Port Huron Museums offer free admission all year long

What’s happening: This spring, as the Port Huron Museums network celebrates the opening of its three satellite sites for the 2022 season, the organization has even more cause to celebrate: Free admission for all Port Huron Museums sites for one year. The promotion started Saturday, April 2, and is made possible thanks to a grant from the City of Port Huron and a number of corporate sponsorships.

How it works: For the next year, general access to the Carnegie Museum, the HURON Lightship, the Thomas Edison Depot Museum, and the grounds of the Fort Gratiot Light Station will come at no charge to museum guests. While the Carnegie Museum is open year-round, the latter three sites are only open on weekends in April and May before opening seven days a week come summer.

An exception or two: Only a few exceptions exist, with special exhibits garnering small charges and guided lighthouse tours costing $10 for individuals and $25 for families. An ongoing grant from the City of Port Huron and the James C. Acheson Foundation keeps access to Discovery City at just $5 per child and free for those with EBT or Bridge Cards. Access to Discovery City remains free for Museum members.

What they’re saying: “We hope to welcome many tourists this summer, as well as give our local residents a chance to come see our shared cultural heritage at the sites. If you haven’t been to the Museums, this season is a great opportunity to stop in and see the history in your own backyard,” says Andrew Kercher, community engagement manager for Port Huron Museums.

Bucket list: There’s plenty of new things to see this year at the various museum sites, including the restoration of the lantern room at the Fort Gratiot Light Station, the April opening of the local art exhibit “Perspectives,” and more. The children’s Discovery City exhibit, which opened in 2021, has been extended into 2023.

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