We've partnered with Grand Valley State University to highlight the life and work of noted Michigan artist Mathias J. Alten.

Born in what is now Germany in 1871, Alten came to the United States at age 17 and settled in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Made possible with support from the George and Barbara Gordon Endowment for the Gordon Gallery and the Mathias J. Alten Endowment, this special exhibition features more than 45 works and artifacts, from Alten's naturalization papers as a U.S. citizen to his impressionist oil paintings – some that celebrate Michigan’s compelling natural landscapes.

The special exhibition is free with regular museum admission; audio and text-based versions will be available at the museum and online.

Mathias J. Alten: An American Artist at the Turn of the Century

2.1 A Bayou at North Park

2 Early Work and Study Abroad

1.5 Alten and Schwind Wedding Portrait

1.4 Mathias J. Alten Portrait

1.3 Mathias J. Alten Apprentice Certificate

1.2 Hauling the Boulder

1.1 Landscape with Stream

1 A World in Flux

Exhibition Introduction

At the Father Marquette National Memorial in Straits State Park, visitors can learn about the French Jesuit missionary who founded Michigan's first European settlement, Sault Sainte Marie, and later founded Saint Ignace. 

In this recording, an actor reads excerpts from Jacques Marquette's journal.

Father Marquette National Memorial Audio Track

The Michigan History Center fosters curiosity, enjoyment and inspiration rooted in Michigan's stories | Family Adventure. Historic Fun.

Michigan History Center

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