Things to Do Ann Arbor: Enjoy the Parks, Museums, Dining & More

Built as a war memorial in 1909, the University of Michigan Museum of Art (UMMA) is one of the largest university art museums in the country and one of the top Ann Arbor attractions.

The museum is home to the newly renovated Alumni Memorial Hall, the Maxine and Stuart Frankel and the Frankel Family Wing and features a comprehensive collection of more than 19,000 works that spans an array of periods, cultures and forms of media. The collection boasts works by Pablo Picasso, Franz Kline, Claude Monet, Randolph Rogers and Kara Walker, and represents over 150 years of art collection at the University.

The University of Michigan Museum of Art (UMMA) offers a variety of educational programs, workshops, and classes for both students and visitors, as well as decent-led tours of the museum and unique art-based events throughout the year.

525 South State Street, Ann Arbor, MI 734-764-0395

The Ann Arbor Hands-On Museum offers imaginative and interactive learning experiences to inspire visitors to discover the wonder of science, technology, art, math, and engineering.

220 E. Ann Street, 734-995-5439

Nicknamed ‘The Big House’, Michigan Stadium is the largest stadium in the United States and the second largest in the world, seating crowds of up to 115,000 people. Built in 1927, the stadium has played host to a variety of sports games, including college football, lacrosse, and hockey, as well as being the venue for the University of Michigan's main graduation ceremonies.

The stadium drew a record crowd of 115, 109 people in 2013 for a college football game between Michigan and the Notre Dame Fighting Irish. Although Michigan Stadium is not open to the general public for exercising, tours or photo opportunities, private tours of the facility during weekdays can be arranged.

1201 S Main St, 734-647-2583

The University of Michigan Museum of Natural History is a part of the university’s College of Literature, Science, and the Arts. Found on the university’s Central Campus, the museum is made up of 22,000 square feet of exhibit area and shares this space with three research museums.

The collection began in 1837 and the museum’s current home, the Alexander Ruthven Museums Building, was constructed in 1928. There are four permanent exhibits including the Anthropology Displays, the Geology Displays, the Hall of Evolution, and the Michigan Wildlife Gallery. The museum also has a planetarium and a “Butterfly and Pollinator Garden.”

University of Michigan, 1109 Geddes Avenue, 734-764-0478

Matthaei Botanical Gardens & Nichols Arboretum are two properties operated by the University of Michigan.

1800 N. Dixboro Rd, 734-647-7600

What to do if you are traveling with kids:

Kerrytown is a historic district.

Standing in the center of the University of Michigan campus, Hill Auditorium is a large performance venue that hosts a variety of the large public events and showcases the best performing artists in the world.

Designed and built by Albert Kahn in 1913 and named in honor of Arthur Hill, the auditorium boasts a unique, hemispherical stage, superb acoustics, and seating for up to 3,500 people.

The famous hall has hosted performances by world-renowned artists, including Rachmaninoff, the Vienna Philharmonic and Cleveland Orchestra, Elton John, and The Grateful Dead.

825 N University Ave, 734-764-2538

The Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library and Museum is located on the north campus of the University of Michigan. One of thirteen presidential libraries administered by the National Archives and Records Administration, the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library is a valuable repository that houses important items on the life, career, and presidency of Gerald Ford, the 38th President of the United States of America.

Other important items in the library include a variety of materials on U.S. domestic issues and political affairs during the Cold War era, including letters, memos, reports, multi-media and other historical documents.

Facilities at the library range from an expansive lobby, which offers an exceptional venue to hire, a 1,700 square foot stage and audiovisual-equipped auditorium, classrooms for meetings and lectures, and a library courtyard for periodic functions.

1000 Beal Ave, 734-205-0555

Activities and Attractions for Couples and Singles:

The University of Michigan School of Music, Theatre & Dance is a school for performing arts in Ann Arbor and includes undergraduate and graduate students.

Founded in 1880, it was known as the Ann Arbor School of Music and later became a part of the university. Well-known alumni include Jessye Norman, Arthur Miller, James Earl Jones, Lucy Liu, and many others. The school presents musicals, operas, plays, and dance performances.

There are a variety of music ensembles,including three orchestras, three choirs, several jazz ensembles, a wind ensemble, and several chamber music groups. The Earl V. Moore building was designed by Eero Saarinen.

1100 Baits Drive, 734-764-0583

The Kelsey Museum of Archaeology is located on the University of Michigan’s central campus and is a unit of the University’s College of Literature, Science, and the Arts. The museum has a comprehensive collection of over 100,000 ancient and medieval artifacts from civilizations of the Mediterranean and the East, including ancient Egyptian, Roman, Etruscan, Persian, and Islamic objects.

In addition to the vast collection of archeological artifacts, the museum is also home to valuable objects regarding the study of archeology, such as excavation records and archeological photographs. Among the museum's most significant holdings are a rare collection of Egyptian mummy masks, ancient Greek coins, Roman brick stamps and the largest collection of Parthian pottery outside Iraq. The Kelsey also offers evolving special exhibitions, educational programs for children, and various fieldwork projects.

434 S State St, 734-764-9304