It’s More than History…it’s Heritage!
Tri-Cities Historical Museum (TCHM) invites locals and visitors alike to experience Tri-Cities history. Folks from afar may find similarities to the history of their own hometown and will delight in exploring Grand Haven’s unique maritime heritage as Coast Guard City USA. Tri-Cities residents may be surprised by an unexpected story of the place where they live, work and play. Follow the thread of Tri-Cities history with three temporary exhibits in 2023 that explore a range of eras and themes. Every exhibit features only artifacts from their collection, donated by the local community and representing the specific heritage of the Tri-Cities…to paraphrase a well-known tagline from a Las Vegas marketing campaign, “what you see in the Tri-Cities came from the Tri-Cities!”
Port to Paint — February 25 – August 13
Port to Paint: Maritime Art from the Permanent Collection brings together 18 works by a variety of artists including Reynold Weidenaar, Lewis Cross, James G. Campbell, Scott O. Suits, and others. Though they have different styles and subjects, the pieces in this exhibition are tied together by a common maritime theme. Some of the ships in these works served as military vessels and performed heroic feats, while others sailed for decades and worked to deliver goods until their retirement. A few of these ships were lost tragically at sea and mourned by those left on the shore.
Play Ball! — May 20 – September 24
Many of us have childhood sports heroes or had an athletic coach who helped us improve our skills and fostered teamwork from a disparate group of players, or perhaps have watched a sibling, child, or friend help win a championship, achieve a personal best, or become the first to beat a school record. Play Ball! Sports History in the Tri-Cities takes us back to some of the earliest sporting clubs, teams, and leagues of the Tri-Cities area.
Ferrysburg: 60 Years a City — August 26 – February 11, 2024
Every location – village, township, or city – has its founding day and its milestones, and in 2023, the City of Ferrysburg celebrates its 60th anniversary. The Ferrysburg: 60 Years a City exhibit takes a walk down memory lane, from the City’s founding to a very recent collaboration between the City of Ferrysburg and TCHM to research and place an important historical marker recognizing one of the early African American residents of the Tri-Cities and successful farmer, activist and freeman, Hezekiah Smith.
Connect to Tri-Cities history at tri-citiesmuseum.org/exhibits.
