I had been looking for some things to do while visiting Grand Rapids that were within walking…read moredistance of my hotel. The Public Museum had come up in several searches, so I decided to stop in for a visit. This museum was the perfect way to spend a couple hours. The displays and different installations were just long enough to get a better understanding of the subject, but not so long and detailed that it was overwhelming. I particularly liked the baseball collection display. Upon buying my ticket, I was asked if I also wanted a ticket to the carousel or the planetarium. I decided to do both. The carousel was fun, but I think I could have probably skipped it. The planetarium was really cool. It was kind of a "choose your own adventure" as we hopped around via audience input. All in all, a fun way to spend a couple hours and very family friendly.

We had a wonderful visit, two adults. I'm sure our adult kids would have enjoyed it, too, but it…read morewas great for us older adults

Came here specifically to see the Chihuly Exhibit with my MI gal pal…read more She had seen some of his art while at a Dane National somewhere in the Midwest. Neither of us can remember the location. We were slow to get started and finally arrived close to 230 on this day. Thanks to the reciprocal program of the Desert Botanical Garden (Phoenix, AZ), I was able to get complimentary passes to the Garden and only needed to pay an additional fee for the special exhibit. I would advise anyone wanting to visit this Garden to plan for 3-4 hours, at least, if they've not visited before. We took in a good amount of this place but I know we didn't see at least two (2) Chihuly pieces. It was already feeling like it was getting late and my friend was feeling tired. I will say when we made it to the parking lot the landscaping we observed in progress was completed and the parking lot more than half of the vehicles that were there when we arrived were now gone. The Garden is quite stunning and I'm glad we made the three (3) hour drive to visit. Wish i was closer. Certainly would be great to see in the different seasons. The Chihuly Exhibit greatly added to the sights. They were very well placed and certainly enhanced the mood, lending to the peace and serenity of some areas, whimsy to others. And the pictures we captured were all great keepers. And almost forgot to mention the wildlife. Bees, Dragonflies, Groundhog(s), Cranes. I bet there's even the occasional Deer sighting here every now and then. Such a beautiful place. So glad I was finally able to visit.

What a beautiful place! Plenty of parking. We came for the Chihuly exhibit…read more There was an option to walk the beautiful grounds or pay to have the shuttle drive to the areas with the sculptures. It was a lot of walking as the grounds are expansive. There are gardens inside also. English gardens. Dessert gardens. Rainforest climates. Complete with giant palm trees, beautiful plants, & even birds. The glass sculptures were amazing. Huge & beautifully arranged. The Chihuly exhibit was there for a limited time. There are also a lot of permanent art sculptures that were so unique. There is a restaurant here also. We had the ice cream at the cute little cafe outside. Lots of restrooms available.

This was a last min trip due to rain and it was an unexpected surprise…read more It's an imposing structure. It's very clean and the landscaping is nicely done. Staff inside is so friendly - and they even had a scavenger hunt (with prizes)! We meandered along in the exhibits. The Oval Office and cabinet room were very neat - with interesting tidbits on the sides. All in all a good visit. We only had an hour - so we had to race through - you probably want to leave 2 hours to really experience everything. Take pics and look later was the advice of the woman who sold us our tickets (and it was good advice!) I didn't know much about Gerald Ford - and even so - this was a fascinating visit. Truly interesting.

I had never visited a presidential library before, so I wasn't quite sure what to expect. It's…read moredefinitely more museum than library, but, in full disclosure, the library portion of the building was closed the day I visited, so the library part could have been massive. I never really considered myself a huge President Ford fan, but the museum was really cool. Plenty to see and peruse though, starting with his early life and going through his funeral. If you find yourself in Grand Rapids with a couple extra hours and and interest in presidential history, the Ford Presidential Library cam definitely scratch a historical itch.

I've been a member and patron of the Grand Rapids Art Museum for over 6 years now. It's one of my…read morefavorite places to go relax, put down my phone, and be immersed in something else. I've loved the range of collections that the GRAM has worked to showcase. Some of my favorite exhibits have included the Jim Henson and Lee Alexander McQueen collections. The permanent gallery is also something that I find myself coming back to. The museum also keeps things fresh with different events and workshops. I've been lucky to attend several panels and discussions which have all been excellent. You can find hands on makers classes, guest lecturers, movie nights, and even musical acts. I've always loved art museums and am grateful for such a prominent museum in the middle of downtown. I would highly recommend coming here. I actually got engaged here!

We popped in on a wintery weekend morning. It was by chance that we found ourselves here. Their…read morecurrent exhibit of Lee Alexander McQueen & Ann Ray: Rendez-Vous was fascinating. It was a walk through time of the friendship and collaboration between the late British designer Lee Alexander McQueen and French photographer Ann Ray. We spent time on each design displayed. So much detail and expression. We ended our exploration of the exhibit by watching the film by Ann Ray. It was a powerful chronical of Lee Alexander McQueen's life in design. We went up and spent time in the permanent collection as well. It was interesting to see the different pieces and displays. One of my favorites was a skyscraper book case. Just a beautiful piece of furniture! This is a worthy stop.

Fun entertainment for my 5 year old! This place was tucked way off the main road but had plenty of…read moreparking. We got a package where we could do both mini golf and bowling. Mini golf was fun and just enough challenge. At first, there was no one in front of us or behind us. However, the crowd soon caught up to us. So we had to wait for people in front of us and then people were waiting behind us. It could hardly be helped though since the golf course is small and compact. The bowling was fun and they even had option of using bumpers. My kid had a good time and it was nice that there was no one else bowling around us. The arcade was nice. It had plenty of free games. The pay games were mostly the claw games where you can win a stuffed animal or plastic duck. They offer food, ice cream, and drinks. Ice cream was delicious and my kid approved! Overall, it was a fun time and worth the amount of money that we spent. It was clean and comfortable inside. The golf course was kind of tight quarters with everyone waiting but otherwise, it was a good time!

Very fun gold experience. U would say this is more catered to young family's and children but would…read morestill return again. The course is challenging and engaging, but does seem a bit old. Overall a fair price and food service! 4/5 stars!

A must wen visiting Grenada rapids So stunning how they…read morebrought this place back to live And on top the tours are free!

If you are in the Grand Rapids area and like Frank Lloyd Wright, don't miss the opportunity to…read morevisit the Meyer May house. It is a very good example of the prairie style that he is known for. The tour starts with video history of the house emphasizing the history of the restoration. It gave a great insight on the research for the restoration. Then the tour of the interior of the house ending with a tour of the gardens. Our tour guide was very knowledgeable and kept us engaged by asking us questions along the way. The tour takes about an hour and a half. Make sure to make reservations ahead of time.

We found a place that offers kids a fun interactive hands on experience that includes some learning…read morealong the way. If your kiddos like to have fun and explore you need to visit the Grand Rapids Children's Museum. They have exhibits that change often that include local or even trending kids shows! The museum has two floors and has an elevator. They have an array of learning and interactive opportunities. You can find a list of days and times on their website! When we were there we got a chance to learn about music and the kids got to play some instruments. The museum is very inclusive and friendly! They offer sensory kits at the front desk if needed too! According to their website the "kits include noise reduction headphones, a weighted vest and suspenders, emotion recognition flashcards..." All the team members we have encountered have been kind and helpful! My only comment of suggestion would be for a little more adult seating in some of the "middle sections" of the museum. There are a few spots all along the walls but not much towards the middle. I understand it creates more opportunities for grownups to get involved with the kids too but for those of us with disabilities that need a minute to catch our breath it was difficult to find a spot close to where my kids were. Lots of interactive play and many memories made here! I highly suggest visiting. The rate to visit is $12 per person but they offer many types of discounted rates for different reasons. All rate information is available on their website. Parking can be a challenge as they do not have their own parking structure and the closest parking is side street meter parking that you can pay using the parking app. They do not validate parking.

What a cutie patootie children's museum! Grand Rapids Children's Museum is small, but it's…read moreeverything you need in a children's museum, and a great place for young children to play. I visited with a tween and teenager, so we were definitely a little older than the target age. That said, my children had a great time! I had to practically pull them away when it was time to leave. When we arrived, we were told to explore and "follow our hearts" around the museum. I loved that! This children's museum really encourages self-directed play, which is obvious by all of the fun, open-ended objects everywhere. You've got the giant blocks, magna-tiles, LEGO tables, pretend kitchen and house, and lots of other things. Both of my children gravitated to The Spin Zone, a three-tiered table that uses centrifugal force to power different objects. Upstairs, there's a bubble area, where you can create giant bubbles; a play house to pretend in; a train table to drive trains around; a makerspace to make stuff in; and an exhibit called Weathering Emotions, a walk-through spot where you can learn about and experience emotions. Some of these exhibits are permanent, and some are just visiting, so your visit might vary. I would say that the Grand Rapids Children's Museum is the perfect place for ages 2 to 10. Beyond that age, it's definitely fun, but it might not hold the attention of older kids. But that's OK! This children's museum is a space for the little kids, and that's perfect.

We chose L&R Rosebud again for our daughter's baptism and were just as impressed this second time…read morearound. Hannah and Joey were excellent coordinators and the rental price hadn't changed at all since we rented from them 3 years ago. We also were still allowed to choose our own caterers and decorate as we pleased. The space was still as bright and beautifully decorated with local artists' masterpieces. Overall, my initial review remains the same! Thanks so much!

Lions & Rabbits. ⁣ ⁣…read moreWhen I think of the Creston neighborhood, I immediately think of them. ⁣ ⁣Lions and Rabbits functions as a gallery, education center, and event space in the Creston neighborhood. They write curriculum for Kent District libraries, host classes, organize artist markets, and do community outreach through public space design and street parties through After Dark GR. (They are a main reason why Creston businesses are covered in incredible murals done by artists).⁣ ⁣ We couldn't be more proud to belong to the same city as the people and minds who work with Lions & Rabbits. Thank you, thank you, thank you, for all the work you do in the community.

They're located right on Monroe Center. . The GRAAMA has…read morehosted ArtPrize pieces over the years and even won the Outstanding Venue Award for ArtPrize 10! . . Check out their exhibits and displays of African American traditions and history. They host special events as well - check out their website for details. Their gift shop also features pieces from local artists! .

Small but mighty- a wonderful collection of art and artifacts, as well as archives, of the Black…read moreand African American experience and history in our city and region. Excellent location on Monroe Center, right down the street from the other major GR cultural institutions. Also serves as the We Are Lit book store.