madeline island museum

christ997

This is a must see when visiting the Island - great museum, wonderful staff and gift shop is also fun! Great place to learn history of the area! Well organized, interesting with changing displays each year!

TravisV1

Might as well check it out if you're there! The workers there where really knowledgeable. The video at the beginning was very odd but besides that it was pretty good stuff to check out.

Seniordad

Lots to see and do here for kids and adults. Displays on American Indians, fur trade, white settlers. Interesting interactive displays on shipwrecks. Good 20 minute introductory film. Kids can try on different clothes, play with some items.Nice small museum shop. Discount on admissions for people 62+This is very well done and strongly recommended.

33elizabethe

Put the Madeline Island Museum on your to do list .... A real treasure on the Island. ... Visit the Madeline Island Museum on FB for a list of special programs & events. Great for families too.

Steve32343323

The Madeline Island Museum is visible as soon as you leave the ferry dock when you arrive on the island. We spent about an hour learning about the history of the island and the museum itself. The museum had a nice combination of exhibits interesting to adults as well as child-friendly exhibits. The staff was very knowledgeable and clearly enjoy their work.

rottenreba

The movie they show does not have closed captioning and the narrators spoke too fast . The songs and photos seemed disconnected. I have been to many videos and this was the worse. Not that informative. We discovered the artifacts after wasting time in the front of the museum. The docent there did not know what certain things were for. I asked a few questions and he couldn't answer any of them. We almost didn't go outside where you go to the museum. It was not crowded so volunteers or staff could be more helpful or informative. La pointe was in general disappointing.

charlottew968

We learned a lot about the area visiting the museum. We really enjoyed information about the lighthouse candle illuminator. I recommend stopping here to learn more about the island.

DavidT913

Given that my patience with museums is a half-day or less, this was one of the best, most informative times I've had in a history museum. It is filled with original artifacts from the rich history of the area which includes fur trading, logging, shipping, lighthouses, fishing, hunting and pioneer existence. I am not Native American so will differ final judgement to those who are but this Museum appears to give full credit and homage to those who lived in the area for centuries before Europeans came and literally cheated them out of the land. People of all ages will surely enjoy this museum and find it worth the journey on the ferry to Madeline Island. Artifacts and displays are artfully arranged with descriptions that are very compellingly written.

SmileUpNorth

This museum is a must-see when you visit the island! Madeline Island has a unique history: it's the center of the universe for the Anishinaabeg who settled here after migrating from the east led by prophecy; it was one of the major centers of the fur trade under the French, British and Americans; it has been home to intrepid settlers who fished and logged; and now, being adjacent to the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore and the Bayfield peninsula, it is part of a major tourist attraction - witness the Ice Caves phenomenon this 2014 winter season - those visitors also drove the ice road to Madeline and visited the caves off Big Bay State Park! The Madeline Island Museum has collections and exhibits that track this unique history, and a group of interpreters on staff who make the museum visit come alive. Check out the museum's new blog and events calendar for an intimate view of the museum while waiting for opening day: www.madelineislandmuseumfriends.org

AnnP354

The Madeline Island Historical Museum is a great way to while away an hour or so and learn about the area and heritage of Madeline Island. I wasn't a great fan of the movie, but the museum itself had many wonderful, interesting artifacts. We talked to a local woman who worked as a guide at the museum and she was very happy to share the ins and outs of island life. A very enjoyable time!

sunnyjazz1028

There is a lot more going on in the museum than meets the eye. Although the exhibits are well-marked, the docent really brought it all to life. We also had the good luck to visit when Ojibwe crafts were being displayed and sold by the artists who made them.

DJAMBRITT

The movie they showed was way too long, but the museum was fun to see what life was like in the early days.

debkr67

It is a place you must visit when you come to the Island. It is nice to see that so many people loved the museum. I kind of think it lacked something. The movie told of the history of the island which was good, but it went a little fast for me since I had no prior knowledge of the island. It would have been nice to have an exhibit to match the movie. Residents constantly changed and industry constantly changed but I wasn't sure what caused what...Nice displays, though, and they had everything important. Awesome gift shop. I love buying from local artists.

bikelady_10

Past and present, the people who have lived on Madeline Island have stories to tell. This museum is an important place to visit if you wonder what life on a definitely-not-tropical island is all about!

JimK169

This is a real treasure for those who like some history about the places they visit. It gives you great stories about Madeline and the surrounding area, along with some great art. There was also a very engaging young man working for the museum whose interpretation of the artifacts made the history even more intriguing. Don't miss this museum!