History Skills Workshops® | Historical Society of Michigan

Hone your skills with our educational workshops

Learn more about a particular topic or hone a skill from experts in different historical fields

Our History Skills Workshops® are training opportunities for historical organizations and interested history advocates to gain skills that can be applied in museums, organizations, and personal collections. Check out our list of upcoming workshops and learn more about our program below.

Or call (800) 692-1828

A Benefit of Membership

Did you know that HSM members receive discounts on all of our programs, including History Skills Workshops? Get the most out of your learning experience and save with one of our popular membership plans. And it's not just discounts—in addition to savings on all of our workshops, members also receive our two magazines and other benefits and perks.

Learn More About Membership

Details

Workshops are $49 for members and $89 for nonmembers (price includes a one-year HSM membership)
Doubleheaders offer a pair of morning and afternoon workshops of a similar theme, or you can register for the individual workshops
Workshops will be virtual until further notice
Registration closes the day prior to the workshop. "Walk-ins" are welcome to register by calling (800) 692-1828
Instructions for joining the virtual meeting (and any handouts) will be sent to registered attendees one day prior to the scheduled workshop

Upcoming Workshops

Events

Using PastPerfect: Figuring Out Your Collections Software

Fri, Dec 8 2023, 9am - 12pm

Virtual

You bought PastPerfect—now how do you use it? The PastPerfect collections management software is popular with museums of all sizes, but it can overwhelm users with its complexities. A longtime PastPerfect user will help demystify the database and show how to get the most out of the system. Recommended for PastPerfect 5.0 users.

Finding Your Family: Genealogy 101

Fri, Jan 19 2024, 9am - 12pm

Hybrid

Studying genealogy can be an incredibly engaging experience for those interested in learning more about how the histories of their ancestors have influenced their lives. The 101 portion of this doubleheader genealogy workshop will introduce the study of family history and the foundational concepts of research.

Continuing Your Research: Genealogy 201

Fri, Jan 19 2024, 1 - 4pm

Hybrid

Join us in the afternoon for the 201 portion of this doubleheader workshop. Discover tools for finding obscure pieces of information, create a systematic approach to researching your own family history, and more. Attendees may register for just one or both of the genealogy workshops.

A Paleontologist's Lens: Exploring Michigan's Earliest History

Fri, Feb 9 2024, 9am - 12pm

Hybrid

Michigan was once the bottom of an ancient salt water tropical sea. Millions of years worth of sediment covered much of the state until glaciers scraped to the bottom, the bedrock of the ancient Devonian Seas. Attend this workshop to learn about identifying, interpreting, and caring for fossils that can be found throughout the state.

Get the most out of Michigan's history

If you're considering attending one of our workshops, or have participated in a previous one, we encourage you to check out our HSM membership program. With significant discounts to all of our workshops and events, the membership is a great way to save and enjoy all of our additional history content. All HSM members receive event discounts, free access to weekly History Hounds® live lectures and previously recorded lectures, both Michigan History and Chronicle magazines, and more.

Explore Our Memberships

Questions?

We'd love to help! Reach out to our HSM staff today at hsm@hsmichigan.org or by calling us at (517) 324-1828.