We care about your health and safety. 

We look forward to welcoming you to our sites in Mackinaw City and on Mackinac Island.. Our sites will begin to open in stages on May 1, and we have developed a robust set of safety and cleaning procedures designed to keep our visitors and staff safe and healthy while being able to enjoy our historic sites.

2021 Opening Dates (tentative):

Friday, May 1:

• Fort Mackinac
• The Richard and Jane Manoogian Mackinac Art Museum
• Biddle House, featuring the Mackinac Island Native American Museum
• Restrooms at the Mackinac Island State Park Visitor’s Center, Arch Rock, British Landing, and Huron Road Rest Area
• Fort Holmes Blockhouse
• Mission Church
• Bark Chapel

Monday, May 3:

• Michilimackinac State Park restrooms

Wednesday, May 5:

• Colonial Michilimackinac and Visitor’s Center, Mackinaw City

Thursday, May 6:

• Old Mackinac Point Lighthouse

Friday, May 7:

• Historic Mill Creek Discovery Park
• Mackinac Island State Park Visitor’s Center

Saturday, June 5:

• Historic Downtown Mackinac
• British Landing Nature Center

Health and Safety Guidelines:

To ensure that everyone’s experience is enjoyable at our historic sites, we have developed a set of guidelines following federal, state and local guidelines. Follow the the additional links below for information on each of our historic sites.

• Please do not enter our historic sites if you have been in close contact with a confirmed case of Covid-19, are experiencing a cough, shortness of breath, or sore throat right now, or have experienced symptoms such as a fever, lost of taste or smell, vomiting, diarrhea, or fever in the last 48 hours.
• A face mask must be worn in all interior locations or when social distancing is impossible in outdoor locations.
• Please maintain a safe distance of at least six feet between your group and staff and other visitors near you.
• Hand-sanitizing stations are located at key locations. Please use them frequently.
• Wash hands more frequently, avoid touching your face, and practice good respiratory etiquette including sneezing into your elbow.
• The number of guests allowed inside some areas is limited. Please follow guidelines posted at the entrance of each building.

Click here for guidelines specific to Colonial Michilimackinac.
Click here for guidelines specific to Old Mackinac Point Lighthouse.
Click here for guidelines specific to Historic Mill Creek Discovery Park.
Click here for guidelines specific to Fort Mackinac.
Click here for guidelines specific to The Richard and Jane Manoogian Mackinac Art Museum.

Physical Distancing and Limited Contact:

• Please maintain at least six feet of distance between your group and staff or other groups.
• Follow posted floor markings or signs to maintain safe social distance.
• Plexiglass barriers have been installed at admissions and sales counters.
• We encourage you to purchase tickets in advance – tickets are available here.
• The use of credit or debit cards is highly encouraged for purchases made on site for the most contactless experience.

Cleaning and Sanitizing Schedules:

We have instituted a rigorous cleaning and sanitizing schedule to compliment our existing cleaning programs, and staff have been assigned to these areas. See the individual sites above for detailed schedules, but some of our guidelines include:

• Restrooms in Mackinaw City and Mackinac Island will be cleaned throughout the day, with a deep cleaning prior to opening and closures for deep cleaning happening at least twice daily.
• Store and admissions areas will be sanitized on a schedule every hour, with additional sanitizing throughout the day.
• All exhibit and gallery spaces will be thoroughly cleaned prior to opening daily, with a scheduled cleaning process throughout the day.
• High volume exhibits, such as the Kid’s Quarters’ at Fort Mackinac, the interactive room within the “Redcoats on the Frontier” exhibit at Colonial Michilimackinac, and the Science and Technology Exhibit will be sanitized on an enhanced schedule throughout the day.

Below are some frequently asked questions about the 2021 season:

What steps are being taken to ensure the safety of visitors and staff at MSHP sites?

In addition to the above guidelines, we have instituted additional rigorous cleaning schedules for our admissions and store areas, exhibits, restrooms, and other public areas.  See the individual site guidelines above for detailed information about cleaning schedules.

Are all programs and demonstrations being offered as usual?

The majority of the demonstrations and programs offered at our historic sites will take place throughout the season. However, some have been suspended for the 2021 season out of concern for the safety of our visitors and staff. They include:

• Tower Tours at Old Mackinac Point Lighthouse.
• The Climbing Wall portion of the Adventure Tour at Historic Mill Creek Discovery Park.
• Scheduled indoor interpretive activities at Colonial Michilimackinac, such as the tea program.

Other demonstrations have been modified, such as:

• Cannon firing demonstrations at Fort Mackinac will be conducted with a smaller capacity.
• The sawmill demonstration at Historic Mill Creek Discovery Park will run in a similar fashion to the cannon demonstration at Fort Mackinac.
• Seating areas for demonstrations at Colonial Michilimackinac, Historic Mill Creek Discovery Park and Fort Mackinac will be spread out to promote social distancing.
• See the individual site guidelines for more information.

What is the status of Mackinac Island State Park?

Mackinac Island State Park is open and available for guests. There are more than 70 miles of hiking, biking and riding trails on the island, with geological features and historic sites throughout. All roadways and trails will be open; however, construction is currently taking place on M-185 (the road that circles the island) to fix portions of the road affected by high water levels and beach erosion.

I purchased tickets online. How long can I use them?

Tickets purchased online are good for the entirety of the 2021 season. The sites are scheduled to close as follows: Historic Downtown Mackinac August 21; Historic Mill Creek Discovery Park September 26; Colonial Michilimackinac October 8; Old Mackinac Point Lighthouse and The Richard and Jane Manoogian Mackinac Art Museum October 10; Fort Mackinac October 24.

Do you have any educational or online resources available on your website?

We do! All of our online resources are available here. 

Can I make donations to Mackinac State Historic Parks? 

Just about everything we do comes with support from Mackinac Associates, our friends group. Those interested in making a donation can do so at their website.

I had/have a group visit scheduled. What do we do now?

Please contact our Group Travel and Special Events Coordinator, Cassondra Boothroyd, for further information.

Are you still hiring?

We are! All available positions are listed here. 

We look forward to welcoming you to our sites on Mackinac Island and in Mackinaw City!

Thank you.