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"Behind-the-Scenes" Days
Friday October 9 - Saturday October 10
Come look behind the scenes of our University Museums, Archives, and Libraries. Tours of collection areas, conservation laboratories, exhibit preparation areas, and other spaces not usually open to the public. Coordinated by the Public Goods Council
The free events are part of a city-wide celebration of arts, science and culture that includes Ann Arbor's annual Art Walk, a chance to tour the city's galleries and meet the artists.
Download the "Behind-the-Scenes" flyer (includes maps of event locations)
| Organization | Highlights | Friday 5-8 pm | Saturday 10am-2pm |
|---|---|---|---|
| Arts of Citizenship Exhibit Museum of Natural History Ruthven Museums Bldg 1109 Geddes Ave. |
The Arts of Citizenship Program fosters public scholarship through research and creative arts collaborations with educators, cultural and arts institutions, government, and community partners. | Hourly slide show featuring three innovative faculty/community collaborations in public scholarship. Program staff will be on hand to discuss the projects. | Hourly slide show featuring three innovative faculty/community collaborations in public scholarship. Program staff will be on hand to discuss the projects. |
| Bentley Historical Library 1150 Beal Ave. (North Campus) |
An extensive collection of archives and materials in all media relating to the history of the state of Michigan, and University of Michigan records dating from 1817. | --- | Open house and tours of the library and demonstrations in the conservation lab. See some of the archival treasures and learn about the history and significance of the Bentley. Free parking in Bentley parking lot or across the street. Saturday. |
| Detroit Observatory 398 E. Ann St. (corner of Ann and Observatory Sts.) |
A beautifully restored 1854 observatory with the original astronomical instruments intact. | --- | Tours of the 1854 Observatory, including an historical overview of the 19th century building as well as discussions about the two large original telescopes: the Meridian Circle Telescope (1854) and the Fitz Refracting Telescope (1857). |
| Exhibit Museum of Natural History Ruthven Museums Bldg 1109 Geddes Ave. |
Michigan's largest display of dinosaurs and fossils, plus exhibits on Michigan wildlife, anthropology, biology, geology, and a newly renovated digital planetarium. | Meet exhibit preparators, talk with the planetarium director, and do a hands-on molding and casting activity with museum educators. | Annual ID Day 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. Bring in your fossils, shells, rocks, and other treasures to have experts identify them. Or just come see the experts' collections! |
| Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library 1000 Beal Ave. (North Campus) |
The Library (Ann Arbor) and the Museum (Grand Rapids) opened in 1981 and are part of the system of presidential libraries run by the National Archives and Records Administration. | Open house: See exhibits, President Ford's office, and specially opened stacks and research room where White House files are kept. Refreshments and free parking. | Open house: See exhibits, President Ford's office, and specially opened stacks and research room where White House files are kept. Refreshments and free parking. |
| Herbarium 3600 Varsity Drive |
With a collection comprising nearly 1,700,000 specimens, the Herbarium is a world-class research museum dedicated to the study of plant and fungal diversity. | Behind the scenes tour (max 20 people). Bus departs North University (by Dental School) at 5:00 p.m. Tour from 5:30-6:30 p.m. Return to Ruthven by 7:00 p.m. | --- |
| Matthaei Botanical Gardens and Nichols Arboretum Gardens: 1800 N. Dixboro Rd. Arboretum: 1600 Washington Heights |
Featuring a conservatory with unusual and exotic plants from around the world and over 700 acres of gardens and native ecosystems. | Self-guided open house and scavenger hunt. Extra staff will be on hand to answer questions. 6:30 p.m. Evening Ecology walk to explore adaptations that make nocturnal creatures unique. Meet at Washington Hts. Entrance to the Arb. |
Self-guided open house and scavenger hunt. Extra staff will be on hand to answer questions. |
| Museum of Anthropology Ruthven Museums Building 1109 Geddes Ave. |
Focusing on the study of humanity's past, the Museum's collections of more than 3,000,000 artifacts and comparative specimens provide an irreplaceable resource for education and scholarship. | Open house. Collections on display and informal talks with curators, students, and staff. | Open house. Collections on display and informal talks with curators, students, and staff. |
| Museum of Art 525 South State St. |
In March 2009, the Museum opened a landmark 53,000-square-foot expansion, named the Maxine and Stuart Frankel and the Frankel Family Wing for its lead benefactors, and a major restoration of its historic, 41,000-square-foot home, Alumni Memorial Hall. | --- | Curator talks: 10:30-11:30 Korean Gallery 11:30-12:30 Normandy Exhibition 12:30-1:30 Projects Gallery Behind-the-scenes look at spaces: 11:00-12:00 Open Storage, 2nd floor; and Dialog Table, Vertical Gallery on main floor 12:00-1:00 Object Study Rooms, lower level and Apse, main floor 1:00-2:00 Asian Conservation Lab, 2nd floor |
| Museum of Paleontology Ruthven Museums Bldg 1109 Geddes Ave. |
The Museum of Paleontology provides facilities enabling direct, hands-on study of plants and animals preserved as fossils. | Behind the scenes tours of the research collections, including some of the rarest and most interesting specimens. | Behind the scenes tours of the research collections, including some of the rarest and most interesting specimens. |
| Museum of Zoology Ruthven Museums Bldg 1109 Geddes Ave. |
The Museum of Zoology is the largest university museum in the world. The six divisional collections include more than 15,000,000 specimens, and each is ranked among the most important in the world. | Behind the scenes tours of the research collections, including some of the rarest and most interesting specimens. | Behind the scenes tours of the research collections, including some of the rarest and most interesting specimens. |
| Stearns Collection of Musical Instruments | Holding over 2500 pieces of historical and contemporary musical instruments from all over the world, the Stearns Collection of Musical Instruments is one of the largest such collections housed in a North American university. | --- | 2 p.m. Lecture-Demonstration at the Ann Arbor District Library, 343 S. Fifth Ave. Ronn McFarlane, world renowned lutenist and 2009 Grammy nominee, will present a lecture-demo "On the History of the lute and Its Repertoire" 8 p.m. Concert at St. Andrew's Episcopal Church, 306 N. Division |
| University Libraries 818 Hatcher South Enter either in the N. Lobby (on Diag) or in S. Lobby |
University Libraries offers a wide variety of highlights including the new Treasures space, Special Collections Library, Shapiro Undergraduate Library, and the Map Library (offering one of the best views on campus). | Open house 5 to 7 p.m. (Grad library closes at 6 p.m.). Self directed tour with map and checklist provided. Highlights include: A display featuring covers from 100 years of Gargoyle, U-M's humor magazine; new Treasures space, the Map Library, Special Collections Library, and Shapiro Undergraduate Library. Refreshments will be available in the Science Library (located in Shapiro Library). |
Open house. Self directed tour with map and checklist provided. Highlights include: A display featuring covers from 100 years of Gargoyle, U-M's humor magazine; new Treasures space, the Map Library, Special Collections Library, and Shapiro Undergraduate Library. Refreshments will be available in the Science Library (located in Shapiro Library). |
| University Musical Society Meet at the side door on west side of Hill Auditorium, across from the Bell Tower Hotel on Thayer St. |
The University Musical Society brings to Michigan an ongoing series of world-class artists representing the diverse spectrum of today's exciting live performing arts world. | --- | 10-11 a.m. Tour Hill Auditorium with UMS President Ken Fischer. Learn about the recent renovation and hear stories about the famous people who have performed and spoken there. If there is interest, the group will visit the nearby Rackham Auditorium and Power Center for the Performing Arts. |
