A three-story topographic map of the state greets visitors to the Michigan History Museum

President Andrew Jackson added the 26th star to Old Glory on January 26, 1837, when he granted Michigan statehood. But the designation didn’t come easy, thanks to a struggle over a strip of land along the Ohio border.

Walk through centuries at the Michigan History Museum

The Toledo War was resolved with the disputed ground going to Ohio and Michigan receiving the Upper Peninsula as a sort of consolation prize (click here for more on that story). Detroit served as Michigan’s capital from 1837 to 1847, when that designation went to the more centrally-located Lansing.

Take a walk through Michigan’s past at the Michigan History Museum in the Capital City. Learn about its evolution from pre-historic times into the 20th century, including the First People, its abundant natural resources, mining and auto industries, the Civil War and Arsenal of Democracy years, farm life and culture.

The 2025 special exhibit, “Black Bottom Street View,” explores the once-vibrant center of black life in Detroit in the years 1949-50, through photos from the Detroit Public Library’s Burton Historical Collection. The neighborhood was demolished for redevelopment and freeway construction in the 1960s.

The Michigan History Museum is open seven days; admission is free on Sunday.

This salute to Michigan’s car culture at the state’s historical museum in Lansing is part of the MotorCities National Heritage Area

Visitor Info Clicks:

Lansing

Pure Michigan