This month, MAF kicks off our annual Summer Road Trip series, with our 2026 edition highlighting Michigan’s Buildings for the Arts!
Are you considering traveling to the Upper Peninsula this summer? This month, we are exploring some of the Upper Peninsula’s more unique architectural buildings that are dedicated to the arts.
If you are planning a trip to the Upper Peninsula, please consider some of the following options to learn more about Michigan Architecture:
Great Lakes Shipwreck Museum: 18335 N Whitefish Point Rd, Paradise
Courtesy of Great Lakes Shipwreck Historical Society
Built in 1861, the Great Lakes Shipwreck Museum attracts nearly 100,000 visitors each season and has become one of Michigan’s most popular destinations. Museum patrons can learn about the perils of maritime transport on the Great Lakes at the Whitefish Point Light Station, a historic site on the National Register of Historic Places. The museum was founded in 1978 and opened in 1985 to preserve the maritime history of “Shipwreck Coast”.
Tahqua-Land Theatre: 212 Newberry Avenue, Newberry
The Tahqua-Land Theatre, located in downtown Newberry, was built during the Great Depression and opened in 1930 as the State Theater. The historic theatre was originally known for its craftsmanship and modern reclining seats. By the early 70’s, the theatre was in severe disrepair. It was purchased by a new owner and went through several rounds of renovations. The most recent renovations featured Italian stucco, hand-cast plaster moldings, 10,000 sheets of gold leaf, and 11 large-scale murals.
The Calumet Theatre: 340 Sixth Street, Calumet
At the close of the 19th century, Calumet was considered one of the most prosperous communities due to the copper mining industry. In 1898, it was decided that an opera house should be built to serve the community. Local architect Charles K. Shand was hired to design the building with Chicago interior designer William Eckert. The theatre is a two-story Renaissance revival structure constructed with yellow-brown brick sitting on a foundation of Jacobsville sandstone, and features a copper roof with copper cornices. The building is on the National Register of Historic Places and is one of the 21 Heritage Sites that partners with the Keweenaw National Historical Park.
Rozsa Center for the Performing Arts: 1400 Townsend Drive, Houghton
In sharp contrast to the historical theatres that are abundant throughout the Upper Peninsula, the Rozsa Center for the Performing Arts is a very contemporary departure from a design standpoint. The building, located on the campus of Michigan Technological University, was designed by Gunnar Birkerts with DiClemente Siegel Design. It features walls that mimic the irregular surfaces of the copper mines and roof inclines that echo the Copper County shafthouses and hoists. The roof structure was designed to withstand snow loads of up to 450 lbs. per square foot.
Carnegie Museum of the Keweenaw: 105 Huron Street, Houghton
The Carnegie Museum is located in downtown Houghton’s historic district. Built in 1909 with a $15,000 grant from Scottish-American steel magnate Andrew Carnegie, this two-story Classical Revival-style sandstone and brick building opened in 1910 as the community’s public library. In 2006, the library moved to a new building, and a group of citizens interested in preserving local history proposed a plan to create a museum in the then-vacant landmark building. In 2013, the museum became a Heritage Site of the Keweenaw National Historic Park.
Carnegie Public Libraries: Varied locations in the UP
The Carnegie Libraries were public and academic libraries built between 1823 and 1929, with funding from Andrew Carnegie. He financed 1,689 libraries in the United States, including 61 in Michigan. Four of the first five Carnegie libraries in Michigan were built in the Upper Peninsula. Of the original 61 buildings, 28 remain active public libraries, another 28 have been repurposed for alternative purposes, and the other five have been demolished over time.
Carnegie Libraries located in the Upper Peninsula include:
Ironwood Theatre: 109 East Aurora Street, Ironwood
Constructed in 1928, The Ironwood Theatre was designed by self-taught architect Albert Nelson. The architecture was modeled after the Italian Renaissance style and featured hand-sculpted faux pillars and an arched proscenium-style stage. The theatre showcases the original and fully restored Barton organ, nicknamed The Grand Old Lady. The proscenium mural of the theatre displays a stunning three-piece canvas painting by artist William Hasenberg, painted during the finishing stages of construction in 1927 to complete the theatre’s grand-scale look.
Ironwood Memorial Building: 213 South Marquette Street, Ironwood
The Ironwood Memorial Building is a government building located at the corner of McLeod Avenue and Marquette Street. The building is a two-story Neoclassical structure built of concrete in a pentagonal shape. The two street facades are faced in grey terracotta and coursed stone, and the heavy bronze door entrances are approached with wide granite steps and are flanked by Ionic columns. The interior is embellished with marble, decorative plaster, murals illustrating mining/logging, and art glass.
The Braumart Theater: 106 East B Street, Iron Mountain
The Braumart is the last remaining historic cinema house in the Iron Mountain area. Today, it operates as a vital performing arts and culture center for Dickinson County, and hosts a variety of events. The building is a two-story buff brick structure with limestone trim. The main theater building has a three-part symmetrical facade, with the tall attic containing arches filled with basketweave brickwork.