Mineral Museum of the Great Lakes Region
Witness the raw beauty of the earth’s minerals and discover how they were formed with a visit to the A. E. Seaman Mineral Museum. You’ll see the blue of azurite, the pink faces of calcite, and discover a rainbow of minerals fluorescing under black light, all selected from among our holdings of 40,000 specimens gathered together beginning over 200 years ago by collectors and now preserved at the museum.
Our educational displays show how these natural works of art were formed. We continually attract new donations and foster the development of our nation’s community of mineral educators, collectors, and enthusiasts. Beyond the immense beauty of minerals, our displays show that minerals are the building blocks of our planet and play a central role in the products you rely on, from cell phones to automobiles.
Nationally and internationally recognized, the A. E. Seaman Mineral Museum, is the official Mineral Museum of Michigan and the unofficial Great Lakes Mineral Museum, showcasing specimens from the Great Lakes region and from around the world. Located in the heart of Michigan’s Copper Country, you can view the finest collection of native copper as well as fine specimens of native silver. The Guinness world’s record holding native copper slab recovered from the bottom of Lake Superior is so big it commands its own pavilion (19 tons). As a guideline you should plan two to three hours for your visit, although there is enough to see to last many more, and you can bring some splendor home with you: the museum gift shop features minerals as decorators, jewelry, bookends, candleholders, and more. These make a beautiful addition to your living space or a wonderful gift for lovers of natural history.
Free parking is adjacent to the museum. We are handicap accessible and have one onsite wheelchair for use by visitors, so make the A. E. Seaman Mineral Museum your destination, or a wonder-filled stop on your next visit to this beautiful region of Upper Michigan.