I didn't know too much about the Great Lakes so I thought I would visit this museum. The museum…read moreconsists of two parts: an indoor museum that is semi-interactive. There is a series of non-stop videos on the Great Lakes, maps, history, gift shop, etc. Everything is labeled and explained. The second part is the ship - Colonel James M. Schoonmaker. Both are self-guided tours. The indoor museum will take you about an hour if you read everything and see some of the videos. The ship, however, will take you at least an hour plus depending on how depth you want to know about the ship. The ship has two levels; bottom level is where the engines and storage are located. The top level is the deck that leads you to their living quarters. The living quarters is two stories with no elevators. The bottom level is accessible only by a steep, narrow iron ladder.

Nice museum. Appropriately priced. If you're not familiar with the area I can see it being better…read morethan say for a local. I wish they gave a little more information and explanations on some of the placards but over all its an alright way to spend an hour. I didn't do the boat tour as I am already very familiar with it from doing community service aboard it as a teen. Lol We all have a past. Im sure that it is very interesting to others though!

In the university, there are several museums is free to public. Those are students and teachers…read morecontributed result. This is two floors building. The collection is huge. The entrance is mammoth animal bones. The upper floor has pterosaurs with flying wing. The collection includes sea creatures, land animals and predators, small animals and more. The visit takes place 1.5 hours. But it has a lot to offer. Definitely is must visit museum in the university.

This is a fun FREE, family-friendly find!…read more I took my child here on a rainy day off school as an impromptu outing. We parked at the Palmer lot, which has free visitor parking, as well as permit parking if you have a blue (or gold) pass. The museum is easy to navigate and beautifully appointed. There's a little bit of everything, but no topic is too in-depth. So, if you're looking for a deep dive, this might not be the museum for you. My child love the "Please touch" signage, and this was a nice way to physically interact with the displays. We plan to return to see a show at the planetarium, which requires a ticket.

Highly recommend! Whenever there's kids in town visiting we try to get them here (but equally…read moreenjoyable for adults too!). It's so fun to be hands on with the animals and the staff/volunteers are the nicest, answering all your random questions and telling you about the animals, but also giving you space if you don't feel like socializing.

This place is great. You can learn a lot about different animals, hands on. The staff is well…read moreinformed, and passionate about learning. It's free to go, so make sure to stop by their very reasonably priced gift shop and or leave a donation. Side note, I can't wait to go back. I want to snuggle their ferrets, and purchase some more of their cool science nerdy earrings!

****They moved locations to 3261 Lohr Road, Ann Arbor, MI. ****…read more Yesterday, we visited The African American Cultural and Historical Museum of Washtenaw County (AACHM). My husband found it and what a gem it is! They are currently showcasing art by sophomores in a local high school (Huron HS). Their project was to showcase African American history and they did it through art themes of Unity, Peace amidst Chaos, Community, Adversity, Music, Adinkra symbols, Struggle, and Honor. I was amazed at their artistic skills and depth of interpretation of their feelings. The most exciting part is this Museum offers a tour of part of the Ann Arbor Underground Railroad Sites and Black History! We can't wait to do this! I love and am always so encouraged to see the resilience African Americans have shown in calamity and the hope they showcase that can only be found in God's strength. The employee was very nice and helpful! I highly recommend coming here to learn!!

Excuse me, but how is it that no one has reviewed this yet??? It is one of AA's gems…read more The foundational exhibit of this organization is actually not a place, or a thing, but an experince. They do a Journey to Freedom bus tour where you visit undergroud railroad spots (complete with crawling into hidden rooms) includng the building where Michigan abolishionists oporated a hidden press to publish anti-slavery newspapers. The tour includes spots Yspi and Pittsfield Township where the stationmasters are buried as well. They have tours of the historic home where the musuem is located as well, though this is decidedly less dynamic. I heard from a student that when she was in high school the musuem did a whole program for them at the school for AA history month, this seems to the musuem's main baliwick, other than the bus tours. Recently the musuem has been hosting jazz dinners, I think as a fundraiser. I haven't been but a friend went and said it was "lovely."

The Santa Express is really fun for families with kids. The short train ride is the perfect length…read moreand visiting with Santa and getting hot cocoa was wonderful.

the volunteers were awesome, the train information entertaining. But the views not so much. Its…read morebilled as a fall tour, but all you can see is bushes with red berries along the track. They need to take one a tractor with the mower on it like the counties use to cut the brush. So you can look out over the fields as you ride. It wouldn't have to be the full length, just where the fields and marsh are. Enjoyed being with friends but would have been boring with out them

What a cool place to spend a couple of hours. On a whim we stopped to check out the the Sharp…read morefamily farm and view the art gallery they had on the property. The tour of the house was guided and it was just two of us and the guide. The guide had a wealth of knowledge and we appreciated what she had to say about the house and the Sharp family. One interesting and impressive fact, their well was inside the house. This way they didn't have to go out in Michigan winters to get their water. My daughter is a big fan of old homes especially Victorian style homes. While it's a Victorian style house it also had Italian influences in the structure. The art gallery had a World War I exhibit (100 year anniversary), sculptures and a quilt exhibit.

I thought "Free Museum Day" at Ella Sharp would be a nice treat. What a joke. First, I stopped by…read morethe gift shop to buy a little trinket for my grandbaby, but they don't even take cash. What kind of museum doesn't accept cash? Are we living in the future or something? The real disaster was trying to see the actual Ella Sharp house. There was a woman standing guard at the door who looked like she'd lost a fight with a highlighter her hair was the color of stale piss. She was clearly having a terrible day and decided to take it out on anyone with a baby. When I approached with my stroller, she huffed and puffed and snapped, "We're trying to limit strollers, so you can leave it with me." Excuse me? Leave my grandbaby with you? I don't even know you, lady, and based on your attitude, I wouldn't trust you to water a plant. Calm down, Stephanie Swift, you're a museum guide, not a prison warden. I wasn't asking to bring in a pack of wild dogs, just my sleeping grandchild. The whole experience left me wishing I'd just stayed home and saved myself the aggravation.

Was in Detroit for the weekend and stopped by to sightsee. It was a great experience, the place is…read morewell kept and in great condition. There is street parking right in front of the museum and it didn't seem as if the street was a busy one--maybe I just lucked up that day idk. They have the Motown music playing over the speakers outside which I thought was pretty cool. It was a Sunday when I visited so unfortunately it was closed and there was no one onsite working, so the only option was to take pictures and soak up some of the history. But try to be courteous to other visitors who are also waiting to take pictures. Next time I'm in Detroit again I'm definitely gonna stop by for another visit.

This review is long overdue. I visited before the renovations were done & I loved the authenticity…read moreof this place. It was so nostalgic walking thru where so many greats created songs we still play in 2026. The tour guide was amazing and I learned so many fun facts about all the artists. I definitely would love to revisit this place and see what renovations they have completed.

From the South Lyon, Michigan website:…read more Witch's Hat Depot HOME RESIDENTS COMMUNITY WITCH'S HAT DEPOT Sub Menu About the Witch's Hat Depot Museum and Historic Village The Witch's Hat Depot Museum and Historic Village represents the joint efforts of the City of South Lyon, the South Lyon Area Historical Society, the South Lyon Historical Commission, local service clubs and a great number of volunteers. This community effort has resulted in a fine museum and charming, historic village that attracts many visitors, weddings and events. The Museum is open Saturday and Sundays from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. Special tours can be arranged by contacting the Historical Society at (248) 437-9929. The Witch's Hat Depot in Historic Village Depot The Witch's Hat Depot functions as a museum and the gathering place for the South Lyon Historical Society. It's distinctive roof line gives the building it's name: The Witch's Hat. The building was moved from the original location on East Lake Street to McHattie Park in 1976 as a bicentennial project and it now serves as the focal point for the historic village. The interior of the depot has been preserved to show what a turn-of-the-century train depot would look like. The Historical Society uses the Depot and the nearby Freight Building to store historic documents. The Depot is an excellent resource for railroad buffs or those who simply want to know more about the history of South Lyon. This website gives a more comprehensive history of the building, including its role in the state railroad system and a photo of the depot under construction in 1909 as well as a photograph of the depot in the 1970s before it was moved to its current location in McHattie Park. Historic Village Depot Caboose The caboose is fun for all, railroad buffs, children and the simply curious. It is a Chesapeake & Ohio caboose dating from 1926. The interior is furnished as much as it might have been when in daily use by the rail road workers. The caboose was moved to the museum site in 1982. Freight House Historic Village The freight house was built in 1984 to provide a much needed community meeting area as well as additional museum display areas. The basement is the museum's archive. The building design compliments the Depot. Funding for the freight house was provided by the City and the Historical Commission. In addition, all of the interior finish work was done by volunteers both amateurs and professional, making this truly a community building. It is an attractive, comfortable place to hold meetings and special events. Historic Village Washburn School Washburn School District #5 in Green Oak Township, Livingston County, was built in 1907 to replace a log school building. It served the families in the area until 1953 when the district consolidated with South Lyon Schools. The building was donated to the City of South Lyon in 1984 by the Gordon Wood Family. In the interim, it was used as a church and for a short time as a home. The City, in conjunction with the South Lyon Area Historical Society moved the schoolhouse to its present site in McHattie Park where is serves the community as part of the museum and the historic village. School children hold day-long classes in the building giving them a "one room school house" experience. The school is open for tours as part of the museum complex and is available for meetings and other community needs. Little Village Chapel in the Historic Village The Little Village Chapel is the most recent addition the Historic Village. This 1930's era "kit building" was donated to the City by the congregation of the Immanuel Lutheran Church. The building was moved in 2001 from East Liberty Street to its current site. Historic Village Gazebo The gazebo in the McHattie Park Historic Village was built in 1991 to compliment the circa 1900 village. It is used by the community for band concerts and other entertainment. It is a welcome shelter for these wanting some shade or just a comfortable place to sit while visiting the Historic Village. Recognized as a lovely setting, many wedding ceremonies have been held there. The gazebo provides a pleasant interlude on a summer afternoon. © 2016South Lyon, MI335 S. Warren Street, South Lyon, MI Telephone: (248) 437-1735 / Fax: (248) 486-0049 Site use and Linking Policy, Title VI Non-discrimination Plan munetrix logo1logo2 Powered By Revize LOGIN