TCHM will dive into local and regional maritime history, helping visitors understand how the Tri-Cities fit into and have been influenced by the water that surrounds us.

In 2023, Tri-Cities Historical Museum was awarded a Michigan Arts and Culture Council (MACC) Capital Improvement grant to undertake parking lot upgrades at our Community Archive and Research Center (CARC): replacement of the cracked and weedy parking lot, uneven entryway, and missing ADA-accessible signage and striping.

Initially displayed in our 'This Just In!' exhibit in 2022, which featured a menagerie of objects recently donated to the Museum's collection this Grand Haven Jewelry sign, manufactured by Muskegon Neon Sign Company, is undergoing restoration. The sign is currently in the workshop of Michael Lacroix of The Neon Connection. In 2022 and 2023, the Museum raised funds for the restoration, and soon this historic landmark will shine bright again!

This plat map was donated to the Museum in 1963 by then-clerk of the City of Grand Haven J. Nyhof-Poel. This copy is one of two existing; the other is in The Loutit District Library's collection. Because the Louit's copy has been mounted to plywood, it cannot easily be restored, so the Museum decided that its copy would be sent out to Miller Fenwood Restoration.  (Object 1963.10.10)

TCHM has in its collection footage taken from the decks of the 'Escanaba (I)' on a 1930s trip from Grand Haven to Traverse City. This footage - two reels' worth - taken by Dr. Stuart DeWitt and filmed on 16mm acetate plastic film, has  been kept preserved in our collection since 1990, when it was accessioned into the Museum's collection. Digitization of the film reels, which can be done fairly quickly, will preserve the films for future generations.

Captured Moments: New Works in the Lewis Cross Art Collection features the recently conserved self-portrait of the artist. In 2020, Cross’ self-portrait had reached an extreme state of deterioration, so was selected  for conservation.