This is still one of my favorite places in Port Huron, and I love sharing it with people. This is…read moreone of those places that is in plain sight, but most have not visited or really knew what it was. My most recent visit was a rainy day, but this place was still busy. Plenty of people sitting inside visiting and enjoying lunch or a cup of coffee. There was a nice farmers market this weekend that had lots of goodies. Anyone I have referred this place to ends up loving it!

If you haven't been here, it's worth the visit. This visitor's center is a volunteer-run…read moreestablishment (mostly staffed by endearing, charming elderly folks) for visitors to watch and learn about the boats and freighters that go by. Also, they have literature on Port Huron history and artifacts found from the bottom of the river. It's quite an inviting center with many great amenities: free Wi-Fi, large observation area, knowledgeable staff, clean restrooms and a deli that sells huge, scrumptious apple fritters as big as your face. I recommend zapping the fritter in mic for 20-30 seconds. It's even better with a hot cup of coffee, as you relax and enjoy the view of the beautiful river, seabirds flying by, and freighters passing under the Blue Water Bridge. The staff generally announces over the PA which freighter is passing by and fun facts (where it's made, how old, tonnage, etc.). The river walk is popular for fishers, walkers and their dogs. They even have seasonal scheduled events with musical guests and vendors for farmer's market. So if you're looking for a relaxed short road trip outing, this is a keen place. It seems that mostly seniors loiter around. Maybe that's why my retired folks really liked it when they were last in town? But there's also a mix of young families and couples too.

This place was awesome. I had never visited before, but my husband and I took a tour today of the…read moremain house. Tours are $20 and you're welcome to walk the grounds after, plus stop by the Playhouse (tiny house that was for the Ford's 7-year-old granddaughter) and the garage, where five antique vehicles are housed. The tour lasts an hour, our tour guide was Dan and he was great. My husband works for Ford so I thought he'd find the tour interesting, too. There's another tour, called Nooks and Crannies, that dives deeper into the house and it's history, and I'd like to take that one next. The grounds themselves are beautiful and there is a lot to see, including the displays in the Visitors Center, Bird Island, and the places I mentioned above. The Visitors Center also has a gift shop. I've heard they do concerts here in the summer, and I saw on Instagram that they will have a butterfly house, too, so I'll have to come back another time for that. Overall, I really enjoyed Ford House and hope to come back for the other tour at some point too.

Gilded The Edsel…read moreand Eleanor Ford House is, on the surface, a spectacular estate.The architecture--a refined lakeside Cotswold-style manor--is stunning. The grounds are immaculate. And yet, the overall experience left me with one word: tacky. Not tacky in the sense of bad taste, but tacky in the way a museum can be when it doesn't trust its audience. The message throughout is clear: Please, middle class, come see how the well-to-do lived--but on our terms, at our pace, behind our ropes. You arrive, eager to explore, only to find the doors locked until a specific tour time. So you wait. Outside. Like a guest at a party no one's ready to let you into. Once inside, you're sorted: self-guided vs. those who paid more for a guided tour. I could only imagine if a self-guided were to stand close and eavesdrop! Then come the barriers. Physical and psychological. You can see how the ultra-rich lived, but do not step deep into most rooms. Velvet ropes whisper stay back. Much of the art has been replaced with copies--originals long ago donated to the DIA (how generous, but also how convenient for security). Even the books are brazenly zip-tied together, presumably to deter mischief or theft. A low point? The kitchen. There, plastic, shiny faux-food--maybe straight from Target's preschool toy aisle--sits arranged to show what a prep area might have looked like. A plastic ham! A plastic cake! Oh, in a prep area! You crane your neck into an ahead-of-its-time bathroom like a zoo visitor spotting a rare animal. Yes, this very bathroom. The one someone used. Then you learn it wasn't ahead-of-its-time bathroom--this was what wealth bought for you! There's the playhouse--charming, yes, with electricity. Oh, it's a house. The Ford's philanthropy, parenting, and perfection are woven into every communication: nannies were present, but they were involved. Citizens, yes. Philanthropists, absolutely. Divine beings, apparently. The whole thing feels less like history and more like hagiography--a shrine to benevolent gods who once walked among us, now preserved in amber and zip ties. Verdict: Tacky. See it on your own if you must, but honestly, try an online tour first. It probably has more dimension, access, and interesting details than what you'll get on foot.

Not many museums are free but this one is (by donation) and it was an easy walk to get to. When you…read moreenter, there are washrooms to the left and a gift shop in front. The gift shop has homemade jewelry, housewares and trinkets, books, and wallets. They had a cute bicycle display with various items. The front desk was staffed and the woman working told us the exhibits were upstairs. We made our way to the stairs and there's also an elevator. Once on the second floor, there were a couple of doors and then a volunteer was seating there telling us where to go. The exhibit on the left was ok, not a lot to see but a few interesting pieces. My favourite was the paint workshop with cans all coloured with paint. We went to the other side and there was an exhibit of book covers and an Aboriginal one. The book covers wasn't so interesting but the Aboriginal one had old records and cylinders that recorded conversations and songs. There were some sofas and a large window looking out to water and greenery. It was a lovely view. We spent an hour here and it was ok. They are going through some renovations but hopefully they can make better use of all the space.

Nice place to bring a small family with older kids and for a quick date getaway. It's a rather…read moresmaller museum and nice place to meet people for a quick gathering at their cafe shop. You can spend as little as 1 hour to see their collection. Smaller parking area with a small parking fee to pay at the self-standing booth to get a ticket location at the museum pathway about 20-30 feet from the front door. Give a online donation of a few dollars to support them for future work. Pleasant to visit and comfortable.

My friend recommended coming here on a Saturday to see what this place was all about. While I'm not…read morea death person, it was interesting to say the least. Admission is $10 to get in, and they have two wild looking hearses in the parking lot. The museum is small, but has lots of different stuff to look at. They have actual human bones and skulls, coffins, and lots of mortuary tools from different time periods. It was quite interesting to look at and the owner, who also greeted us when we walked in, told us all about his collection. I believe he said he was also a mortician? He was very knowledgeable and personable. I wouldn't call it a gift shop at the front of the store, but they do have several different types of things for sale like t-shirts, incense, and other interesting artifacts. Overall a very unique experience, and the owner is very insightful and full of knowledge.

Just moved to the area and was looking for cool and out of the box things to do, this is just that!…read more The owner Todd was super welcoming and personable, and you can tell he really cares about the place and contents in it. Definitely will be coming back!

A Somewhat unusual museum that documents the history of the Wills Ste. Claire automobile, made in…read moreMarysville, Michigan, from 1921 until 1926. Be aware, the building museum is easily mistaken for a factory, as that is what it once was. As such, the Museum sits in the middle of the Marysville South industrial park, located off of M 29/Busha Highway. If you cross the railroad tracks on Busha highway, you've gone too far - but when you drive into the industrial park, you have to cross a set of tracks to get to it. How's that for confusing? If you're into big garish classic automobiles built before World War II, it's a nice place to visit. There are several of these automobiles here; according to Museum volunteers, supposedly roughly about 10% of the entire surviving population of these automobiles are on display here at any given time (about 85 or so are known to still exist, so do the math). While the exhibits are extremely static (with the exception of the fact one automobile can usually be found rotating on a turntable ala the Detroit Auto Show) it's somewhat amazing the kind of displays they are able to put forth in what is essentially a volunteer/club run museum. Like a lot of museums of the sort, it is only open on weekends or by appointment - however, unlike a lot of museums of this nature, many of the volunteers actually live nearby, so if you call the phone number listed on the sign you can often get in to see the displays even on an off day. The museum tends to be closed in winter, as they offer heated storage to antique car owners during that time (this area often gets blocked off for liability reasons). All in all, a nice museum that hopefully will continue to expand and developed in the future.

This place has many different locations inside the campus…read more This was my first time visiting the planetarium. OMG the mineral exhibit is spectacular. Please make it a point to check them out online and in person the events hosted has a wonderful selection and the people attending are so nice.

This is an amazing space! There is a lot more to see and do that. I did not show, but this is a…read moreperfect place to take children (and adults) who love science. There are different exhibits with varying levels of hands on experiences. Check their website for days and hours I also found out they have a "Free First Friday" experience each month.

While I can only speak for our visit during their "Family Fun Day" event, we had a great time. The…read moreevent was busy, but not over-packed, and everyone we met; from vendors, to volunteers, to the townspeople; were so friendly and approachable. We had the chance to walk the property, visit inside the old buildings, and get a taste of the town's history. There were also hiking trails in the vicinity, although we didn't get an opportunity to personally walk them. We were too busy enjoying the family fun. They had local vendors selling goods; honey, syrup, veggies, flowers, crafts.... so many goodies. There was also a donation walking taco bar and popcorn; or hot dogs and ice cream from a food truck if you were hungry; and an animal show to participate in for learning and memorable experiences. We honestly had a fantastic time, I definitely recommend you swing by of you are in the area.

The museum and grounds are a wonderful yet mostly undiscovered gem in this part of Michigan. The…read morecenterpiece is the Loop Mansion, an example of Second Empire architecture, built by Dr. Loop in the 1870's. The home is restored to the Victorian era and gives the visitor an idea of what life was like in this area about 150 years ago. The rest of the museum grounds have been used to re-locate area historic buildings. There are log cabins, barns, a country store, a one-room school house, a vintage summer cottage, an old church that was once a saloon, and a railway depot. There is also the original barn, which is rented to a group operating as The Barn Theater, with plays being produced all summer long. The church is frequently used to host concerts, and is also available to rent for weddings or other social events. That isn't all that goes on here though, there are dinners and brunches held which give the visitor a glimpse into what it was like to live in this beautiful old home. There are also special event weekends, like Civil War Days, The Natives/Voyageurs/Settlers Days, and the Hunting/Fishing/Maritime Weekend. This year there will be a new building opened to the public, the Hunting and Fishing Cabin, which will celebrate the history of the local outdoor sport traditions. There will be many artifacts displayed including taxidermy. If you are in the area year round, Christmastime is when the house is decorated at its finest, and you can visit free during the community party, or buy a ticket for one of two Victorian dinner parties. The museum is open for guided tours from May 28th through September 5th in 2011. Tours are available Wed. through Sunday. Cost is only $5, $4 for seniors and $2 for children. The tour includes the mansion and all buildings in the Village. Some days the village buildings are staffed by costumed docents telling the stories that they've learned about the local area. School groups can make other arrangements for tours that accommodate their group.

I was fortunate to have an unexpected private tour by the Keeper. The Keeper was charming,…read moreinteresting, knowledgeable, personable, and friendly. I had no idea that Thomas Edison was an inventor of many things. He had about 1,000 patents. In grammar school, I learned he was the inventor of the incandescent light bulb but little did I know that Thomas Edison invented the telegraph, storage batteries, phonograph and even the motion picture projector. There's so much to see jam packed in this small hands-on/interactive museum. There are many interesting facts about his personal life and how some of these inventions/patents came about. It's a perfect opportunity for anyone to study history of inventions and the life of Thomas Edison. Signage is easy to read and understand. It's truly a gem.

Informative and educational. Multiple stories from his past - an incredibly varied life!…read more Many things to touch and interact with - bring hand sanitizer! Family oriented. Things are well preserved and presented. Took about 30 for two adults to walk through the self guided tour. Gift shop at the end! Clean. Helpful staff. Free during the summer of 2023, but accepts donations ($3/pp; $10/family).