Chris Dancisak, the museum’s community relations manager, has organized Statehood Day events since he helped start it 15 years ago.

“It’s really history coming alive for children of all ages,” Dancisak said. “It puts things into their period of time.”

While the actors were separated by decades, they could still feel a real tension in the air.

“We try to keep the French reenactors away from the British since they didn’t get along very well,” Dancisak said.

Helen McLaughlin, a museum volunteer for 17 years, speaks in the 1950s exhibit each year.

“I’ve been a docent through the decades,” McLaughlin said. “They came and got a lot of things from my house to do this exhibit.”

McLaughlin started volunteering at the museum after retiring from her job as a school teacher.

“I love working with kids, and I really enjoy the classes that come through,” McLaughlin said. “I love special events like this.”

Statehood Day is one of the events that East Lansing resident Katie Gabler has attended at the museum.

“I keep up with museum activities,” Gabler said. “I’m amazed at the number of people who have never been here.”

Several families, along with Boy Scout troops and other groups, took part in festivities.

“We wanted to get out of the house and do something,” St. John’s resident Jason Kimbrough said. “It’s neat to see the museum people all dressed up.”

The Michigan Historical Museum is a division of the Michigan Historical Center, which is part of the Michigan Department of History, Arts and Libraries.

“We do these things to provide an expansion on the typical message,” Dancisak said.