Winter Hours (November-May)
Wednesday-Friday 11:00am -4:00pm
Enjoy a variety of exhibits pertaining to the history of Leelanau County and its people. No appointment is necessary to view museum exhibits.
General Admission: $5/person.
FREE for LHS Members and children under 18.
Current Museum Exhibits
Sugar Loaf – A Retrospective (Closes Dec. 2025)
This exhibit is a culmination of community curated stories and artifacts of the beloved former Sugar Loaf Ski Resort in Cedar, MI. The hill has always stood as a community landmark. In the 40’s, the Leelanau County purchased land to create a community Winter Sports area, and later in the 60’s it became a grand Ski Resort. Come learn about this hill rich history and view what community members have collected and cherished from their connections to what was once Leelanau County’s largest employer and the region’s center for winter activities. New artifacts & oral histories added periodically.
Learn more about this exhibit and how you can be a part of it – Learn More
Shipwrecks of the Manitou Passage
The exhibit illustrates the stories of the lost ships in the Manitou Passage, considered one of the most dangerous waterways in the Great Lakes. Go beneath the waves and see the work of divers and archeologists, sharing a view of the past.
Wild Ride On The Steamer Manitou
Can you imagine what it would be like to experience a Lake Michigan storm aboard an unsinkable luxury steamship in 1916, a mere four years after the sinking of the Titanic?
Traditional Anishinaabek Arts Room
Our extensive collection of black ash baskets and quillwork from Leelanau’s Odawa and other Anishinaabek artists is on permanent display. The collection, curated by Laura Quackenbush, is the result of more than 20 years of study, donations, purchases and work by staff and volunteers.
Learn More
Coming Soon – June 2025
Churches of Leelanu, Community Cornerstones
Drawn from research by Norbert Bufka, this exhibit highlights the historic churches of Leelanau County, past and present. More than places of worship, these churches served as vital community hubs—where neighbors gathered, celebrated, mourned, and built lasting connections in rural life.
Coming Soon! – June 2025
Lake Leelanau: Ripples Through Time
This new exhibit will offer visitors an opportunity to view the documentary as well as dive into the lake’s history, from its formation after the glaciers receded to the ways in which human inhabitants have been drawn to its shores throughout the centuries. It will examine the evolving relationship between the people and the water, and how the uses of the lake and its surrounding areas have transformed over time.
Exhibit Highlight: Lake Leelanau: Spirit of the Lake documentary. This documentary premiered in the summer of 2024 to widespread acclaim, the documentary captivated audiences and earned the prestigious 2024 State History Award from the Historical Society of Michigan. The overwhelming response has only fueled the desire for a deeper exploration of the lake’s rich history, making this exhibit a meaningful and exciting continuation of that journey.
Coming Soon! – June 2025
You Are Here: Mapping Leelanau
This interactive research station invites visitors to explore the evolution of Leelanau County through a rich collection of historic maps, including the first European land surveys (1850), early 1881 and 1900s plat maps, and more.From property lines to place names, roads to resources, these maps reveal how the landscape—and our understanding of it—has changed over time.
Rotating Exhibit Case:
James B. Hendryx – Author of Western Fiction
The Leelanau Historical Society is home to the James B. Hendryx Collection. Items from this collection are on display. Learn about this famous author and his connection to Leelanau County, MI, where his home still stands today.
Coming June 2025: Cemetery Circle Quilt
Hand-stitched in 1927 by women of Bingham Township, the Cemetery Circle Quilt features 1,176 embroidered names of community members who helped raise funds to preserve Maple Grove (Keswick) Cemetery.
Visitors are invited to explore this remarkable piece of local history—and to share their own family connections in a guest book at the exhibit.
Virtual Exhibits
Exhibits On Loan
-When Winter was Winter On display at the Leelanau County Government Center (lower level).
-Life on North Manitou Island On display at the Leelanau County Government Center (lower level).
-Wreck of the Westmoreland On display at the Leelanau County Government Center (lower level).
-Life on South Manitou Island: Now on display in various spots on South Manitou Island part of Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore.
-North To Leelanau Land of Delight! On Display at the Suttons Bay Township Offices.