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Colonial Michilimackinac

TODAY’S HOURS: Closed for the regular 2024 season. We’ll see you May 7, 2025!

TODAY’S EVENTS:
N/A

About Colonial Michilimackinac

Michilimackinac 1775.

Treasures from the past come to life at this 18th-century fort and fur trading village, reconstructed based on historic maps and more than 60 years of archaeological excavations. As you walk through Colonial Michilimackinac, you are stepping back in time to 1775, as the American Revolution began.

Historical interpreters representing voyageurs, British soldiers, and French-Canadian merchant families are stationed throughout the fort to answer your questions and perform demonstrations. The past and present blur into a fascinating and unmatched experience at Colonial Michilimackinac. Watch smoke billow from cannons, mortars and muskets and see residents prepare food and tend the gardens. At one of the longest ongoing archaeological excavations in North America, archaeologists are on site throughout the summer, pulling history from the soil, bit by bit. 

Located on the shore of the Straits of Mackinac, visitors can enjoy stunning views of the Mackinac Bridge, the straits, and the Upper Peninsula.

This is Mackinac.

Seasonal Hours

May 7 – June 6, 2025
9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Last Admission 4:00 p.m.
Click here for a daily events schedule.

June 7 – August 31, 2025
9:30 a.m. – 7:00 p.m.
Last Admission 6:00 p.m.
Click here for a daily events schedule.

September 1 – October 2, 2025
9:30 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Last Admission 4:00 p.m.
Click here for a daily events schedule.

Fort Fright: October 3 – October 4, 2025
6:30 p.m. – 9:30 p.m.
Last Admission 8:30 p.m.
Special event ticket required.

October 9 – October 25, 2025
9:30 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Last Admission 3:00 p.m.
Open Thursday-Sunday ONLY.
Click here for a daily events schedule.

2025 Admission Rates

Adult $16.00
Child (Age 5-12) $9.75

Click here for more information and to save on combination and season passes.

Group rates available! If you have 12 or more people visiting with you, please contact our Marketing and Group Travel and Coordinator.

Parking at Colonial Michilimackinac is free. The main lot is located adjacent to the Visitor’s Center off Straits Avenue.

Location Information

Colonial Michilimackinac is located within the boundaries of Michilimackinac State Park on the shore of Lake Michigan, just off I-75 in Mackinaw City. The Visitor’s Center entrance is under the Mackinac Bridge.

102 W. Straits Ave.
Mackinaw City, MI 49701

Experiences

Demonstrations and tours by costumed interpreters take place throughout the day. Cooking, crafts and trades are conducted at various locations throughout the fort. Experience the boom of the Colonial Michilimackinac Cannon and Mortar, learn about military training with a Musket Firing Demonstration, and attend programs to learn about the People of the Fur Trade, Slavery at the Straits, Michilimackinac’s gardens, and the American Revolution.

Michilimackinac 1775: Outpost on the Edge

The revolutionary events of 1775 directly impacted and altered the lives of everyone at Michilimackinac, despite their geographical isolation. Throughout the 2025 season the year 1775 will be explored, including a daily program at 12:30 p.m.

Movies

Michilimackinac: Crossroads of the Great Lakes, a 15-minute movie, is presented in the King’s Storehouse. It plays every 20 minutes. Attack! at Michilimackinac presents the most dramatic event in the fort’s history. It plays continuously in the Trader’s House of the Southwest Rowhouse.

Fire Michilimackinac’s Cannon

Standing on the shore of Lake Michigan, take your turn to fire the opening cannon salute at Colonial Michilimackinac. Click here to learn more.

Guns Across the Straits

Want to truly make your visit unforgettable? Fire four black powder weapons in this ultra-immersive experience. Learn how to sign up here.

Exhibits

All sixteen buildings in the fort are open and furnished with period settings or themed exhibits. Special exhibits include:

  • Slavery at the Straits, new for 2024, shows how slavery was integral at the Straits of Mackinac and Colonial Michilimackianc throughout the 17th and 18th centuries.
  • France at Mackinac, 1670-1760, explores Michilimackinac as it was under the French regime.
  • Treasures from the Sand, an underground exhibit exploring the process of historical archaeology.
  • Redcoats on the Frontier, describing the life of the British soldier, including a new interactive space that will allow visitors to step back in time to experience the lives of British soldiers in the 1770s.
  • Powder Magazine and Firearms on the Frontier, a subterranean exhibit describing the preserved ruins of this military structure.
  • Commanding Officer’s House, showcasing the life of Michilimackinac’s commanding officer.

Ongoing Archaeology

During the main season, from early June until mid-August, you can witness archaeologists continuing the excavation of Michilimackinac. Taking place each summer since 1959, the dig is one of longest ongoing excavations of its kind in the nation. Click here to learn more.

Kids’ Rendezvous

Children can exercise both bodies and brains as they explore the routes of the fur traders. Located just outside the Visitor’s Center.

Experiences

Experience the boom of Michilimackinac’s artillery and muskets, explore the year 1775, find one-of-a-kind shopping, or step into the action and fire Michilimackinac’s weapons yourself!

Exhibits

All sixteen buildings in the fort are open and furnished with period settings or themed exhibits. Special exhibits include:

Other Mackinaw City Attractions