The Mackinac State Historic Parks open the 2022 season May 3-6.
“As we continue to get back to normal, we look forward to offering the variety of experiences our guests have come to expect and are excited to debut some new programs and exhibits as well,” said Steve Brisson, Mackinac State Historic Parks Director.
Fort Mackinac will open on May 3. The first cannon of season will sound at 9 a.m., which kicks-off the 2022 season. The will be opened at this time too.
Daily programs and tours will also be happening at Fort Mackinac. They will highlight the changing face of the fort, the role women played at the fort, Mackinac’s time as a national park and look at the people who made up the army in the 1880s. The drill and rifle firing program will be brought back after a brief hiatus of two years, and guests can expect rifle and cannon firing demonstrations throughout the day.
The Biddle House, featuring the Mackinac Island Native American Museum, The Richard & Jane Manoogian Mackinac Art Museum and the Benjamin Blacksmith Shop will also open May 3.
The Biddle House will have programs in the afternoon that will discuss the Treaty of Washington and explore the lives of three prominent Mackinac women: Agatha Biddle, Magdelaine Laframboise and Elizabeth Mitchell.
The art museum will debut a new exhibit called “Mackinac Journeys” on the second floor. This gallery will be on display until Oct. 9.
There will be a working blacksmith at the blacksmith shop throughout the season.
On May 4, the Colonial Michilimackinac will open in Mackinaw City. Special tours and programs will take place throughout the summer, and one guest every day will be given the opportunity to fire all four black powder weapons. This program is available every evening after the fort closes for regular business until Oct. 6.
The archaeology program at Colonial Michilimackinac will enter its 64th season. Work will continue in the House of E of the Southeast Rowhouse. Guests will also have the opportunity to see the most recent finds at Colonial Michilimackinac with a new “Recent Excavations” display inside the visitor’s center.
On May 5, Old Mackinac Point Lighthouse will open.
An oil house will be reconstructed on the property as part of the ongoing restoration of the lighthouse. The Straits of Mackinac Shipwreck Museum, the Science and Technology Exhibit and the Marshall Gallery can all be found on the second floor of the lighthouse. Throughout the day, guides will sound the Fog Signal Whistle and provide tours of the lighthouse tower.
Historic Mill Creek Discovery Park will open last on May 6. There will be demonstrations of the sawpit and sawmill throughout the day and a new program called “Farming at Mill Creek”, which explores 19th century farming. Guests are encouraged to take part in life beyond the sawmill at Mill Creek.
New nature programs have also been added to the daily schedule. This allows guests to meet a naturalist at the picnic area for a 30-minute program. Topics will vary, but some can include guided nature walks, stories and fun activities focused on plants and animals living at Historic Mill Creek.
The American Fur Co. Store & Dr. Beaumont Museum, McGulpin House and British Landing Nature Center will all open in June.
All sites at the Mackinac State Historic Parks will feature several special events throughout the 2022 season.
For hours of operation and a detailed list of events happening, .
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