Featured Events

DinoSOARS

Wednesday, Thursdays, and Fridays at 11:00 am and 4:00 pm
Saturdays and Sundays at 1:00 and 3:00 pm

Did you know? Birds are living dinosaurs! Follow the story of Malkia, a museum paleontologist, as she explores fascinating connections between birds and dinosaurs. Join us as we dive into the theory that birds evolved from dinosaurs!

Women of Space

Saturday, March 25 at 5:00 pm

Without women’s contributions in the science field, we would have never made it to the Moon! What better time to celebrate their accomplishments than during Women’s History Month? Guest speaker Jesse Yaeger, Ella Sharp Museum’s Archivist, will talk about the importance of gender diversity in male dominated fields. A cash bar will be available with wine as well as alcoholic and non-alcoholic signature space cocktails!

Bone Cleaning Demo Day

Saturday, March 25 from Noon – 4:00 pm

PaleoJoe will be at the museum facilitating dinosaur bone cleaning demonstrations for visitors as they view the Michigan Fossils & Ancient Creatures exhibit. You can stop and ask questions as he cleans, prepares and repairs real dinosaur bones that are over 65 MILLION YEARS OLD.

Sugaring & Shearing

Sunday, March 26 from Noon – 4:00 pm

Mark your calendars and join us as we get back out on Farm Lane to enjoy the wonders of Spring on the Farm! Sheep shearing demonstrations, sap to syrup demos at the Sugar Bush, arts & crafts, maple syrup pop-up shop and much more!

Spring Break Farmhouse Tours

Monday March 27 – Friday March 31 at 1:00 pm

We’ve done some Spring cleaning just in time for Spring Break 2023! Join us as we open the doors to Ella Sharp’s Hillside Farmhouse for the season to the Jackson Community. Explore the home of Ella Sharp, learn more about the Merriman-Sharp family and how Ella planted the seed for the museum and park we now know today.

Spring Break Planetarium Shows: DinoSOARS

Monday March 27 – Friday March 31 at 11:30 am, 2:30 pm, and 4:00 pm

Did you know? Birds are living dinosaurs! Follow the story of Malkia, a museum paleontologist, as she explores fascinating connections between birds and dinosaurs. Join us as we dive into the theory that birds evolved from dinosaurs! Showing at 11:30am, 2:30pm and 4:00pm every day of Spring Break: March 27-31!

Bone Cleaning Demo Day

Saturday, April 15 from Noon – 4:00 pm

PaleoJoe will be at the museum facilitating dinosaur bone cleaning demonstrations for visitors as they view the Michigan Fossils & Ancient Creatures exhibit. You can stop and ask questions as he cleans, prepares and repairs real dinosaur bones that are over 65 MILLION YEARS OLD.

Toddler Tour: Mice and the Moon

Wednesday, April 19 at 10:00am and 11:30am

It’s never too early to start visiting museums! Join us for our monthly Toddler Tours that highlight our featured exhibits or Hurst Planetarium, with changing themes throughout the year. These programs last approx. 45 minutes and are designed for children ages 2-5.

Sensory Time

Saturdays @ 9am

The Ella Sharp Museum will open galleries at 9am for a quiet museum experience especially for our sensory-sensitive visitors.

2023 Art Classes & Workshops

Studios Under Construction

The Ella Sharp Museum is temporarily closing our three studio spaces for renovations and updates. We hope to give the studios a fresh face to allow a wider variety of art classes and workshops for our community to enjoy. We apologize for the inconvenience, but there will be no Winter Ceramics Classes or Open Studio during this time.

Art, Beer, & Wine Festival

June 10, 2023

Mark your calendars and join your friends (and make new ones!) at Ella Sharp Museum’s 18th annual Art, Beer & Wine Festival. A favorite community tradition, we’ll showcase many of Michigan’s best wineries, breweries, cider mills and artists. Guests also will enjoy a tasty line-up of food vendors and trucks along with live music throughout the grounds and in our historic Hillside Farm Lane courtyard for a perfect summer day.