Muskegon Heritage Museum of Business and Industry

08/14/2026

🏭 Exhibit Spotlight: Made in Muskegon 🏭

Did you know products made in Muskegon have reached homes, factories, roads, and even the skies around the world?

In fact, two Muskegon County-based businesses have made products that are literally out of this world--Kaydon made bearings for both Mars Rovers, and Howmet Aerospace made engine components for the Artemis Rocket.

Our Made in Muskegon exhibit celebrates that kind of innovation and craftsmanship that helped put Muskegon on the map.

Explore artifacts, photos, and videos showcasing the incredible products manufactured here from the mid-1800s through today.

See highlights including:

⚙️ A working pinsetter
✈️ Aircraft engines
🛡️ A massive 12-cylinder Patton Tank engine
⛽ Vintage gas pumps
🪑 Furniture, tools, toys, musical instruments, and so much more!

Learn about iconic local companies like Muskegon Boiler Works, Brunswick Corporation, Continental Motors, Bennett Pump, Racine Boat Company, GMI Corporation (Spacelander Bike), Non-Breakable Toy Company (Raggedy Ann Doll), Beebe Violins, and many others that helped shape Muskegon's manufacturing legacy.

Come discover the stories behind the products that were truly Made in Muskegon! 🌟

08/12/2026

Looking for a unique space for your next company or family event? Consider using the Muskegon Heritage Museum!

Let us help you make your event extraordinary! Contact us today: lakeshoremuseum.org/contact-us

08/10/2026

Last week we mentioned CW Marsh on this page. Did you know that this company manufactures high-quality leather seals and packings?

It has operated from the same building on Hudson Street for 116 years, and that historic building is now listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Check out this video to learn more about what they do! Then, the next time you're visiting the Coffee Factory, take a moment to look across the street see one of Muskegon's longest-running manufacturers still at work today

CW Marsh of Muskegon, MI is featured on Manufacturing Marvels. CW M...

08/06/2026

Did you know this Saturday is National Bowling Day?

Get ready to celebrate by joining us tomorrow, Friday, August 7, from 11:00 a.m.–1:00 p.m. We'll be making bowling-themed leather keychains while supplies last, and you can also see our Brunswick A-2 automatic pinsetter in action.

Regular museum admission applies: $5 for adults, and children 12 and under are free. There is no additional charge to make a keychain.

A special thank you to our friends at CW Marsh for providing and cutting the leather used for our keychain blanks.

Stay tuned next week as we share more about this local company, which has been serving our community for 126 years!

08/05/2026

🌟 Exhibit Spotlight: It Runs in the Family 🌟

Discover the inspiring stories of entrepreneurship, perseverance, and community impact in the Muskegon Heritage Museum’s newest exhibit, “It Runs in the Family.”

This exhibit highlights prominent Black-owned businesses in Muskegon and celebrates the self-made journeys of local business leaders who turned their dreams into thriving enterprises.

Explore the stories behind businesses like:

✨ Baker Family Businesses
✨ Smitty’s Furniture
✨ Patterson’s Drug Store
✨ 103.7 The Beat
✨ Urban Apparel

From family legacies to groundbreaking businesses, this exhibit showcases the dedication, innovation, and resilience that helped shape Muskegon’s business community.

Stop by the Muskegon Heritage Museum of Business & Industry and experience these powerful stories of local history!

📍 561 W. Western Ave., Muskegon
🕚 Open Wednesday–Saturday | 11 AM–4 PM

08/03/2026

🚶 Discover Muskegon's history this August!

Join the Muskegon Museum of History & Science for a guided walking tour and explore the people, places, and stories that shaped our community.

🏛️ Historic Walking Tou
📅 August 18 at 10 AM
📅 August 20 at 10 AM

🇺🇸 Maintaining American Independence Tour
📅 August 15 at 4 PM
📅 August 18 at 1 PM
📅 August 20 at 1 PM

Each tour is 90 minutes, covers about one mile on accessible downtown sidewalks, and is led by a knowledgeable guide.

🎟️ $13 Members | $15 Non-Members

Reserve your spot today:
🏛️ Historic Tour: https://www.zeffy.com/en-US/ticketing/historic-walking-tour

🇺🇸 Maintaining American Independence Tour: https://www.zeffy.com/en-US/ticketing/maintaining-american-independence-walking-tour

07/30/2026

Join us this Saturday for our fourth Community Day of the year, celebrating the history of rail transportation!

Enjoy hands-on activities inspired by trains and rail travel, and don't miss a special presentation at 1:30 p.m. by our Program Manager from the History & Science Museum, who will share the fascinating history of the Interurban and its impact on our community.

Admission is free for everyone thanks to the generous support of our Community Day Series Sponsor, Verplank, and our Day Sponsors, Automated Industrial Motion and RENK America.

Museum programs are also supported in part by the Michigan Arts & Culture Council and the National Endowment for the Arts.

07/28/2026

Beat the heat like it's 1930. 🧺

Our friends at the Hackley and Hume Historic Site are hosting Dog Days of Summer: Life in the 1930s at the Scolnik House of the Depression Era.

Try your hand at wash tub laundry, sewing cards, gardening, darning, and more, and see how families kept cool and carried on through the hottest days of the decade.

📅 Saturday, August 15 | 11 AM–3 PM
📍 Scolnik House, Hackley & Hume Historic Site — check in at the City Barn (carriage house) behind the site
🎟️ $5 per person, kids 0–2 free | No registration required, tickets available at the door

07/23/2026

All aboard for August's Free Community Day! 🚂

On Saturday, August 1, the Muskegon Heritage Museum of Business and Industry opens its doors free to the public for a day exploring rail travel—trains and more. Discover how the rails helped move people and products through Muskegon County, and how those connections helped our community grow.

📅 Saturday, August 1 | 11 AM–4 PM
📍 561 W. Western Ave., Muskegon
🎟️ Free for everyone — no registration required

This event is sponsored by Renk America, Verplank, and Automated Industrial Motion and supported by the Michigan Arts and Culture Council and the National Endowment for the Arts.

Learn more: lakeshoremuseum.org/event/mhm-free-community-days-rail-travel-trains-and-more

07/20/2026

Planning your week? Here's a free stop. ✅

The Muskegon Heritage Museum of Business and Industry is open Wednesday through Saturday, 11 AM–4 PM, with hands-on exhibits covering the tools, machines, and industries that built Muskegon County. Free for members and Muskegon County residents.

📍 561 W. Western Ave., Muskegon

muskegonheritage.org