The Grand Rapids Public Museum (GRPM) announced today that by popular demand, the Expedition: Dinosaur exhibition has been extended by two weeks! Visitors can now explore the fascinating world of dinosaurs and the hunt for their fossils through May 12.
This exhibit has something for all ages, from life-sized and life-like animatronic dinosaurs – some controlled by visitors – to mechanical and electronic learning stations. Visitors learn about modern imaging techniques like high-energy neutron beams that reveal the inside of a T. Rex skull in microscopic detail never seen before. The exhibit includes a number of hands-on interactives that explain dinosaur movement, digestion, and evolution, and show the life and methods of dinosaur hunters from the 1800s to today.
“The Grand Rapids Public Museum is pleased to extend Expedition: Dinosaur in response to the community’s excitement of the exhibit, giving us the opportunity to allow more visitors to experience the science behind paleontology and these fascinating creatures,” said Kate Kocienski, VP of Marketing and PR for the Grand Rapids Public Museum.
Expedition: Dinosaur taps into our fascination with these incredible creatures, and is perhaps the closest experience to what it would have been like to be in the presence of a living, breathing Mesozoic-era dinosaur.
Admission for Expedition: Dinosaur is $12 for adults, $7 for children, $9 for Kent County adults, $4 for Kent County children, and $2 for Museum members.
Expedition: Dinosaur was developed by Stage Nine Exhibitions.
The Grand Rapids Public Museum (GRPM) just announced that in partnership with Kent County Farm Bureau, they will be offering a Museum Free Day for the second year in a row! On March 10, the GRPM will open their doors free of charge for visitors to explore the Museum’s three floors of core exhibits.
“We’re thrilled to offer a free day at the Museum to the community again this year,” said Kate Kocienski, VP of Marketing and PR for the Grand Rapids Public Museum. “Thanks to Kent County Farm Bureau, everyone has the chance to explore the Museum free of charge and explore hands-on science, history and cultural artifacts.”
“Kent County Farm Bureau looks forward to once again partnering with the GRPM to welcome friends into the Museum free of charge,” said Jim May, Kent County Farm Bureau President. “On behalf of the more than 1,200 Kent County farmers, we invite you to the Museum to see agriculture in action!”
The GRPM offers fun, hands-on learning opportunities for all ages through a variety of core and traveling exhibits. Visitor favorites include the Streets of Old Grand Rapids, an immersive exhibit that transports visitors back to 19th century of downtown Grand Rapids, and West Michigan Habitats, that showcases the vast wildlife found in West Michigan.
The current GRPM original exhibit TOYS! will be included free of charge for visitors on the Museum’s Free Day! TOYS! is an interactive, multi-generational exhibition of toys and games to rekindle childhood memories and spark the creation of new ones.
On March 10 only, Kent County Farm Bureau will also have additional agriculture themed hands-on activities available a part of the Free Day. For additional information, please visit grpm.org.
Additional experiences for visitors include the special traveling exhibit Expedition: Dinosaur, planetarium shows, and the Museum’s 1928 Spillman Carousel – that are available for an additional charge.
The free day will be held during the Museum’s normal hours, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sunday, March 10. For more information on the event, visit grpm.org.
Two happy children are having fun pretending to be in the dinosaur jaw. (Grand Rapids Public Museum)
Expedition: Dinosaur
A special traveling exhibition now open at the GRPM, Expedition: Dinosaur explores the fascinating world of dinosaurs and the hunt for their fossils! From life-sized and lifelike animatronic dinosaurs – some controlled by visitors – to mechanical and electronic learning stations, visitors become paleontologists. The exhibit taps into our fascination with these incredible creatures and includes a number of hands- on interactives that explain dinosaur movement, digestion, and evolution, and show the life and methods of dinosaur hunters from the 1800s to today. For more information and tickets, visit grpm.org/Dinos.
Expedition: Dinosaur was developed by Stage Nine Exhibitions.
Take a trip down memory lane in the Grand Rapids Public Museum’s “TOYS!” exhibit. (Grand Rapids Public Museum)
TOYS!
Baby Boomers loved Paper Dolls, Erector Sets, and Mr. Potato Head, Gen Xers preferred Holly Hobbie and Hot Wheels, and Millennials have never known a world without Super Mario or My Little Pony. Some toys, like Barbie and G.I. Joe, have adapted to appeal to different generations and remain popular today. Toys and games have changed over time, but the desire to imagine, compete, and create has not.
TOYS! is an interactive, multi-generation exhibition of toys and games to rekindle childhood memories and spark the creation of new ones. This GRPM original exhibit features toys and games from the Museum’s Collections and on loan from the community, allowing visitors to imagine, compete and create, while taking going on a journey of toys through generations.
Through the design process of the exhibition, the Museum worked with several experts from the community making sure the design was as inclusive as possible so everyone visiting can enjoy it. The exhibition will be presented in both English and Spanish, and will also include Braille.
The Grand Rapids Public Museum (GRPM) just announced Snowflake Break activities and additional displays at the Museum for the holiday season. Snowflake Break includes a variety of family friendly programs and activities themed around special exhibits Expedition: Dinosaur and TOYS!
Finny, the finback whale skeleton, greats visitors as the enter the Grand Rapids Public Museum.
During Snowflake Break at the GRPM, visitors can make a variety of crafts including their own themed snowflakes, sock monkey hats, dinosaur kirigami, punch tin, play a variety of over-sized games, and explore Expedition: Dinosaur and TOYS!
Expedition: Dinosaur is perhaps the closest experience to what it would have been like to be in the presence of a living, breathing Mesozoic-era dinosaur, and TOYS! lets visitors rekindle childhood memories as they create new ones. Additionally, the Museum has holiday displays for visitors of all ages to enjoy from additions to the Streets of Old Grand Rapids, the Herpolsheimer’s Child Passenger Train from the Museum’s Collections, historic LEGO® display of Grand Rapid and more.
Snowflake Break runs from Dec. 22 through Jan. 6. General admission includes hands–on activities for Snowflake Break, special holiday displays and the TOYS! exhibit. Expedition: Dinosaur is an additional $4 per person and $2 for Museum members.
Kent County residents receive reduced admission. Kent County adults are only $5 for general admission and Kent County children 17 and under are FREE general admission.
Holiday Displays
Historic LEGO® Display – See historic Grand Rapids like never before; built from LEGO®s. The 1925-era display, complete with operating trams, will be on display in the Streets of Old Grand Rapids exhibition now through January 18, 2019 and is included with general admission. Built by the West Michigan LEGO® Train Club.
Santa’s Rocket Express is now on display at the museum through Jan. 18.
Herpolsheimer’s Child Passenger Train – Visitors to the Museum can enjoy a community favorite on display – the Herpolsheimer’s Child Passenger Train. The Train is included with general admission to the Museum and will be on display through Jan. 18.
The monorail train debuted as “Santa’s Rocket Express” when the new Herpolsheimer’s Department Store opened in in 1949. Recognizable to any baby-boomer resident of Grand Rapids, the train chugged along the ceiling of the toy department at the Herpolsheimer’s Department Store, which sat at the corner of Fulton and Division streets in downtown Grand Rapids.
Santa and Elf Hunt – Find 15 historic Santas from around the World in the Streets of Old Grand Rapids, and 12 elves hidden throughout the 3 floors of the Museum. The Santa & Elf Hunt is included with general admission.
Let it Snow Planetarium Show – Let it Snow features a new variety of festive classics from Frank Sinatra and Chuck Berry to Burl Ives and Brenda Lee, and includes a stunning multi-media finale by the Trans-Siberian Orchestra. The soundtrack is visually enhanced with thematic animation, laser imagery and special effects. Tickets are $4 each with general admission to the Museum, free to Museum members and $5 each for planetarium only tickets. Let it Snow will run through Jan. 6.
Roger B. Chaffee Planetarium
The GRPM announced that the Roger B. Chaffee Planetarium recently underwent upgrades introducing the latest Digistar technology! The new Digistar system provides the latest in resolution quality, content features and immersive surround sound for an out of this world experience.
The Planetarium re-opened this November with its newest upgrade since March of 2014 after a major renovation that included new technology, sound system, full dome and seating.
The Planetarium is named for Grand Rapids native, Roger B. Chaffee, who died with fellow Apollo 1 astronauts Gus Grissom and Ed White during a pre-launch test in 1967. The Planetarium was originally opened in 1994 and has gone through renovations to provide the best experience for Planetarium visitors.
Two happy children are having fun pretending to be in the dinosaur jaw
Expedition: Dinosaur
Expedition: Dinosaur explores the fascinating world of dinosaurs and the hunt for their fossils! From life-sized and lifelike animatronic dinosaurs – some controlled by visitors – to mechanical and electronic learning stations. The exhibit includes a number of hands-on interactives that explain dinosaur movement, digestion, and evolution, and show the life and methods of dinosaur hunters from the 1800s to today.
Expedition: Dinosaur taps into our fascination with these incredible creatures. It is perhaps the closest experience to what it would have been like to be in the presence of a living, breathing Mesozoic-era dinosaur.
Take a trip down memory lane in the Grand Rapids Public Museum’s “TOYS!” exhibit.
TOYS!
TOYS! is an interactive, multi-generation exhibition of toys and games to rekindle childhood memories and spark the creation of new ones.
Baby Boomers loved Paper Dolls, Erector Sets, and Mr. Potato Head, Gen Xers preferred Holly Hobbie and Hot Wheels, and Millennials have never known a world without Super Mario or My Little Pony. Some toys, like Barbie and G.I. Joe, have adapted to appeal to different generations and remain popular today. Toys and games have changed over time, but the desire to imagine, compete, and create has not.
The exhibit, designed and curated by the GRPM staff, features toys and games from the Museum’s Collections and on loan from community members. Visitors will imagine, compete and create, while going on a journey of toys through generations.
Through the design process of the exhibition, the Museum worked with several experts from the community making sure the design was as inclusive as possible so everyone visiting can enjoy it. The exhibition is being presented in both English and Spanish, and also includes Braille.
