Muskegon Heritage Museum’s Community Days are FREE for all participants! See unique machinery in operation, discover Muskegon products and explore our region’s unique industrial heritage. Each Community Day features a different theme.
View our Event Calendar for a list of all programs and events happening at the Muskegon Heritage Museum of Business & Industry and other Lakeshore Museum Center Locations.
FREE COMMUNITY DAYS
Once Monthly May – October
Visit the Muskegon Heritage Museum during one of their FREE Community Days! See unique machinery in operation, discover Muskegon products & explore Muskegon’s unique heritage. Each community day will focus on a different topic. Check back for topic updates!
Free Community Day
Saturday May 13, 2023
How Steam Engines Powered Muskegon’s Industry
Forty years ago in May of 1983, the Corliss Valve Stationary Steam Engine was moved to its new home on Western Avenue. The Muskegon Heritage Museum of Business & Industry grew up around it, and it has become the working centerpiece of our fabulous collection. Join us to celebrate steam power with a display of miniature steam engines and get a behind the scenes tour to see how we power the 130 year old “big” engine!
Event Sponsored by RENK, Eagle Alloy and Eagle Group
Free Community Day
Wednesday June 14, 2023
Arsenal of Democracy: World War II and Muskegon Industries
In July of 1942 the Army and Navy came together to create the E-Award which recognized excellence in war production. Out of the 45-50 facilities in Muskegon 7 received these awards. Come down to the Heritage Museum and find out why Muskegon was called, “Arsenal of Democracy”, and known nationally for the quality and quantity of munitions supplied. Learn about the ways workers and assembly lines adjusted to meet the war effort.
Event Sponsored by RENK, Eagle Alloy and Eagle Group
Free Community Day
Friday July 13, 2023
Keeping it Cool: Ice Harvesting in Muskegon
How do you keep your cucumbers cool without electric refrigeration? Why, ice of course. Before modern ice makers, natural, or lake ice, was used for generations. The Muskegon area was home to several ice companies and the world’s largest ice box factory. Learn how ice was harvested, stored and delivered to homes year round.
Event Sponsored by RENK and Hines Corporation
Free Community Day
Friday August 11, 2023
Fabulous Foods of Muskegon
Do you like Coles Garlic Bread, or McDonald’s Candies? Join us as we take a look at the businesses that have created these Muskegon originals as well as other companies and businesses that have fed Muskegon and beyond.
Event Sponsored by RENK, Hines Corporation and Swanson Pickle Co.
Free Community Day
Saturday September 9, 2023
Bowling: Art, Science, & Skill
Learn more about bowling than you ever thought possible as we take a deep dive into the details that make bowling possible. We will talk about technology and the local connections to innovations that revolutionized this iconic game.
Event Sponsored by RENK and Hines Corporation
Free Community Day
Saturday October 14, 2023
“To Provide a Home”: The Hume Home for the Aged
The Hume Home for the Aged opened 111 years ago. It was known as the “Old People’s Home” when it opened in 1912. Lumber baron Thomas Hume endowed the operation with a gift of $300,000 to ensure a safe, comfortable place for the aged or infirm. That legacy lives on today in the Hume Home Assisted Living. Come learn about the history of this community cornerstone.
Event Sponsored by RENK and CW Marsh