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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, local experiences are free with your conference badge. Local experiences requiring pre-registration with host will indicate how to register in the description. Local Experiences may be added to the schedule until close of registration. |
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.
Visit The Detroit Zoo
8450 W 10 Mile Rd., Royal Oak, MI 48067
Monday, October 19
10:00am-4:00pm
Wednesday, October 21
10:00am-4:00pm
From leaping frogs to roaring lions, more than 2,000 animals representing over 200 species live at the 125-acre Detroit Zoo. This is a festive time to visit since the Zoo is decorated for Zoo Boo and our new 7-acre Fred and Barbara Erb Discovery Trails is now open to all guests! Show your conference badge and personal ID at the main admission gate to receive free admission and parking at the Detroit Zoo from 10/19 - 10/21, during regular open hours from 10am-4pm. Family and friends of conference participants can purchase additional admission tickets on the Zoo website or at the gate. For more information about the Detroit Zoo, visit their website: https://detroitzoo.org.
Parking & Instructions: Enter the Zoo grounds either through Gate 0 (off of Woodward) or Gate 1 (off of 10 Mile Road). Entrance with your badge will be through the main gates closest to the Water Tower and parking structure. The cost of parking is included with this offer.
Accessibility: Please visit https://detroitzoo.org/visit/accessibility/ to review our Accessibility Guidelines for Visitors.
Guided Tour of Farmhouse & Grounds at the Rochester Hills Museum at Van Hoosen Farm
1005 Van Hoosen Road, Rochester Hills, MI 48306
Monday, October 19
11am
$7 (free for conference scholarship recipients)
Register for this experience HERE.
Reach out to Cathy Fitzpatrick at fitzpatrickc@rochesterhills.org with any questions regarding registration.
The Rochester Hills Museum at Van Hoosen Farm is a 16-acre museum complex featuring eight historic structures.
This is a 1 hour tour including access to the 1840 Van Hoosen Farmhouse and the 1850 Red House. After the tour, guests can explore permanent exhibits located throughout the site, such as the Dairy Barn, Bull Barn, Milk House, and Equipment Barn. These displays detail the community's rich heritage, showcasing the Taylor-Van Hoosen family legacy, Mastodon bones, and the region's natural and industrial history. The grounds also include the Children's Garden and a short walk to the historic Stoney Creek Cemetery.
Parking and Instructions: There is free paved parking onsite.
Accessibility: This site is mostly accessible for people with mobility needs. All sidewalks are paved, except within the gardens and leading up to the Farmhouse, Red House, or Schoolhouse. These buildings are compact dirt/gravel. Please call with questions or concerns. At times, a golf cart can be arranged to facilitate tours.
Self-Guided Tour of the Rochester Hills Museum at Van Hoosen Farm
1005 Van Hoosen Road, Rochester Hills, MI 48306
Monday, October 19
1pm-4pm
The Rochester Hills Museum at Van Hoosen Farm is a 16-acre museum complex featuring eight historic structures. Visitors can explore permanent exhibits located throughout the site, such as the Dairy Barn, Bull Barn, Milk House, and Equipment Barn. These displays detail the community's rich heritage, showcasing the Taylor-Van Hoosen family legacy, Mastodon bones, and the region's natural and industrial history. The grounds also include the Children's Garden and a short walk to the historic Stoney Creek Cemetery. Show your conference badge for entry.
Parking and Instructions: There is free paved parking onsite.
Accessibility: This site is mostly accessible for people with mobility needs. All sidewalks are paved, except within the gardens and leading up to the Farmhouse, Red House, or Schoolhouse. These buildings are compact dirt/gravel. Please call with questions or concerns.
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. Guided Walking Tour of Downtown RochesterGuided Walking Tour of Downtown Rochester - Registration Required - $10 400 Water St, Rochester, MI 48307 Wednesday, October 21 $10 (free for conference scholarship recipients) Register for this experience HERE. Reach out to Cathy Fitzpatrick at fitzpatrickc@rochesterhills.org with any questions regarding registration. Join Rochester Hills Museum at Van Hoosen Farm staff on a short walk around downtown Rochester. Where is the oldest building on Main Street? Who were its early leaders? Where were all the churches? What are the hidden stories? On this tour we’ll explore our downtown exhibit signs and sift through historical photos and stories while walking about a half mile to a mile. Parking and Instructions: Free paved parking at Rochester Mills Beer Company. Parking deck (credit card only) and street meters also available downtown. Accessibility: This tour is on city sidewalks that may be uneven at times. The Detroit Zoo: Fred and Barbara Erb Discovery Trails TourThe Detroit Zoo - Fred and Barbara Erb Discovery Trails Tour - Registration Required - $25 8450 W 10 Mile Rd., Royal Oak, MI 48067 Wednesday, October 21 1:00pm $25 Register for this experience HERE. Registration closes at noon on October 20, 2026, so the touring team can finalize the roster and share any final details with participants. Join Education staff at the Detroit Zoo for a tour of the new Fred and Barbara Erb Discovery Trails! Tour will include information on exhibit design, educational signage development (in 4 languages!), accessibility and guest engagement considerations. Come join us on a 7-acre adventure where hands-on and up-close animal encounters, aerial climbing experiences and interactive spaces create new ways to connect with animals and the natural world. This tour is outdoors, and participants should plan for the weather and walking on paved surfaces. Check out more information on Erb Discovery Trails here: https://detroitzoo.org/discovery-trails/. Parking & Instructions: Enter the Zoo grounds either through Gate 0 (off of Woodward) or Gate 1 (off of 10 Mile Road) and drive to the Member’s Entrance at the back of the large parking lot parallel with 10 Mile Road. On the right-hand side near the end of the lot, there is a small wooden booth with a green roof called the Rackham Fountain Members Entrance. Security is in the booth where you will check in before meeting your tour guide. Directions for printing a parking pass will be emailed upon registration. A parking map will be provided via email confirmation to those who register for the tour. Accessibility: This tour will be outdoors, and participants should plan for the weather and walking on paved surfaces. Please visit https://detroitzoo.org/visit/accessibility/ to review our Accessibility Guidelines for Visitors. |
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 |