focuses on maritime history.
Michigan Maritime Museum in South Haven tells the story of the Great Lakes, including Coast Guard history and local fishing.
Icebreaker Mackinaw Maritime Museum in Mackinaw City lets you explore a real U.S. Coast Guard icebreaker ship.
Many lighthouses like Big Sable Point Light, Grand Traverse Light, and Point Betsie Light also serve as museums, offering tours and exhibits about their history.

Mining and Industry Museums

Learn about Michigan's important industries, especially mining and logging.

A. E. Seaman Mineral Museum in Houghton is on the campus of Michigan Technological University. It has amazing minerals from Michigan.
Adventure Mine in Greenland Township offers underground tours of a preserved copper mine.
Cliffs Shaft Mine Museum in Ishpeming has mining tools, minerals, and exhibits about the iron mining industry.
Quincy Mine in Hancock is a copper mine where you can take tours and see mining buildings.
Hartwick Pines Logging Museum in Grayling shows what a logging camp looked like in the past.

Museums That Are No Longer Open

Sometimes museums close or change. Here are a few that are no longer open in Michigan:

Alamo Township Museum, Alamo Township - Closed in 2021.
AutoWorld, Flint - A theme park that used to be about cars.
Detroit Children's Museum, Detroit - Closed in 2012.
Fred Bear Museum, Grayling - This museum had the world's largest private collection of archery items. It moved to Florida and then closed.
Keewatin Maritime Museum - This old steamship moved to Canada in 2012.
Walter P. Chrysler Museum, Auburn Hills - This car museum closed in 2012.

Michigan's Regions

Regions of the Lower Peninsula of Michigan

Regions of the Upper Peninsula of Michigan

Michigan is divided into different areas, and museums are located all across the state. Here are the main regions:

Central Michigan
Flint/Tri-Cities (which includes The Thumb and Greater Tri Cities)
Northern Michigan
Southeast Michigan / Metro Detroit
West Michigan (including Michiana)
Upper Peninsula of Michigan

More Information

Michigan Travel & Tourism: Museums
Michigan Museums Association
Motor Cities National Heritage Area
Northeast Michigan Online, Museums
Hunt's Guide to the Upper Peninsula

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List of museums in Michigan Facts for Kids. Kiddle Encyclopedia.

List of museums in Michigan facts for kids

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