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Downtown Lansing Michigan Walking Tour
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Michigan History Center and Michigan History Museum

Introduction

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The Michigan History Center is the state's main repository for local and state historical records and the flagship of the Michigan Historical Museum System. The museum features 25 galleries whose exhibits tell the story of Michigan's history, from prehistoric times to today. Some staff members even dress in period costume at various points of the year for special events as part of their effort to provide an authentic and engaging experience. Highlights include a white pine, the state's official tree, and a three-story-tall topographical map of Michigan. The Center also houses the state archives, which holds 80 million state and local records, 300,000 photographs, 500,000 books, and also films and audiotapes. The earliest records in the archives date back to 1792.


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  • The Center contains the Michigan Historical Museum as well as the Archives of Michigan and offers educational programs and learning opportunities.
  • The Michigan History Center features a museum and archives and serves as the flagship for its other museum. The organization is dedicated to preserving and sharing the story of Michigan.

Backstory and Context

Text-to-speech Audio

The Michigan Historical Museum encompasses the highlights of the state's entire history. The first floor atrium features Michigan's official state tree, a live white pine, which was also the main draw for European settlement in Michigan. A three-story topographical map of the state overlooks the main gallery, which tells the story of Michigan's Native Americans, the lumbering era, and its strong agricultural history. The third floor takes the visitor through Michigan in the 21st century, leading into manufacturing (particularly the auto industry), Michigan's role in WWI and WWII, and tourism and recreation based around the state's fantastic natural resources.

With documents dating back to 1792, the Archives of Michigan houses much of Michigan's record heritage. More than 80 million state and local government records and private papers, 300,000 photographs and 500,000 maps, plus films and audio tapes are available for research.

The Center also offers tours to the public of its facilities as well as educational field trip opportunities for students, and it hosts ongoing special events. Check out the online calendar for more information!




Sources

Homepage. Michigan History Center. Accessed January 24, 2018. http://www.michigan.gov/mhc/0,4726,7-282-61080_62766---,00.html.

"Michigan History Center." Pure Michigan. Accessed January 24, 2018.  https://www.michigan.org/property/michigan-history-center.

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