Soak up history and art, part 1

Gain a richer appreciation for our lakeshore communities at these 10 museum and galleries. These places tell the stories of yesterday while also exhibiting the beauty of today and the promise of tomorrow.

Holland Museum
Photo: Holland Museum

Holland Museum
31 W. 10th St., Holland

Located in a repurposed Post Office building from 1914, the Holland Museum tells the story of Holland from its founding by Dutch immigrants to today’s innovative, successful and diverse community. This spring, the museum will display works by Mathias Alten, one of West Michigan’s most-recognized artists; 2021 is the 150th anniversary of his birth. Well-known for his oil paintings, he also produced sketches and watercolors with a variety of subject matter. The exhibit is in collaboration with the GVSU Art Gallery and runs March 12–July 25. 

Holland Museum is currently open Monday, Friday and Saturday, 10 a.m.–5 p.m. The museum also is open the second Monday evening of each month with free admission.

hollandmuseum.org

Lake Effect Gallery
Photo: Lake Effect Gallery

Lake Effect Gallery
16 W. Eighth St., Holland

Lake Effect Gallery is celebrating 20 years of providing fine local and regional art to Holland and West Michigan. The gallery supports more than 20 West Michigan artists and features original oil, watercolor, acrylic, mixed media and abstract pieces, as well as custom prints, sized to fit any space. The gallery also offers jewelry, handcrafted garden art, furnishings, glass and functional metal art. Mark Tanis’ digital imagery, Pirrie Bingham’s paintings and Ann Loveless’ fabric collage paintings are some of the gallery’s newest additions. Spring will bring new works by Cindy Cutler-Awrey, Mary Westrate, Sue Keen, Carrie Rodgers-O’Neal and John Leben. Ann Loveless’ fabric collage paintings (quilted) as well as her how-to books on landscape quilting will be available, too. Art lovers can visit Lake Effect Gallery’s website if they can’t make it to downtown Holland.

lakeeffectgallery.com