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Local Experiences
Offered on Monday, October 19th and Wednesday, October 21st, a variety of our conference host and partner institutions will be providing drop-in tours and/or ticketed experiences. Experiences range from self-guided tours, guided tours, hands-on workshops, crafts, and more. Unless otherwise noted, drop-in experiences are free with your conference badge. Experiences requiring pre-registration will indicate how to register in the description. Local Experiences may be added to the schedule until close of registration.
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Join your colleagues and explore our host county by taking part in a variety of local experiences! Self-Guided Tour of Troy Historic Village
Self-Guided Tour of Troy Historic Village
60 W. Wattles Rd., Troy, MI 48098
Monday, October 19
9am-4pm
Wednesday, October 21
9am-4pm
Drop in for a self-guided tour of the Troy Historic Village! The Village includes ten historic buildings: Troy Township Hall (Main Building), Log Cabin, Caswell House, Poppleton School, General Store, Print Shop, Wagon Shop, Parsonage, Church, and Town Hall (Troy Union Schoolhouse). Try one of our scavenger hunts or just enjoy the history and the space. Staff will be happy to answer questions about buildings or programs as they are available. Show your conference nametag for entry.
Parking and Instructions: There is free parking onsite.
Accessibility: The Village offers three accessible parking spaces in our west parking lot. All buildings have wheelchair-accessible entryways. Buildings are connected by a wide paved pathway. All public spaces in these buildings are wheelchair-accessible except for the second floor of the Parsonage. Some buildings have a bit of a bump over the threshold. Each building has its own scent. You might smell smoke when you are inside the Log Cabin or Wagon Shop because our staff sometimes build fires in those buildings during field trip programs and blacksmithing classes. Wheelchair-accessible restrooms are available inside our General Store and Church; Gender-neutral/unisex restrooms are located inside the Church.
Visit the Cranbrook Institute of Science
Visit the Cranbrook Institute of Science
1 Institute Way, Bloomfield Hills, MI 48304
Monday, October 19
8:30am-3:30pm
Drop in for a self-guided tour of the Cranbrook Institute of Science! This natural history museum features many interactive exhibits including a T-Rex skeleton cast, an astronomy gallery, a physics motion gallery, and a planetarium! Just show your conference badge for admission and see what discoveries await you.
Parking & Instructions: Free parking is available onsite
Accessibility: The Cranbrook Institute of Science is fully accessible.
Discover Birmingham Culture: Arts, Eats, and History
Discover Birmingham Culture: Arts, Eats, and History
556 West Maple Road, Birmingham, MI 48009
Monday, October 19
1pm-4pm
The Birmingham Museum invites you to experience our walkable, beautiful, and culturally rich downtown, where everything is just a short walk away. Start at our award-winning museum adjacent to the Rouge River. Visit the pioneer era Hunter House and see our contemporary Anishinaabe basket exhibit at the Allen House, where you can also get a behind-the-scenes guided collections tour. Afterward, get fresh air and explore local culture with self-guided walking tours of sculptor Marshall Fredericks, public art, downtown architecture, women’s history, historic Greenwood Cemetery (complete with murder story) or the Rouge River Trail. And don’t miss a chance to eat at one of our unique restaurants for lunch or dinner. The museum staff will provide walking tour brochures and a handout with additional information (such as links to restaurant guide and other helpful visitor information) to help visitors have a great experience while exploring Birmingham.
Parking & Instructions: There is the Chester Street parking deck across from Birmingham Museum and other parking decks around town offer 2 hours free parking; $2/hr after 2 hours.
Accessibility: Fully accessible at both museum buildings and downtown sidewalks are pedestrian friendly and accessible throughout the city. The Rouge Trail is a bark chip path.
Tours of the Cranbrook Educational Community
Tours of the Cranbrook Educational Community - Registration Required - $45
39221 Woodward Ave, Bloomfield Hills, MI 48304
Monday, October 19
1pm-4pm
Please register at this link. Scroll down to the Michigan Museums Association Conference Tours option.
Please reach out to Lyla Catellier at LCatellier@cranbrook.edu with any questions regarding registration.
These tours offer an exclusive behind-the-scenes look at Cranbrook Educational Community as part of the Destination Cranbrook: Breaking Down the Walls workshop. Please note that tours are rain or shine and will include significant walking and standing, as well as stairs. You do not need to be attending the workshop to sign-up for this local experience. When registering, you will be asked to select which tour track you would like to take part in. Time only allows for one track, since each tour will take the entire 3 hours. Each track costs $45 per person.
Tours
Collections and Exhibitions Track: Visit collections spaces and exhibitions at Cranbrook Art Museum, Cranbrook Institute of Science as well as the Archives of the Center for Collections and Research and learn about our engaging the public with historic and contemporary objects.
Meet at the Cranbrook Institute of Science Main Lobby
Architecture, Design and Grounds Track: Visit Cranbrook House, Saarinen House, Cranbrook Schools Campus and the gardens and grounds surrounding them to learn about maintaining and preserving historic spaces in use.
Meet at the Cranbrook Institute of Science Main Lobby.
Parking and Instructions: Free parking is available throughout the campus.
Accessibility: This experience requires considerable walking and standing. You should be able to navigate stairs independently. Our best efforts will be made to ensure accessibility but there are several locations where stairs will be required.
The Basics of BlacksmithingThe Basics of Blacksmithing - Registration Required - $40 Troy Historic Village 60 W. Wattles Rd., Troy, MI 48098 Monday, October 19 $40 Register for this experience HERE. Reach out to Shelby Nelsen at SNelsen@thvmail.org with any questions regarding registration. Participants will get to work the forge and learn firsthand about this traditional trade. They will also learn about how the Village has developed this program over the years, developed a relationship with an artist in residence, and worked through everything from no-show students to shifting schedules. Our Blacksmith will go over basic safety, then lead the group through a project that they will be able to complete within the hour and take home with them. Participants can have conversations with our Adult Program Director about using our available spaces in the Village for artisan classes and promote traditional trades. Be sure to pack closed-toe shoes, a shirt with long sleeves, and pants! Natural fibers (cotton, wool) are preferable over synthetic materials which can melt if a stray spark lands on them. Please wear properly fitted clothing and avoid wearing baggy long sleeves, long necklaces, etc. Parking and Instructions: There is free parking onsite. Accessibility: The Village offers three accessible parking spaces in our west parking lot. All buildings have wheelchair-accessible entryways. Buildings are connected by a wide paved pathway. All public spaces in these buildings are wheelchair-accessible except for the second floor of the Parsonage. Some buildings have a bit of a bump over the threshold. Each building has its own scent. You might smell smoke when you are inside the Log Cabin or Wagon Shop because our staff sometimes build fires in those buildings during field trip programs and blacksmithing classes. Wheelchair-accessible restrooms are available inside our General Store and Church; Gender-neutral/unisex restrooms are located inside the Church. |
2026 Conference Partners
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The Michigan Museums Association is supported in part by an award from the Michigan Arts and Culture Council and the National Endowment for the Arts.
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| 313-334-7643 | P.O. Box 5246 | Cheboygan, MI 49721 |