Experience the Muskegon Lakeshore Through the Eyes of Artists
Revitalization and expansion of venues and museums show that these communities are committed to supporting a vibrant arts scene.
Lakeshore views and sunsets over the water aren’t the only works of art in the Muskegon Lakeshore region: The area is home to colorful murals on buildings and bridges, sounds of live music emanating from venues and a wide variety performing artists – from vaudevillians to ballet dancers – taking to historic stages.
The arts are an integral part of Muskegon Lakeshore’s identity and history, as evidenced by its many investments in arts over the years.
Current revitalization and expansion of venues and museums prove its citizens are still committed to supporting a vibrant arts scene in Muskegon, MI and the Lakeshore region.
Frauenthal: Better With Age
The Frauenthal Center has been a jewel in Muskegon’s arts scene from the moment it opened in 1930, but over the years, the terra-cotta facade became worn and the once-vibrant interior was painted a dull beige.
By the early 1970s, the building was destined for the wrecking ball, but a donation from local businessman A. Harold Frauenthal allowed the Community Foundation for Muskegon County to purchase the entire block upon which the theater sat in 1976 (the complex now bears Frauenthal’s name).
A $6.4 million renovation is now underway and will be completed in 2023. The facade has already been restored and heated sidewalks have been installed outside the venue to benefit winter visitors. More than 100 energy-efficient windows and a brand-new HVAC system have been added and the marquee has been upgraded with LED lights and digital capabilities.
Up next: Rebuilding the stage and installing a new sound system. “There is such a resurgence downtown now with businesses coming in,” says Frauenthal Executive Director Eric Messing.
He points to a 2022 study commissioned by the Muskegon Arts & Culture Coalition that estimates arts and cultural institutions and festivals in Muskegon County contributed nearly $56.5 million in calendar year 2019 and $41.75 million in 2021.
“The Frauenthal Center continues to make an impact by being the hub of arts and culture,” Messing says.
Muskegon Museum of Art Is Growing
The Muskegon Museum of Art is undergoing its own renovation. The $15 million expansion will add three galleries, plus classrooms, a rooftop terrace and plaza, more than doubling the size of the museum. One of the galleries will host large traveling exhibitions, says Executive Director Kirk Hallman. The other two galleries will house 15 to 20 rotating exhibits per year.
“We’re not going to be adding grand hallways and entries because we want to dedicate the space to showing art,” Hallman says.
Existing museum space will be used to display the permanent collection, which includes a recent donation of over 150 paintings by female artists.
The newly acquired works feature some of the top contemporary female artists in the country, says Hallman, and makes Muskegon Museum of Art one of just five museums in the world to emphasize women artists by having a dedicated space for displaying their work.
In addition, the museum exhibits work by the finalists and winner of the Bennett Prize, which awards emerging female painters with a cash prize and solo show.
“To watch what it’s done to the career of women artists is really inspiring,” Hallman says. “We’re really proud this has taken off.”
Meet Moxie (and More!)
Moxie, a large-scale, lifelike mastodon sculpture emerging from a manhole in front of the Lakeshore Museum Center, references the mastodon being the official fossil of Michigan. There are 19 other mastodons hidden in locations around town, creating a scavenger hunt, appealing to locals and visitors alike.
Moving Forward in Muskegon Heights
Just south of Muskegon, the city of Muskegon Heights is beginning the process of revitalizing its own downtown by investing in the arts.
The city’s Strand Theater is one of the focuses of the Reaching New Muskegon Heights initiative, a community plan for reinvestment and development. At the top of the list: the Strand and neighboring Rowan Park.
Discussions are ongoing about whether to rehab the vacant Strand building. But the city is moving forward by installing art in Rowan Park.
Installation of a music-themed bronze statue is slated for October 2023, with the addition of a splash pad to follow. The statue’s theme is a nod to the local high school’s beloved high-stepping marching band.
City officials note that the Strand is an important component of the city’s history. The community has one of the few intact downtowns on the Lakeshore, and it’s just five minutes from the beach.
“West Michigan is one of the most beautiful areas in the Midwest,” says Muskegon Heights Mayor Walter Watt . “Improving downtown Muskegon Heights, specifically Rowan Park and the Strand Theater, helps catapult the overall efforts of making West Michigan one of the best destination locations in the Midwest, if not the country.”
Get to Know the Muskegon Lakeshore
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