JACKSON, Mich. — On Saturday, May 9th from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., ten participating Jackson County, Michigan museums will be open to the public free of charge. Some locations will keep it casual with an “open-house style” reception and self-guided tours while others are hosting festivals, child-friendly activities, historical demonstrations and providing guided tours. With Museum Day intentionally planned on Mother’s Day weekend, it is a great opportunity for families to get together and learn more about their community’s history while checking some local museums off their bucket list. Each museum will be giving away a Museum Day gift basket as well.
A new addition to Museum Day this year is the Night at the Museum after-party hosted by the Hackett Auto Museum from 4:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. The Hackett Auto Museum is located at 615 Hupp Avenue, Jackson, MI 49203. The Night at the Museum after-party will feature museum-themed characters from the movie, food trucks, giveaways, cash bar, live music and fun for everyone. Night at the Museum is free and open to the public; however, Museum Day attendees can vote for their favorite Museum they visited.
2020 Museum Day Participants:
Cambridge Junction Historic State Park and Walker Tavern Historic Site
1322 M-50, Brooklyn, MI 49230
Cambridge Junction Historic State Park & Walker Tavern Historic Site will be celebrating the centennial anniversary of Michigan State Parks. Free tours of the historic buildings with an opportunity to make a tin punch ornament will be a part of the day’s activities. Friends of Walker Tavern will sell their locally famous Root Beer. Park opens at 10 a.m. and a Recreation Passport is required for park entry.
Ella Sharp Museum
3225 Fourth Street, Jackson, MI 49203
The Ella Sharp Museum will have free access to all six art, history, and science exhibits – including the NASA funded, “My Sky” exhibit - and will be offering guided tours of Ella Sharp’s Hillside Farmhouse and planetarium shows.
Hanover-Horton Area Historical Society
105 Fairview Street, Hanover, MI 49210
The Hanover Horton Area Historical Society will offer wagon rides between their three campus areas. Conklin Museum will offer history displays, a collection of 100 playable reed organs and several new exhibits. The Organ Restoration Workshop will offer guided tours. The Heritage Park will offer farm and barn activities for kids and tours of the Sugar Shack, Sawmill, Antique Farm Equipment Barn and their Log Cabin Restoration Project. Cookies and punch will also be served.
Lost Railway Museum
142 West Michigan Avenue, Grass Lake, MI 49240
The Lost Railway Museum will be offering cookies, popcorn and refreshments along with their unique Audio Tours and Wandering Individual Tours to all visitors who stop by. Climb into the trolley cars and see if you can find the bells!
Mann House
205 Hanover Street, Concord, MI 49237
The Mann House will be offering guided house tours. Situated in the beautiful village of Concord, this 1880s home was built by Daniel and Ellen Mann. Three generations of family furnishings decorate their modest middle-class home. The Mann sisters: highly educated women, Mary Ida Mann Cady and Jessie Ellen traveled the World over bringing back to their Concord home souvenirs from Europe and the Far East which are displayed throughout the house. After your visit take time to stroll the sidewalks of Concord where you will find more than 40 other buildings listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Tompkins Historical Stewart Museum
10138 Tompkins Road, Rives Junction, MI 49277
The Tompkins Stewart Museum will be offering a plant sale, tractor pulls, guided museum tours, blacksmith demonstrations, loom weaving presentations and a step back in time at the one-room school house and 1836 log cabin.
Waterloo Farm Museum
13493 Waterloo Munith Road, Grass Lake, MI 49240
The Waterloo Farm Museum will be offering tours of all their buildings, which include an 1840's Log House, 1870's 13 room farmhouse, blacksmith shop, and outbuildings. The Michigan Heritage Museum will be presenting A Walk Through Time. They will be presenting 100 years of military exhibits.
Dewey School Museum
Three miles north of the Waterloo Farm Museum
The Dewey School Museum will be open for visitors to learn about the one-room school education. Light refreshments will be served at the Farm Museum.
Ye Ole Carriage Shop Auto Museum
3537 Henderson Road, Spring Arbor, MI 49283
Stop by the Ye Ole Carriage Shop Museum and see 18 Jackson made vehicles in addition to many other classic and historical cars. With historical memorabilia, motorcycles, gas pumps, children’s peddle cars, several iconic former Jackson area business exhibits, and an old fashioned Coca-Cola soda shop display, you won’t regret your time spent with friends and family at Ye Ole Carriage Shop.
Hackett Auto Museum
615 Hupp Avenue, Jackson, MI 49203
The Hackett Auto Museum was the home to multiple automobile companies throughout the early decades of the 20th century. Visitors can tour the ongoing restoration efforts, interact with several innovative changing exhibits, research in the museum archives and experience an extensive collection of rare vehicles and associated artifacts.
The Jackson District Library will also be supporting Museum Day 2020 and will have on-site information about library services, historical databases and upcoming programs at 6 of the participating museums. They will be at the Mann House, Ye Ole Carriage Shop, Waterloo Farm Museum, Lost Railway Museum, Ella Sharp Museum, and Tompkins Historical Stewart Museum.
For more information, please visit www.ExperienceJackson.com/MuseumDay [experiencejackson.com]. Museum Day is proudly promoted by the Arts & Cultural Alliance of Jackson County, Experience Jackson and participating museums.
Want to check out other events around our town? Visit the FOX47News Website.
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