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Colonial Michilimackinac Visitor Information

Travel 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.

Street Address

102 W. Straits Ave.
Mackinaw City, MI 49701

Travel Directions

Click here to map your route to Colonial Michilimackinac and for general travel information on your visit to the Straits of Mackinac.

Parking

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

Visitor Services 

Refreshments and Picnic Area

The Colonial Michilimackinac Visitor’s Center offers a selection of beverages and light snacks. Picnic tables are available in the ticketed area between the Visitor’s Center and the fort entrance. There are also picnic grounds in the free area of Michilimackinac State Park, to the east of the parking lot.

Shopping

The Colonial Michilimackinac Visitor’s Center houses a Museum Store featuring a wide variety of unique gifts, mementos, apparel and publications. The Hearthside Museum Store is located inside the South Southwest Rowhouse, within the fort, offering gifts, mementos, publications and a refreshment area.

Restrooms

Accessible restrooms are located adjacent to the parking lot, along the walkway to the fort entrance, and within the fort in the South Southwest Rowhouse.

Accessibility 

Colonial Michilimackinac warmly welcomes guests with special needs. Learn more about how guests with limited mobility or other special needs can fully enjoy their visit. Click here for complete information about accessibility.

Visitation Tips & Courtesies

Getting Around

Please keep in mind that Colonial Michilimackinac is very much an outdoor experience so prepare accordingly for various weather conditions. We recommend walking shoes and comfortable clothing. Please be sure to collect a Map & Schedule at the Visitor’s Center.

Our Interpretive Staff – Your Guides to the Past

As you explore the site, you will meet members of our interpretive staff. Some of these people will be dressed in historic clothing. None of our interpreters pretend to be people from the past, so feel free to approach and talk to them like you would anyone else in your daily life. We know that for some people, asking questions at museums and historic sites can feel awkward or intimidating. Don’t worry – the interpretive staff is happy to have a conversation and answer your questions! Staff will do their best to talk to you first, but we encourage you to jump in and begin a conversation. We ask that you approach the staff and your time at the site with the same level of respect and courtesy you use when visiting a friend. 

Exploring the Museum

As you explore the site, take your time and explore the buildings, grounds, and exhibits. In addition to talking to the interpretive staff, here are a few questions to ask yourself while exploring:

  • What would it have been like to live at the site, or just stop for a visit? How would you get there? Where would you live? What might you do for a job? How would you spend your free time?
  • Look around at the buildings and landscape. Note the differences and similarities between what you see and your own home and neighborhood.
  • Look for objects that people used in their daily lives. Find out what they were used for and where they came from. Compare them to items that we use for the same purpose today.
  • Take a moment during your visit to close your eyes and identify the smells and sounds that you encounter. How do the sounds and smells change at different places throughout the site? Have you heard or smelled those things at home?

Touring Time

There is a lot to see and do at Colonial Michilimackinac. We recommend that you plan to spend at least one and a half to two hours touring the site, but don’t be surprised if you spend the entire day!

Pet Friendly

Well-behaved pets on leashes are welcome.

Photography

Photography is permitted and encouraged in all areas. Professional or group photography must be approved in advance.

Electronic Devices

Please silence electronic devices for audio visual presentations and during live demonstrations.

Smoking

The entire ticketed grounds of Colonial Michilimackinac are smoke free.

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