Monroe County Museum System

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Christmas at the Monroe County Museum

The Monroe County Museum System Welcomes All To Christmas at the Monroe County Museum.

Everyone is invited to our merriest tradition from November 18 through December 29, during open hours at the Monroe County Museum, located at 126 South Monroe Street, Monroe MI 48161. Gather at our centerpiece Christmas tree as a miniature Polar Express steams along below, before taking in a museum aglow with holiday-themed temporary exhibits, such as A Retro ‘50s Christmas, a select display of the Findley Santa Collection, and the Peltier Christmas village.

Christmas at the Monroe County Museum kicks off on November 18 with the City of Monroe’s Hometown Tree Lighting. Join us for the festivities starting at 4 PM at Loranger Square for a chestnut roasting demonstration, then warm up in our decked halls at the museum until 9 PM.

Before you take your seats at the Nutcracker Ballet at the River Raisin Centre for the Arts, join us Friday, December 2 and Saturday, December 3 at our chestnut roasting demonstration station on the museum’s front lawn. Visit riverraisincentre.org for show times and info.

Come visit on select Saturdays for YesterWays: Holiday Edition, and learn to make your own pomander! In the Middle Ages, pomanders were tiny openwork containers for perfumes and fragrant herbs worn like jewelry. During the Victorian era, homemade fruit pomanders decorated with cloves and ribbons became a popular Christmas tradition. Make and take one home free from 10 AM to 12 PM and 1 PM to 4 PM on November 19 and 26, and December 3, 10, and 17. No appointment or experience necessary!

Help us make Christmas special this year by supporting Toys for Tots. Bring new, unwrapped toys to the collection box inside Sieb Hall at the County Museum. The last day to drop off toys at the museum is Friday, December 16.

Starting December 1, visit us in person or online via Facebook to see daily features of historic toys from the museum collection in our Artifact Advent Calendar, some from eras long gone and others from not that long ago!

Letters to Santa

Santa was overjoyed at the many letters he received from the children last year, so he asked us to tell everyone how much he’d like to hear from them again. Drop off letters to Santa anytime through the museum’s mail slot, and we’ll make sure they all get to the North Pole. Don’t forget the return address to ensure a response, and make sure to drop off all letters by Friday, December 9! Download and print a letter template to Santa.

Mission Statement

At the Monroe County Museum System, we fuel and cultivate our visitors' curiosity through the exploration of Monroe County's rich and varied stories, joining together to unearth meaning and illuminate relevant connections between the past, present, and future.

Responsibilities

The Monroe County Museum System is a department of the County of Monroe, Michigan. We manage:

With the Vietnam Veterans of America Post 142, we operate the Vietnam Veterans Museum located in Heck Park in Monroe, Michigan.

Board of Trustee meetings are open to the public and are usually held on the second Wednesday of each month at 7 pm.