Michigan § 399.803 - Michigan history center; establishment; operation; duties; use of funds; fees; gifts and bequests; deposit of collected money.

(1) The Michigan history center is established in the department.

(2) The archives of Michigan and the Michigan history museum shall be operated under the control and supervision of the center.

(3) Using modern professional practices, the center shall do all of the following:

(a) Advise the department on history policies and programs and serve as a forum for citizen concerns and input.

(b) Collect, provide stewardship for, and interpret materials, including, but not limited to, archival records in all available media, artifacts, oral histories, and published family history references, that document and illustrate the history of this state and its people. The center shall make these materials available to the public in a manner consistent with their preservation for future generations, using techniques that include, but are not limited to, museum exhibits, historical markers, public programs, public research facilities, and online materials.

(c) Create Michigan-focused educational programs and materials that reinforce adopted state educational standards.

(d) Provide professional assistance to other state and local government agencies related to records designated for preservation by approved records retention schedules.

(e) Use its resources to support heritage tourism and community development in this state.

(f) Represent this state in its partnership with the Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary and Underwater Preserve.

(g) Provide professional expertise and leadership for the preservation and interpretation of history on state lands.

(4) Money collected by the center for historical markers, document reproduction and services, conferences, admissions, workshops, training classes, and the use of specialized equipment, facilities, exhibits, collections, and software shall be forwarded to the state treasurer for deposit into the operations fund. Subject to the annual appropriations process, the center may charge reasonable fees for admissions and other services described in this subsection. Fees collected under this subsection shall be forwarded to the state treasurer for deposit into the operations fund.

(5) The center may accept gifts and bequests, including tangible and intangible property, for the furtherance of its authorized purposes. Money collected under this subsection shall be forwarded to the state treasurer for deposit into the operations fund.