Besser Museum for Northeast Michigan

The Besser Museum is a repository of art, scientific objects, and regional history across indoor galleries and outdoor grounds. The collection features paintings by well-known European and contemporary artists, along with archaeological finds and historical artifacts from the Northeast Michigan area.

The museum was established to preserve and display the history of Northeast Michigan. The complex includes reconstructed structures from the 1890s that show what early settlements and commercial life looked like in this region.

The complex brings together works by famous artists and objects that belonged to the people who lived here before European settlement. You walk through galleries where you see both contemporary art and traces of the lives that shaped this region.

Plan your visit for mid-morning or early afternoon on weekdays when the museum is less crowded and you can move through exhibits comfortably. The facility spreads across indoor and outdoor areas, so wear comfortable walking shoes and allow several hours to see the full range of collections and reconstructed structures.

The facility houses a planetarium theater that presents shows about the stars and planets, a rare feature for a regional museum in this part of Michigan. Visitors often discover this addition while exploring the galleries and find it a surprising bonus to the collection.

Location: Alpena

Fee: Yes

Address: Johnson Street

Email: bessermuseum@bessermuseum.org

Website: https://bessermuseum.org

GPS coordinates: 45.08081,-83.44845

Latest update: December 14, 2025 09:45