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The MSU Museum is Michigan’s first Smithsonian Institute affiliate with three floors of natural history exhibits. Family favorites include the dinosaur bones casts in Habitat Hall and the elephant skeletons on the second floor. Exhibits portray cultural history with an emphasis on the Great Lakes region.  Habitat Hall has life-sized dioramas of the major habitats of North and Central America with hoofed mammals and other animals, showing their adaptations to the different environments. Visitors can also view skeleton casts of an Allosaurus and Stegosaurus and several smaller displays related to dinosaurs. On the second-floor landing find an African Bush Elephant (full skeleton and skull), an Asian Elephant (full skeleton and skull), and a Columbian mammoth skull. Down the hall, butterflies and moths are on display in a full rainbow of color. The MSU Museum collects, preserves, studies, and interprets cultural artifacts and natural history specimens. Find artifacts and specimens in the collection room to help visitors gain a better understanding of what museums collect, what those collections signify, how they are stored and preserved, and how they are used. The MSU Museum is located on West Circle Drive next to the iconic Beaumont Tower and across the street from the library and the adjacent W.J. Beal Botanical Gardens .

• 409 W. Circle Dr.
• (517) 355-2370

Hours: Tuesday–Saturday, 10:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m

A donation of $5.00 for adults is suggested.

Things to Know

• Be sure to buy a parking pass at the admissions office to place in your car before you start your visit. 
• The museum gift shop has a nice selection of books, jewelry, traditional arts and educational gifts for children.

Hotels Nearby

Kellogg hotel & conference center, marriott east lansing at university place, graduate east lansing, wild goose inn, residence inn by marriott - east lansing, towneplace suites by marriott, restaurants nearby, buffalo wild wings-east lansing, hopcat - east lansing, jolly pumpkin cafe & brewery, dublin square, noodles & company.

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Michigan History Museum

• Cambridge Junction
• Father Marquette National Memorial
• Fayette Historic Townsite
• Fort Wilkins and Copper Harbor Lighthouses
• Hartwick Pines Logging Museum
• Higgins Lake Nursery and CCC Museum
• Julia & Ulysses S. Grant House
• Michigan Iron Industry Museum
• Sanilac Petroglyphs
• Tawas Point Lighthouse

Explore Fayette Historic Townsite, a former iron-making town in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan.

Explore Fort Wilkins and the Copper Harbor Lighthouses in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan to learn about people and events that shaped this region.

Explore the state’s 19th-century logging era at Hartwick Pines Logging Museum.

The museum has exhibits on everything from the CCC's role in planting trees and building roads to its impact on the environment.

The Mann House and its contents illustrate typical family life in the 1880s.

The house is under extensive renovation and is closed to the public. Ulysses S. Grant and his wife, Julia Dent Grant, lived in this Detroit house from 1849 to 1850.

The Michigan Iron Industry Museum is a great place to learn about the history of Michigan's iron industry.

Sanilac Petroglyphs Historic State Park protects and interprets Michigan’s largest known collection of early Native American teachings carved in stone.

The Tawas Point Lighthouse is a fascinating attraction for maritime buffs and an exciting destination for birdwatchers.

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• Book a field trip at the History Museum
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Take a journey through Michigan's rich past, from the time of the state's earliest peoples to the late 20th century. Located in the Michigan Library and Historical Center Building in Lansing, the museum's five floors provide a walk through time, beginning with Michigan's first people's, the Anishinaabe, and ending in the mid-20th century. Yearly special exhibitions provide a deeper look at Michigan history topics.

The Michigan History Museum is located in the Michigan Library and Historical Center building downtown Lansing, two blocks west of the state capitol building.

Address and contact

702 W. Kalamazoo St. Lansing, MI 48915

Phone: 517-335-2573 Email: [email protected]

Museum hours

• *Monday – Saturday, 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.
• Sunday, 1 - 5 p.m.
• Field trips/groups  reservations Mon. - Thurs. only
• View holiday schedule  for closures

*From June 17 - Sept. 6, 2024, we will be closed on Mondays

• Seniors (65+): $6
• Youth (6-17): $4
• Children 5 and under are free
• FREE admission for all on Sundays!

View all visitor information »

Explore the museum

Learn more about the museum, view a photo gallery of the exhibits, download a museum map showing each of the floors and take a virtual tour. 

Field trips and group visits

Information for your classroom or group visit including tour options, a map of the museum, chaperone instructions, arrival procedures, eating and more.

Plan Your Visit

Hours & admission.

Monday: Closed Tuesday – Saturday: 10–5 Sunday: 12 – 5

General Admission: $10 Seniors (65+): $7 Children (12 to 18): $7 Children (under 12): Free Veteran/Military Discount: $7 Members: Free Groups rates: $7/person

We are located at 240 Museum Drive Lansing, Michigan 48933

Wayfinding Hint: The entrance to Museum Drive is marked by a unique sculpture of a metal head! Learn more about the sculpture, Portrait of a Dreamer, here .

The museum has a small parking lot located in front of the building. Please be sure to park in spots set aside for the museum and not “permit only” spots. Metered parking is also available along surrounding streets.

Explore Lansing

Make a day of your visit! The museum is located in downtown Lansing, just a short walk from the Capitol Building, Impression 5 Science Center, and the stadium where the Lansing Lugnuts play! See what other attractions Lansing has to offer at lansing.org .

Accessibility

The museum’s building is accessible to visitors with limited mobility, including our restrooms. There is no automatic entry door, so please let us know of your arrival so we may assist you. Two adult wheelchairs are available on request.

Upcoming Events

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Take your place in history…

Join the R. E. Olds Transportation Museum and help keep history rolling. Enjoy the benefits of membership and the pride of preserving automotive heritage.

Michigan History Center

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Michigan History Center - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (2024)

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• Plan Your Visit

Eli and Edythe Broad Art Museum

547 E Circle Dr East Lansing, MI 48824 (517) 884-4800

Wednesday–Sunday, 10am–6pm Always free and open to all.

Reserve your free tickets

Guidelines + Accessibility

MSU ramps and lots are open to the public Monday–Friday after 6pm and all day on weekends. Metered parking is available in Grand River parking structure ( Ramp 6 ). Paid parking is also available throughout the City of East Lansing (rates in effect Monday–Saturday, 8am–3am). View a parking map.

Barrier-Free Parking

The nearest designated accessible parking spaces can be found directly south of the museum in Lot 8 (next to the Student Services building) and are available to vehicles with the appropriate state-issued disability parking placard at any time. Additional accessible parking can be found in the Grand River parking structure ( Ramp 6 ), as well as north of Grand River Avenue in the City of East Lansing surface lots.

Drop-off + Pick-up

Visitors wishing to drop-off or pick-up members of their party can do so via eastbound Grand River Avenue utilizing the U-shaped drive between Berkey Hall and the museum. The path from this drive to the museum’s west entrance is heated and barrier-free. If you or a member of your party could use additional assistance at drop-off or pick-up, please ask a museum staff member or contact visitor services at (517) 884-4800.

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