Dennos Museum Center
Dennos Museum Center
4.5
11:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Tuesday
11:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Wednesday
11:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Thursday
11:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Friday
11:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Saturday
11:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Sunday
11:00 AM - 4:00 PM
About
Located on the campus of Northwestern Michigan College, the Dennos Museum Center offers an ongoing array of changing exhibits in the arts and sciences. The museum holds and exhibits one of the largest and most historically complete collections of stone sculpture, prints and drawings by the Inuit artists of the Canadian Arctic, in the United States. Its hands-on Discover Gallery features interactive engagement with the arts and sciences. The museum produces a concert series of blues, jazz and world music and other entertainment forms each year from September to May in the center’s 367 seat Milliken Auditorium and hosts performances by other community groups throughout the year.
Duration: 1-2 hours
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  • Inkfisch
    Ann Arbor, Michigan111 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Well Worth a Visit
    This lovely, small museum is well worth a visit. I went to see the Inuit collection which is outstanding and well curated. There were some excellent pieces in other exhibits, too. The museum is bright and airy, a wonderful space for displaying art. I don't know how frequently the exhibits change, but I look forward to returning, if only to see the Inuit collection again.
    Visited August 2023
    Traveled solo
    Written September 5, 2023
  • Mouzouris
    Livonia, Michigan1,581 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Hidden Gem
    We've been in Traverse cite a lot of times but never visited the museum. This time we stayed at the Cambria Hotel which is walking distance from it so we said why not. The museum was pretty much empty but they do have FREE guided tours twice a day I believe. Our timing was perfect so the tour guide offer to give us a tour and we did not regret it. Unfortunately I don't remember her name but she was a history profesor and you could tell by her knowledge and passion about the subjects. Our visit would not be the same without the tour so if you have time and visit check the times of the tours and plan to visit then.
    Visited August 2023
    Traveled with family
    Written November 21, 2023
  • Dawn W
    Detroit, Michigan50 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Great museum !
    Been to TC many times & just never went here . This is a great little museum . Probably spent hour & half here . Perfect indoor activity . Reasonably priced & worth the price. We would go back !
    Visited February 2024
    Traveled with family
    Written February 25, 2024
These reviews are the subjective opinion of Tripadvisor members and not of TripAdvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.

Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.

Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.

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4.5
4.5 of 5 bubbles174 reviews
Excellent
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Dawn W
Detroit, MI50 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Feb 2024 • Family
Been to TC many times & just never went here . This is a great little museum . Probably spent hour & half here . Perfect indoor activity . Reasonably priced & worth the price. We would go back !
Written February 25, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Mouzouris
Livonia, MI1,581 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2023 • Family
We've been in Traverse cite a lot of times but never visited the museum. This time we stayed at the Cambria Hotel which is walking distance from it so we said why not. The museum was pretty much empty but they do have FREE guided tours twice a day I believe. Our timing was perfect so the tour guide offer to give us a tour and we did not regret it. Unfortunately I don't remember her name but she was a history profesor and you could tell by her knowledge and passion about the subjects. Our visit would not be the same without the tour so if you have time and visit check the times of the tours and plan to visit then.
Written November 21, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Inkfisch
Ann Arbor, MI111 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2023 • Solo
This lovely, small museum is well worth a visit. I went to see the Inuit collection which is outstanding and well curated. There were some excellent pieces in other exhibits, too. The museum is bright and airy, a wonderful space for displaying art.
I don't know how frequently the exhibits change, but I look forward to returning, if only to see the Inuit collection again.
Written September 5, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Doorman60
Baileys Harbor, WI7 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2022
Best collection I've seen of Inuit art outside of Alaska. Well displayed and very original and exciting pieces. I was very impressed.
Written August 6, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

MidwestKathM
Detroit, MI934 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Mar 2022
Returning to the Dennos Museum Center to attend one of their monthly concerts, I took advantage to see the art museum before the show. A beautiful space! Modern and open. With all sorts of art to enjoy. The Dennos is known for their Inuit Art collection that numbers some 1,600+ works of art, both traditional and contemporary. On this visit, due to time, I focused on the temporary exhibitions. The Stay Healthy and Strong exhibition by Nathalie Miebach is so colorful and interesting! I had to stand back and take in each piece...and then I stood as close as can be to examine the materials and the detail. I also enjoyed the Color & Shape: Black Artists from the Dennos Collection, especially as I noticed the works of Detroit artists Charles McGee and Carole Harris. After my foray into the galleries, I enjoyed the concert featuring Detroit's Queen of the Blues Thornetta Davis. Their Monthly Concert Series is top-notch, featuring well-regarded musicians in a variety of genres. And during these COVID times, I felt safe as capacity was limited and we were able to sit socially distanced from others.
Written March 31, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Fraser R
5 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Dec 2021 • Couples
A hidden gem. Fascinating collection of Inuit art — we learned a lot about prints and sculpture. Particularly loved all the pictures of loons and polar bears! There’s also a great interactive sound installation (fun for kids). The permanent collection of modern art also has some striking pieces. A friendly welcome. Will be recommending this place to friends and family.
Written December 10, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
We're glad you had a wonderful time! Please come back and pay us a visit again in the future--we're very fortunate to have such a wonderful museum facility like this in Traverse City.
Written December 20, 2021
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

lbee2017
Wind Lake, WI13 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Oct 2021
World class collection of Intuit art. Thought provoking exhibit on Native American boarding schools. Interesting architecture makes the most of its wooded setting
Written October 13, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you for the kind words. We're thrilled to hear that you had both a thought provoking and enjoyable experience at the Dennos. I hope you will come back again soon.
Written December 20, 2021
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

MidwestKathM
Detroit, MI934 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
May 2021
We came to the Dennos Museum to see their outdoor sculpture collection knowing that the museum would not be open on a holiday weekend. It was most enjoyable since we had the campus pretty much to ourselves as we followed the Sculpture Walk of a dozen works from the map downloaded from their website. It was a pleasure to see the work of some of Michigan's most well-known sculptors like David Barr, Lois Teicher, and Michael Hall. And don't forget to check out the Fine Arts Building attributed to the great Bauhaus architect Walter Gropius.
Written June 1, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
The outdoor public sculpture collection is one of the best surprises when you visit the NMC campus. I'm glad you had an enjoyable tour and hope you also have a chance to visit the Michigan Legacy Art Park, too.
Written December 20, 2021
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Terry H
Traverse City, MI3 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Feb 2020
The galleries and store are nice. The concerts are our favorite there. The acoustics and lighting are great, but our favorite thing about this venue is the seating. The rows are far enough apart if you feel the need to shake a little more than your head....you can!
Written March 5, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
We look forward to bringing live music back to Milliken in 2022! I hope you will join us again for some world class concerts at a very affordable price.
Written December 20, 2021
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Chris H
Grand Rapids, MI1,285 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Sep 2019 • Friends
Located on the Northern Michigan University Campus this museum blends in with the rest of the Campus. The museum is very airy and full of natural light. At first I thought the flow was bad because I started by turning right with a hallway with some ok art pieces that just dead ended. However afterthat one gallery flowed seamlessly into another.

They have a full-time Inuit exhibit. There was a ton of high quality pieces. While I didn't love every piece, I could tell the quality. I liked the sculptured Inuit art more than paintings, however the person I was with really enjoyed the paintings. Shrug to each their own. They have a large collection of both sculptures and paintings.

The museum then flows into a combination classical, modern, and art deco. Their are a couple of pieces that change as you walk past them. There's a painting of Ernest Hemming. I heard one of the pieces is an Andy Warhol, though I'm not sure which one. There are pieces I don't get, but all seemed well exhibited.

They have a small section for children and sadly even though the rest of the museum was amazing. This section was the coolest. The was a harp you could play but it used sensors instead of strings to play. There was a rockwall that created musical tones when you pressed a stone. A super complex metal string machine to make more music. There was a dinosaur and alligator made out of steel. There is a shadow machine that turns your shadow into colors. Plus a video display of sone stunning Japanese visual landscape art.

Out in in the main atrium there are clouds made out of metal wire and on the walls other shapes made out of metal wire.

It needs to be stated this is a art museum not a history museum. I don't think anything is older than 70 years old and most probably only 30 to 40. This doesn't take away, just a heads up.

The service was friendly to the max. Plus they were changing out one of their galleries so they they lowered their entrance fee from $6 to $5. This was fine with me because 85 to 90% was still open.

Overall this is a 5 star review and I will be back. This turned out to be one of my favorite medium to small city museums I have ever been to. An outstanding value and a great way to spend 90 minutes.

Written September 19, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you so much for your review. We really appreciate feedback like this! We do changeover our exhibitions about three times a year, so hopefully your next visit you will have the opportunity to see some of the wonderful traveling exhibitions we bring to the region.
Written September 20, 2019
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

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DENNOS MUSEUM CENTER: All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (with Photos)

Frequently Asked Questions about Dennos Museum Center

Dennos Museum Center is open:
  • Tue - Sun 11:00 AM - 4:00 PM