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. Thanks […]
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 […]
Join us on opening day for our 2023 season with our first free Community Day of the year. 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 […]
When the Wright brothers took their first flight back in 1903, they signaled the start of something that would spread to every corner of the country–the aviation industry. Muskegon County is home to some of the most important manufacturers in aerospace. Learn more about these companies, their contribution to our community, and try your hand […]
Today we take it for granted that light will appear at the flip of a switch. Think of all the modern conveniences in our everyday lives that require cheap, reliable electricity. Learn the history of electricity production in Muskegon and the hows and whys of the current that flows all around us.
Take a tour behind the rails at the Muskegon Heritage Museum. See our working steam engines and metalworking machines up close. Get a glimpse of the machine shop equipment of days gone by and discover what it was like to work in industry before modern safety standards came to bear.
Ever looked at a car part or cast iron widget and wondered how it’s made? Many of the complex metal objects in our everyday lives were once molten metal cast in a foundry. The Muskegon area has been home to dozens of foundries over the years, large and small. Learn about these companies and the […]
Step right up and try your hand at one of our many Muskegon Industry activities! Explore the museum in a way you never have before. Purchase tickets to take part in hands-on experiences throughout the museum including running our Brunswick Pinsetter, pouring your own cast metal item, trying your luck in our flight simulator, and […]
Samuel Morse and Alexander Graham-Bell are two of the most famous inventors of the 19th Century. Their ideas ignited industries and allowed individuals to communicate across continents. Learn about the history of telecommunications companies in West Michigan and how analog telephone and telegraph systems work.
Join us on opening day for our 2022 season with our first free Community Day of the year. StarWars Day seems like the perfect time to look back at the history of movie houses and cinemas along the lakeshore. Share your memories of the silver screen, the theaters, and the staff that brought magic to […]
