besser museum

I am an artist so visiting The Jessy Besser Museum is a regular event when I am in the Alpena Area. They have great programs & shows. Fantastic art events & permanent displays of local history fill the rooms.My Grandfater used to own the Lumber Mill & store Gebhart & Marrow & friends, my Mother & I have had art shows at this museum. You can rent this wonderful location for your own party & include their enjoyable planaterim show as part of your event!

I spent a couple of hours here with my husband when we were visiting his home town and found the museum interesting.

Great displays!! New administrator is working to give it an updated look and keep the displays nice. It was nice to see that they are working on the out buildings to refurbish them one at a time, looking forward to our next trip to go back and see the changes. The taxidermy animals downstairs were absolutely fabulous!!! Beautiful!!! Pendulum is neat to watch also. The tools that the Indians made and used were very interesting to see also. Don't forget to visit the Gift Shop to help out by making a purchase. I got a few neat gifts for the great nephews there. I wish I had gotten a mini cement block though, next time!!

there was a Vietnam war exhibit that was very interesting. there are outdoor exhibits too. although the museum itself isn't very big, there was a lot to see inside. a huge animal exhibit was in the basement.

If you have kids 12 and under, this is a MUST SEE. Well worth the price of admission. Also, make sure to check out the fossil dig area. I was the only one there when we visited, but found a fossil without 'digging' just walking through the area.They also have several 'Touch Me' exhibits where the kids are encouraged to discover what different animals feel like.

This is a wonderful exhibit. My husband has some items in it and I was so proud to see that these veterans are finally be recognized for their contribution and sacrifice made during this war.

I've talked about the Besser before. This little museum in our little town will surprise you! they have exhibits on things you might expect & then ones you DO NOT expect.Last year they did a salute toveterans of an earlier war. It was very well received, attended and presented.This year, they decided after receiving the loan of so many artifacts from so many veterans for last years presentation, they would ask if our VIet Nam Veterans could do the same. They DID. They also served as 'on set advisors' leading the museum staff with suggestions to better display artifacts or scenes. The music is straight out of Good Morning Viet Nam & everyone agrees, it is a long time coming, but worth the trip up to Alpena, Michigan to see it. But hurry. It is gone in October.It was supposed to have shared the spotlight with Wings Over Alpena, but that did not happen. Just as well, this is special!

Quite a variety of things to see. They had a Viet Nam War exhibit when I was there. The outdoor fossil park is interesting, and you get to keep any fossils you find. Lots of taxidermy displays, some of which you're allowed to touch. Lots of other stuff. It's all rather eclectic. The regular adult admission is only $5, or $3 for seniors (60+). If you're a veteran, ask about an additional discount.

My husband and I visited this museum on a recent trip to Alpena. It was raining so we did not tour the outside exhibits as much as I would have liked. Had a nature trail that looked inviting.The best part of the visit was the Viet Nam exhibit. This exhibit is on loan only until November,do not miss.A lot of work and planning went into putting this exhibit together. Very generous local Viet Nam veterans loaned items.If it had not been raining I would have definitely looked for fossils.Hey, big kids like to look for fossils too. Enjoyed the local history exhibits. We really enjoyed our visit. Volunteers very knowledgeable and helpful. Made the visit a lot more fun.

Great for families, especially the fossil dig. While our daughter is too young (6 months) to participate, our 8-year old nephew had a blast smashing the rocks looking for fossils (he found tons of them). Okay, I can't lie my 30-something brother and I both had as much fun doing it as he did. Found some cool ones--mostly ancient shells.There were taxidermy animals to see, there was a very moving Vietnam War area, an 'old tyme' town setup with views of what things like barber shops, blacksmiths and general stores looked like 100 years ago. There were things to see and do both inside and outdoors.Great way to spend a few hours on a Saturday. Staff was friendly, and is definitely something of which Alpena should be proud!

We had a wonderful time here. They have great exhibits both inside and out and our 8 year old nephew really enjoyed being able to dig for fossils.All the exhibits were well laid out and enjoyable. We would recommend visiting.

This place really packs a lot into a smaller area. The Viet Nam exhibit was a chilling look back at this war. Very well done. It's neat how they have art, history, science, and some industry in here. Well worth a visit.

Having grown up in Alpena, I was happy to take my family to visit the Besser Museum. It did not disappoint. There is a wide range of exhibits true to the area and rich with the history of Alpena. Well worth stopping by and spending a few hours.

The Besser, as we affectionately refer to the Jesse Besser Museum is not what I grew up thinking a museum is. Practically from the day the doors opened with Bob Haltiner, author, raconteur & knowledgeable historian there to 'talk story', the exhibits and programs just did not fit the 'stodgy mold'. This was a place where you turned a corner to see up close & personal a lifelike forest animal looking back at you. It's a place where the ever changing displays reflect the people & Alpena as seen through the eyes of the Besser Staff.A year ago their special showing of WWII as experienced by people of Alpena drew critical acclaim. They were astonished at the gold mine of information, artifacts, uniforms, equipment & more that were given to them or loaned to them to tell the story through our eyes. Because it was such a success, the Museum Curators decided to honor our Viet Nam Veterans that was to co-inside with the air show Wings Over Alpena. Sequestration & other factors put the kibosh on that. But the Museum went ahead with their plan to honor our veterans of that war. It is well worth the drive to Alpena to attend. They have a website www.bessermuseum.org and you can see other events & happenings there. Every 3rd Saturday is FREE family day. Outside the building is an interactive place where kids can hack away at claiming a trilobyte or other fossil from the Devonian Coral Reef that lies below this sunrise city. The planetarium offers excellent programs as well & there are many other items of interest. On the lawn outside is a HUGE sculpture of a soldier's face & helmet courtesy of Moran Iron Works of Onaway, Michigan. It is just one example of art that abounds in and around the place.

Enjoyed all the museum had to offer. Nice to have art, science & history all in one building and especially enjoyed the planatarium show.