“We are not makers of history. We are made by history.”
- Martin Luther King, Jr.
The MHS offers many types of programs that will engage lovers of art, culture, and history.
1) In-person: A 1-hour long presentation covering a variety of topics. Last year, we had programs about the tools of the French fur trade, medicinal uses of local plants, and glassmaking. Presentations are free.
2) Local authors meet & greet: About an hour long, attendees have an opportunity to meet Upper Peninsula authors and hear them speak about their works. Genres featured include history, mystery, genealogy, nature, and more. Meet & greets are free to attend.
3) Workshops: Instructor led, workshops typically last three hours. Participants learn a new skill or grow their talents, and bring home their creations. Seating is generally limited to 10 participants and have a fee.
4) Cemetery tours: Guided cemetery tours occur once a year, usually in July. The tours cover each of St. Ignace’s three cemeteries: Gros Cap Cemetery, Lakeside Cemetery, and St. Ignatius Loyola Catholic Cemetery. Each year the tours will highlight different individuals, carefully selected to provide a well-rounded picture of life in St. Ignace and around the Straits of Mackinac. The tours are approximately an hour to an hour-and-a-half long and are free to attend. Please note that these are NOT ghost tours.
5) Online exhibits: Found under the Museum Resources tab at the top of the page, our online exhibits are curated by our Curator/Collections Manager. Topics range from historic figures to businesses or organizations that impacted the Straits region, to objects from the museum collection. The online exhibits allow us to dig deeper into subjects and share more details than what would be printed for a display.
6) Virtual: Like many organizations, we began developing virtual programs. The presentations are hosted through Zoom and are free to attend. The programs may be hosted online only, or a hybrid where attendees can choose to attend online or in-person. At this time, there are no virtual presentations planned.
7) Historical Society of Michigan – History Hounds: The Historical Society of Michigan offers free access to their History Hounds lecture series to members of the Michilimackinac Historical Society. The presentations are $7 without membership.
Click here or go to the Calendar of Events page to read descriptions of each program or workshop. Registration for all presentations and tours is recommended but not required. Registration for workshops is required.
Are you interested in presenting or leading a workshop? Please send us an email with your ideas!