After more than two years of planning and fundraising, the $1.8 million project is complete and ready for visitors. The new 3,000-square-foot exhibit features a journey through time, covering the ice age through present day. It has areas dedicated to lakes, logging, limestone, farming, and more.

Children will enjoy exploring the interactive portions of the exhibit, including a slide in the ice age area and discovery drawers full of artifacts.

The new exhibit showcases the rich history of Northeast Michigan, including the region’s Native American history, the fur trading era, the early industries, and more. The exhibit features interactive displays, artifacts, and multimedia presentations, providing visitors with an immersive and engaging experience.

The exhibit was designed, fabricated, and installed by Split Rock Studios out of Minnesota.

News Photo by Darby Hinkley Upon entering the new state-of-the-art “Discover Northeast Michigan History” exhibit, visitors are reminded they are still in Alpena with the above sign about crossing the 45th Parallel, halfway between the Equator and North Pole.

A donor reception was held on Thursday evening at the museum, and donors were very impressed with the exhibit.

“The donors were beyond impressed with the transformation,” Besser Museum Executive Director Christine Witulski said on Friday. “It was beyond their expectations.”

Witulski is overjoyed with the community’s support for this project.

“We are so pleased with what the community has been able to come together and accomplish,” she said. “It was such a community effort. We could not have done it without community support.”

Witulski said she is grateful for all of the donors who made an investment in this milestone project.

News Photo by Darby Hinkley From left, Claudia Chapman, Jim Chapman, Bruce Connon, and Midge Connon chat at the donor reception while admiring the logging section of the new “Discover Northeast Michigan History” exhibit at Besser Museum.

“This project hit the mark on so many levels,” she said on Friday. “Levels I would have never known without engaging last night with so many people. I am so grateful that I have been entrusted to do this job for the time I have been granted to do it.”

The Besser Museum is open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Monday, closed Tuesday, and open 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday. For more information,visit the museum’s webite at bessermuseum.org, or call 989-356-2202.

News Photo by Darby Hinkley The Ice Age portion of the “Discover Northeast Michigan History” exhibit is seen on Thursday at Besser Museum for Northeast Michigan. The section features a slide for young children.

News Photo by Darby Hinkley Local artist and longtime Besser Museum volunteer Judy Dawley stands next to her mural of ancient underwater creatures in the “Discover Northeast Michigan History” exhibit. Many parts of the exhibit have drawers like the one here that visitors can pull out to view artifacts related to that section.

News Photo by Darby Hinkley Attendees at Thursday’s donor reception check out a portion of the new “Discover Northeast Michigan History” exhibit, which opens to the public today at Besser Museum for Northeast Michigan in Alpena.