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

It's the only thing to do in Grand Rapids so I guess if you're there check it out!…read more Price was decent for the tour

An interesting tour of Sanitarium artifacts and Adventist village. We were on a docent lead tour…read moreand it was informative. A few basic questions posed by us about Dr. Kellogg were met with "I don't know", but a quick Google search filled in the blanks.

Probably one of the BEST kids museums we've ever been to. We were in Lansing for the week, and we…read moredecided to stop by before heading back to Detroit since we are members of Cranbrook Science and they share reciprocity with Impression 5. So glad we did! My kids had a blast and there is so much to do! My kids had a blast learning about energy, gravity, nature, etc and when my little one just wanted to play - the toddler area with the slides and water tables was great! So many great exhibits and everything is hands on. There is also a lunch area (bring your own lunch as they only have vending machines with snacks) and a nursing station for moms and family restrooms. You can totally spend an entire day here! The 3 hours I had allotted wasn't nearly enough, and we can't wait to visit again!

I don't really even feel this needs an explanation. This place is for children to learn. Not be…read moreinfluenced by bad literature, and tainted thoughts. Will not be returning to this establishment.

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.

What a very nice historical place to catch some Michigan history…read more Today seeing a presentation of how the Michigan Civil War were saved through restoration.

Huge museum with lots to do and see! It was a great experience and while we were there we got to…read morelearn extra bits of information from Dean. Would recommend to anybody with some spare time on their hands!

avolio is primarily a teaching facility. They do have a small shop with completed artworks for…read moresale, which was very nice. But I was very impressed with the teaching program they offer. I'm hoping I get back to Kalamazoo sometime in the next year so to take advantage of some refresher instruction and studio time.

These guys are the best! If you've joined a local mug club in which hand blown glasses are the…read moredrinking vessels, chances are its an Avolio masterpiece. They make the loveliest small, swirled glass cups for the art hops that they sell for only $10 including a wine or beer fill. We are building up a lovely collection. They also carry Christmas ornaments, vases, fishes, and more. Masters of their craft!

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.

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 is such a great free museum! Nate and I were in town recently and wanted something to do, so…read morewe stopped in. We were greeted at the front desk and given the layout of the museum. I love that they have free lockers to store your coat and personal items. Really handy as we had our winter coats on. The museum has a few special exhibits as well as a permanent collection that includes a ton of information on the history of Kalamazoo, a mummy, and a planetarium. (The planetarium show is $3 per person.) We learned about the Kalamazoo State Hospital and explored the super cool traveling exhibit Skin: Living Armor, Evolving Identity. I learned a lot about animals' skin and their adaptations, how skin has informed technology, and how skin has affected people historically in terms of racism and prejudice. There are a few interactive elements to the exhibit but I think it would be best for middle school kids and up. The museum overall was well kept and for the most part had working installations. I saw some kids playing and the history of Kalamazoo was really interesting. It took us about two hours to explore the museum. It's not a place I need to go every time I'm in Kalamazoo, but I would say if you're a local and have never been, you should check it out. Or if you're visiting and looking for an indoor activity!

It's been many, many years since I've been to the museum. I was very proud to show my friend and…read moreher little one. The building of wonders and artifacts. I was surprised to see so many cool new things like a small diner, a storyboard, sounds machines, wind tunnels. It was really cool! Some of the local favorites were still there. Including the mummy which we just had to check out. After looking at that we went and played a game of fact or opinion! We didn't even realize we'd played for hours and hours. Time really does fly when you're having fun!