Grand Rapids African American Museum & Archives

Michigan


This little museum/shop is worth a peek. Exhibits change regularly, but pop in and you might see a photography show of boxers like native son Floyd Mayweather, plus displays of old cotton scales, hair oil and other artifacts. They mix in with textiles and prints by African American artists that are for sale to raise money to build a larger cultural facility.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby Michigan attractions

1. Grand Rapids Art Museum

0.05 MILES

The city's beyond-the-norm art museum fills a sun-drenched building with 19th- and 20th-century works. European and American masters such as Henri de…

2. Rosa Parks Circle

0.11 MILES

Maya Lin – best known for designing the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, DC – created this round plaza in the heart of downtown. In summer it…

3. Urban Institute for Contemporary Arts

0.15 MILES

Emerging local artists show works at UICA. You might see sculptures made from glitter-dipped fried chicken, or photos of vacant lots. Exhibitions change…

4. Gerald R Ford Museum

0.45 MILES

The downtown museum is dedicated to Michigan's only president. Ford stepped into the Oval Office after Richard Nixon and his vice president, Spiro Agnew,…

6. Veldheer Tulip Gardens

23.28 MILES

A popular place to immerse in all things Dutch. When the gardens bloom in spring, Veldheer charges a fee (adult/child $12/6). Otherwise it's free to check…

7. Rosy Mound Natural Area

28.15 MILES

Learn about dunes! A 0.7-mile (one way) boardwalk trail takes you from the parking lot to the Lake Michigan shore. Prepare for loads of stairs up and down…

8. Chinook Pier

29.31 MILES

Chinook Pier has a lot going on. There’s a seasonal mini-golf course (adult/child $3/2) and farmers market (8am to 1pm Wednesday and Saturday). Wet Mitten…