Cliffs Shaft Mine Museum & Iron Ore Heritage Bike Trail Trailhead — Attraction in Ishpeming

This was a fun mining history stop! We got there just in time to join the next tour and since there was a small group it felt more personal, but I can imagine even with big groups it would be really enjoyable as the tour guide was great and had a wealth of knowledge! You learn about the history of mining but also specifically some history of local mines and some personal stories. You get to walk down in some tunnels that lead to where they would get picked up to go down in the mines. You also get to see a blacksmith and the giant truck used for hauling the minerals. It was a great experience and worth the stop, all the staff was friendly, I highly...

Stumbled upon this museum on our way to the state museum and am so glad we did - Al, Dave, Rebecca, and Chris were exceptional and did a wonderful job of showing our family around both the museum and the mine. Dave was a miner himself and had good stories to tell and all of the volunteers (that’s right, the entire museum is run and curated by volunteers) were delightful to talk to. We really enjoyed the behind the scenes look at the mine and the interactive appeal of the museum exhibits. The kid games were fun and the history makes this a must-see when visiting the area. They also have an incredible mineral, rock, and gem collection for the...

All employees and volunteers were wonderful. So much to learn with specifics about Cliff Shaft mine and the industry including some with first hand experience. They were very helpful with a “find the object” handout for my young kids and the tour guide gentleman kept my son engaged as we moved along. Tour was approx 2hr or slightly longer on a Tuesday morning starting at 10am. The gift shop had a variety of items including local hand-made products and geological finds. Even Dave, the blacksmith and retired miner whom we met on the tour, had opportunities to take home pieces of his work.

I will be recommending...