Courtesy Photo This rendering shows the proposed Discover Northeast Michigan History Exhibit at the Besser Museum for Northeast Michigan. The approximately $1.5 million project will take about two years and feature interactive features for kids and adults.

ALPENA — The Besser Museum for Northeast Michigan is getting a huge upgrade, one it hopes offers visitors a more immersive, interactive, and educational experience.

The museum is moving forward with a nearly $1.5 million expansion — the Discover Northeast Michigan History Exhibit. It will take guests back in time and transport them from the creation of the universe and Earth, through the Ice Age and formation of the Great Lakes, the first people, Michigan’s statehood, the timber boom and farming, and much more.

It is expected the new exhibit will be open in December 2024 or early in 2025 if everything goes smoothly.

A portion of the museum near the main entrance will be closed and sealed off from visitors for about two years while workers build new exhibits and other amenities.

Museum Executive Director Christine Witulski said it has been more than 50 years since large improvements have been made to the museum and its displays. She said the goal of the museum is to offer an experience that all visitors can enjoy.

She said the interactive aspects of the displays will appeal to kids as well as adults and be the most sophisticated museum within about 150 miles of Alpena.

“We have a real need to have something more family-friendly and more kid-friendly,” Witulski said. “It will be interactive for young kids. I envision the first 36 inches of the display being kid-proof, but still touch, pull, lift, and read. It won’t be exclusively a kids museum; it will be for everyone.”

Witulski said each of the time periods explored within the Discover Northeast Michigan History Exhibit will guide people to other places of interest in Northeast Michigan such as Great Lakes Maritime Heritage Center, the Thunder Bay River Center, and other places to learn more about a specific topic.

“It will recommend other locations throughout our community, and that I think is really important because it allows for people to get to know our area better,” she said.

Check out the interactive graphic below. Story continues below the graphic.

Besser Museum NEW Exhibit B… by James Andersen

So far, the museum has raised about $918,000 toward the cost of the project through a series of grants, donations and pledges. She said the museum received a $400,000 grant from the Besser Foundation, $51,150 from the Michigan Arts and Culture Council, as well as contributions from the Alpena County Youth and Recreation committee and the Older Persons committee.

Witulski said a public fundraising campaign has begun to raise the rest. There are also opportunities for people or businesses to sponsor certain areas and items in the exhibit.

Those who want to make donations can do so directly to the museum or the Community Foundation of Northeast Michigan.

“Every dollar counts,” she said. “It is a great way to establish a legacy, or honor somebody.”

The museum wants to work with the public and take suggestions because, Witulski said, the museum belongs to the community. Since none of the preliminary ideas are finalized there is still time for people to give input on the proposed project.

She said the museum is also looking for artifacts or antiques that fit in with the themes of the new exhibits.

“This is a once in a lifetime opportunity for us that we do want community members’ input,” she said. “If they have some history they would like to see included, some ideas or stories they want to share, we are open to that.”