42 Most Interesting Museums in Michigan (with Pictures)

Written by Charles Fawole in Michigan,MuseumsLast Updated May 13, 2024

Map of Museums in Michigan

See the map of the top museums in Michigan below.

Each marker on the map shows the location of the museum in Michigan on the map. The number on the museum marker is the popularity rank of the musuem.
You can click on a museum marker to see how you can get to that museum.

 


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MuseumPopularity Rank
The Henry Ford1
Detroit Institute of Arts2
USS Silversides3
Colonial Fort Michilimackinac4
Ford Piquette Avenue Plant5
Air Zoo6
University of Michigan Museum of Natural History7
Castle Museum of Saginaw County History8
Michigan Library and Historical Center9
Ransom Eli Olds Transportation Museum10

How Many Museums are in Michigan?

There are at least 42 museums in Michigan.

Click here to jump to the list some of the best 42 museums in Michigan

Museums in Michigan

Now, let us take a dive into the museum scene in Michigan.

We will share with you information and pictures of museums in Michigan.

To give you a feel of what Michigan looks like, this article may also contain pictures of other places, people and things in Michigan, in addition to museum pictures.

  1. The Henry Ford

    The Henry Ford is the country`s largest indoor–outdoor museum complex. In 1969, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places. The museum`s collection includes John F. Kennedy`s presidential limousine, Abraham Lincoln`s Ford`s Theatre chair, and Thomas Edison`s laboratory.

    • ♿Wheelchair Accessibility: Yes

    • 📈Popularity Score: 10 /10

  2. Detroit Institute of Arts

     

    The Detroit Institute of Arts (DIA) houses one of the country`s most extensive art collections. The DIA is one of the world`s most popular art museums. The museum`s first painting was donated in 1883, and it now has approximately 65,000 pieces in its collection.

    • ⏱Opening Hours: Tu-Th 09:00-16:00; Fr 09:00-22:00; Sa,Su 10:00-17:00

    • 📈Popularity Score: 4 /10

  3. USS Silversides

     

    The Gato-class submarine USS Silversides (SS/AGSS-236) is a Gato-class submarine. She was one of the most successful submarines in World War II`s Pacific Theater. She was awarded a Presidential Unit Citation and twelve combat stars for her actions throughout four patrols.

    • 📈Popularity Score: 4 /10

  4. Colonial Fort Michilimackinac

     

    At the Straits of Mackinac, Fort Michilimackinac was a fort and trade post built by the French in the 18th century, and afterwards by the British. It was built around 1715 and abandoned in 1783 near the northern tip of what is now the state of Michigan.

    • 📈Popularity Score: 2 /10

  5. Ford Piquette Avenue Plant

     

    The Ford Piquette Avenue Plant in Detroit, Michigan, is a defunct plant. It was built in 1904 and served as the Ford Motor Company`s second manufacturing facility. It created the Ford Model T, which is credited with bringing automobiles to the masses in the United States.

    • 📈Popularity Score: 2 /10

  6. Air Zoo

     

    The Air Zoo is a Michigan-based aircraft museum and indoor entertainment park. The SR-71B Blackbird is among the many antique and rare aircraft on display. A 2-D film recreation of a B-17 bombing mission during World War II is projected in a 180-degree theater.

    • 📈Popularity Score: 2 /10

  7. University of Michigan Museum of Natural History

     

    In 1956, the University of Michigan Museum of Natural History opened its doors. The museum is a tax-exempt 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. It has a budget of more over $900,000 and employs 11 full-time professionals and 40-50 paid student docents.

    • ⏱Opening Hours: Th-Su 10:00-16:00

    • 💲Admission Fee: No

    • 📈Popularity Score: 1 /10

  8. Castle Museum of Saginaw County History

     

    The National Register of Historic Places lists the Castle Museum, which was once known as Castle Station or the Saginaw Post Office. The Historical Society of Saginawa County now calls it home, and it is officially recognized as the Castle Museum of Saginaw County History.

    • 📈Popularity Score: 1 /10

  9. Michigan Library and Historical Center

     

    The Michigan eLibrary is one of the Internet`s first online libraries. It contains full-text articles, books, Michigan history materials, and web sites that have been reviewed. Elaine Didier, dean of Oakland University`s Kresge Library, was elected chair of the Library of Michigan Board of Trustees in 2003.

    • 📈Popularity Score: 1 /10

  10. Ransom Eli Olds Transportation Museum

     

    Oldsmobile and REO creator R.E. Olds is honored in the R.E. Olds Transportation Museum. It houses a varied collection of automobiles dating back nearly a century. A virtually complete collection of Michigan license plates, early traffic signs, and a working 1950s-era traffic light are also on display at the museum.

    • ⏱Opening Hours: Tu-Sa 10:00-17:00; Su 12:00-17:00

    • 💲Admission Fee: Yes

    • 📈Popularity Score: 1 /10

  11. Carnegie Museum of the Keweenaw

     

    The Carnegie Museum of the Keweenaw is a museum that does not acquire objects. It was constructed in 1909 with the help of a $15,000 gift from Andrew Carnegie. From 1910 until 2006, the facility functioned as the public library for Houghton, Michigan.

    • 📈Popularity Score: 1 /10

  12. Eli and Edythe Broad Art Museum

     

    The Eli and Edythe Broad Art Museum at Michigan State University in East Lansing, Michigan, is a contemporary art museum. On November 10, 2012, it first opened its doors.

    • ⏱Opening Hours: Tu-Sa 12:00-19:00

    • 💲Admission Fee: No

    • ♿Wheelchair Accessibility: Yes

    • 📈Popularity Score: 1 /10

  13. Kelsey Museum of Archaeology

     

    The Kelsey Museum of Archaeology is an archaeological museum. It is situated on the core campus of the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, Michigan. It has a collection of more than 100,000 ancient and medieval artifacts from the civilizations of the Mediterranean and the Near East.

    • ⏱Opening Hours: Tu-Fr 09:00-16:00; Sa,Su 13:00-16:00; PH,Mo off

    • 💲Admission Fee: No

    • ♿Wheelchair Accessibility: Yes

    • 📈Popularity Score: 1 /10

  14. Alden B. Dow Home and Studio

     

    Alden B. Dow`s home and workshop was a 20th century architect`s mansion and renowned masterpiece. The first studio was completed in 1934, and the second studio was finished in 1937. There was also a woodshop, an office, and Alden`s office in the studio. Between 1937 and 1940, Alden B. Dow constructed his home and studio. There are visible construction materials throughout the house, including the `Unit Blocks` building blocks, which were patented in 1935. The house is open to the public for visits and is adjacent to the Dow Gardens.

    • ⏱Opening Hours: Mo-Sa 14:00+;Fr-Sa 10:00+

    • 📈Popularity Score: 1 /10

  15. Impression 5 Science Center

     

    In downtown Lansing, Michigan, the Impression 5 Scientific Center is a science museum. On the Grand River, the center is housed in a historic wagon manufacturing complex. The five senses – sight, hearing, touch, smell, and taste – are represented by the name Impression 5.

    • ⏱Opening Hours: Tu-Sa 10:00-17:00; Su 12:00-17:00

    • 💲Admission Fee: Yes

    • 📈Popularity Score: 1 /10

  16. Kalamazoo Institute of Arts

     

    The Kalamazoo Institute of Arts (KIA) is a non-profit art museum and school located in the heart of Kalamazoo, Michigan.

    • 📈Popularity Score: 1 /10

  17. Dearborn Historical Museum

     

    The Dearborn Arsenal`s Commandant`s Quarters was built in 1834. It is regarded as one of Michigan`s seven most significant structures. In 1956, the structure was recognized as a Michigan State Historic Site, and in 1970, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places.

    • ⏱Opening Hours: Tu,Th 10:00-15:00

    • 📈Popularity Score: 1 /10

  18. Holocaust Memorial Center

     

    The Holocaust Memorial Center in Farmington Hills, Michigan, is the United States` only museum dedicated to the history of Auschwitz-Birkenau, a Nazi death camp.

    • 📈Popularity Score: 1 /10

  19. Ann Arbor Hands-On Museum

     

    The Ann Arbor Hands-On Museum focuses on interactive exhibits with the purpose of assisting both children and adults in discovering their inner scientist. For both adults and children, the museum encourages science literacy via experimentation, exploration, and instruction. It`s in Ann Arbor, Michigan, in the United States.

    • 📈Popularity Score: 1 /10

  20. Michigan Science Center

     

    The Michigan Scientific Center (MiSci) is a science museum affiliated with the Smithsonian Institution. MiSci`s mission is to inspire curious minds of all ages to discover, explore and appreciate science, technology, engineering and math in a creative, dynamic learning environment.

    • ⏱Opening Hours: Tu-Fr 10:00-15:00; Sa 10:00-17:00; Su 12:00-17:00

    • 📈Popularity Score: 1 /10

  21. Grand Rapids Art Museum

     

    Grand Rapids, Michigan is home to the Grand Rapids Art Museum. Over 3,500 prints, drawings, and photographs are among the 5,000 works of art in the museum`s collection. Its collection includes paintings by Richard Diebenkorn, such as Ingleside from 1963.

    • 📈Popularity Score: 1 /10

  22. Kalamazoo Valley Museum

     

    The collection of the Kalamazoo Valley Museum dates from 1881. It focuses on science, technology, and history and is mostly geared towards families. The Museum contains a state-of-the-art planetarium with 109 seats that shows a range of presentations and programs.

    • 📈Popularity Score: 1 /10

  23. Seaman Mineral Museum

     

    The A.E. Seaman Mineral Museum is the state of Michigan`s official mineral museum. It`s on the Michigan Technological University campus in Houghton, Michigan. The mineral collection began in the nineteenth century and grew to 27,000 specimens by 1890.

    • ⏱Opening Hours: Mo-Sa 09:00-17:00

    • 📈Popularity Score: 1 /10

  24. Gilmore Car Museum

     

    Donald Gilmore`s vehicle collection was on display at the museum when it first opened in 1966. It now has around 500 automobiles in its collection. An 1899 Locomobile Steam Car and a 1930 Rolls Royce prop car from the 1967 film The Gnome-mobile are among the highlights.

    • 📈Popularity Score: 1 /10

  25. Turner-Dodge House

     

    The Turner-Dodge House, often known as the Dodge Mansion, was completed in 1855. In 1972, it was included on the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP). It is now a museum dedicated to Lansing`s pioneers. The residence was built for James and Marion Turner in the Classical Revival style.

    • 📈Popularity Score: 1 /10

  26. Honolulu House

     

    The Abner Pratt House, also known as the Honolulu House, is a historic residence located in Marshall, Michigan. It was designed as a Hawaiian-inspired mansion in the Italianate and Gothic Revival styles in 1860.

    • ⏱Opening Hours: May-Oct: Mo-Su 11:00-16:30; Apr,Nov,Dec: Sa-Su 11:00-16:30; Jan-Apr closed “Closed for the Season”

    • 📈Popularity Score: 1 /10

  27. USCGC Mackinaw

    The USCGC Mackinaw (WAGB-83) is a 290-foot (88-meter) icebreaker built specifically for the Great Lakes. She was decommissioned and replaced with a smaller multifunctional cutter after World War II.

    • 📈Popularity Score: 1 /10

  28. Charles H. Wright Museum of African-American History

     

    The Wright, or the Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History, was founded in 1965. It is one of the oldest African American museums in the world. The Wright opened as the world`s biggest museum dedicated to African American history, with over 35,000 objects.

    • 📈Popularity Score: 1 /10

  29. The Richard & Jane Manoogian Mackinac Art Museum

     

    On Mackinac Island, Michigan, the Mackinac Art Museum is housed in the historic Indian Dormitory structure. Historic paintings and maps, photographs from the 19th through the mid-20th centuries, Native American art, and beaded outfits are among the exhibits.

    • 📈Popularity Score: 1 /10

  30. University of Michigan Museum of Art

     

    In 1909, the University of Michigan Museum of Art was established as a war monument. In 2009, the museum underwent a $41.9 million expansion and renovation. Christina Olsen, the museum`s current director, was appointed in 2017. Admission is free, but a $10 donation is suggested.

    • ⏱Opening Hours: Tu-Sa 11:00-17:00; Su 12:00-17:00

    • 💲Admission Fee: No

    • 📈Popularity Score: 1 /10

  31. Big Sable Point Lighthouse

     

    The Big Sable Point Light, located near Ludington in Mason County, Michigan, is a lighthouse on the eastern border of Lake Michigan. It is an active aid to navigation and provides an excellent lookout for ships heading towards or away from the Great Lakes region of the United States.

    • 📈Popularity Score: 1 /10

  32. Detroit Historical Museum

     

    The Detroit Historical Museum is located in the city`s Cultural Center Historic District. It covers everything from cobblestone streets to 19th-century storefronts, the car assembly line, toy trains, and 18th-century fur commerce, among other topics.

    • 📈Popularity Score: 1 /10

  33. Michigan Maritime Museum

     

    The Michigan Maritime Museum is located in South Haven, Michigan. The harborfront museum is right on the shores of Lake Michigan. It focuses on the state of Michigan`s maritime history, as well as the same-named lake. One of the five Great Lakes is Lake Michigan.

    • 📈Popularity Score: 1 /10

  34. Canton Historical Museum

     

    Canton Township is the second most populous municipality in Michigan (after Clinton Township). The township has the 96th greatest per capita income in the United States. Canton has routinely rated as one of the safest cities in the state and the United States.

    • ⏱Opening Hours: Tu,Th 13:00-16:00; Sa 11:00-15:00

    • 📈Popularity Score: 1 /10

  35. Cobblestone Farm

     

    Ann Arbor, Michigan is home to the Cobblestone Farm and Museum. The name of the museum comes from the cobblestone that was used to construct the farmhouse. In 1972, it was included on the National Register of Historic Places, and in 1973, it was named a Michigan State Historic Site.

    • 📈Popularity Score: 1 /10

  36. Old Mill Museum

     

    The Alfred Wilkerson Grist Mill, commonly known as the Old Mill Museum, is located in Dundee, Michigan. The mill was built to serve the burgeoning milling industry as a gristmill. Around 1910, it was adapted to produce hydroelectricity, which became the village`s sole source of power. As part of his village industries initiative, Henry Ford renovated the structure. Ghost tours and paranormal investigations are available at the museum. It is not on the National Register of Historic Places, although it is a popular tourist destination in the area.

    • 📈Popularity Score: 1 /10

  37. Holland Museum

     

    The Holland Museum is a small historical museum in Holland, Michigan. Two historic house museums are also run by the museum. The Cappon House and the Settlers House depict the early settlers of Holland. 600 years of Dutch art and culture are on display at the New Dutch Galleries.

    • 📈Popularity Score: 1 /10

  38. Argus Museum

     

    The Argus Museum presents the company`s story, as well as the lives of the people who worked there and the goods they created. The museum is located in the Argus I Building, which was one of the manufacturing locations for Argus products. Its aim is to collect and preserve the goods and publications of Argus Camera Incorporated.

    • 💲Admission Fee: No

    • 📈Popularity Score: 1 /10

  39. Wing House Museum

    Coldwater, Michigan is home to the Wing House. In 1975, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places. The Wing House Museum is currently administered by the Branch County Historical Society.

    • 📈Popularity Score: 1 /10

  40. Grosvenor House Museum

    The National Register of Historic Places added the E. O. Grosvenor House to its list in 1977. It is regarded as one of Michigan`s most spectacular homes. It was originally built as a private residence for Ebenezer O. Grosvener and is now a museum.

    • 📈Popularity Score: 1 /10

  41. Troy Historic Village

    Troy Historic Village is a historic site in Troy, Michigan. The main structure (City Hall), the log cabin, the Greek Revival Home, the brick one-room school, the church, and the parsonage have all been meticulously restored. Visitors may experience what it was like to live in Troy Township in the 1800s.

    • 📈Popularity Score: 1 /10

  42. Besser Museum

    Alpena County, Michigan`s Besser Museum for Northeast Michigan is a community museum. Its goal is to conserve, maintain, and exhibit history and culture associated with Northern Michigan`s and the Great Lakes` heritage. A modest public planetarium is part of the museum.

    • 📈Popularity Score: 1 /10

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