A Look at the Local Culture
Day One
Embark on a stunning history and culture tour in Marquette County. The Marquette Regional History Center in downtown is an exceptional historic center loaded with exhibits and displays of Marquette County’s past.
With antiques and photographs of ancient mining heritage, athletic teams, events, shipping stories, and more, a trip through the center could occupy a bit more time than you may expect! The rotating featured exhibit space, a room over from the main history center, is always bringing in incredible relics and stories of varying topics. Everything from Victorian-era life to the art and design of local artists' past has been featured, so you never know what you’ll learn and explore inside!
Head to the West End for Mining & More
Day Two
Take a trip to the west end of the county to the towns of Negaunee and Ishpeming. Located in Negaunee, the Michigan Iron Industry Museum is an incredible educational resource highlighting one of the leading industries of the area, the mining of iron ore! Photos of miners, deep mine shafts, vintage mine cars, and more share an in-depth look of the people who shaped the area long ago.
Just up the road in Ishpeming, two amazing museums await you. The Cliffs Mine Shaft Museum takes you on a tour of Cliffs Mine Shaft, once one of the largest iron mines in Michigan. Celebrating the history of the Marquette Iron Range, this incredible museum allows visitors to see mining artifacts, photographs, and equipment, as well as a chemical lab, blasting items, and the engine house with its air compressor room. The museum also displays the mineral collections of the Ishpeming Rock and Mineral Club.
The next stop in Ishpeming is the U.S. National Ski and Snowboard Hall of Fame. Featuring the greatest skiers and snowboarders in the nation, this incredible museum celebrates the birthplace of organized skiing and spans the history of both sports. Exhibits include official plaques of all Hall of Fame inductees, signed memorabilia, official gear, and more. Also, classic skiing and snowboarding movies are screened multiple times monthly for your viewing pleasure. If you’re a fan of downhill winter sports, this is a stop you won’t want to pass up!
Dive into Marquette's Maritime History
Day Three
Check out the Marquette Maritime Museum on Lakeshore Blvd., and nearby Lower and Upper Harbor Ore Docks. Located right next to Marquette Harbor Lighthouse, the maritime museum highlights nautical-themed artifacts, pictures, and stories of the shipping industry on Lake Superior. Learn about Lake Superior shipwrecks and ghost stories, then take a guided tour of the city's iconic lighthouse. The view from atop is absolutely breathtaking!
