Things to Do on Spring Break at GRPM
Watch Professor Wow, Eat at a Food Truck, Look at the LEGO sculptures, Watch a Planetarium Show & More!
Spend Spring Break at the Grand Rapids Public Museum (GRPM) this year to enjoy live science shows, intriguing exhibits and planetarium shows, as well as festive food experience featuring a food truck from ART: Caribbean Fusion Cuisine along with an assortment of beverages and beer from City Built Brewing Company.
“For families enjoying a staycation for Spring Break or for those visiting Grand Rapids, the Museum offers a family fun-filled experience with exciting exhibits, science shows and more to keep kids learning while having fun,” said Kate Kocienski, the GRPM’s Vice President of Marketing & PR.
“Our offerings cater to visitors of all ages and we’re eager to welcome everyone to the Museum to enjoy engaging activities in a low-risk environment.”
Get Tickets Online Before Heading Out
Visitors are required to reserve advance tickets at grpm.org for quick, easy access into the Museum during Spring Break. Kent County residents receive reduced admission to the GRPM, thanks to the passing of a Kent County millage in 2016, including free general admission for Kent County children 17 and under! Kent County adults and seniors receive reduced pricing as well as free parking.
| Grand Rapids Public Museum 272 Pearl St. NW, Grand Rapids, MI 49504 |
Professor WOW! Fun-Believable Science Show
New this year, watch science come to life at Professor Wow’s live FUN-Believable Science Show!
This interactive show puts the audience in the heart of the action by featuring highly visual demonstrations that explore the wonders of the universe while encouraging a renowned sense of curiosity.
Experience the fantastic 12-foot Foam Monster, the impossible Balloons in Orbit, the Super-Colossal Vortex Cannon and more.
Shows will take place Tuesday, April 6 and Wednesday, April 7 in the GRPM’s Meijer Theater at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m.
Shows are $2 per person and must be purchased in addition to general admission. Limited capacity.
Festive Food Truck & Cafe Experience
As a continuation of the GRPM’s Cultural Celebration, visitors can taste authentic and homestyle food from ART: Caribbean Fusion Cuisine’s food truck on Saturday, April 4 and Saturday, April 10 from 2 to 5 p.m.
The food truck will be located outside the Museum’s main entrance in the turnaround pick up/parking area.
City Built Brewing Company will be offering a selection of beverages and beer. Cash and card will be accepted by both businesses.
The Museum will offer seating on its lawn; the Museum is included in the Downtown Refreshment Zone, so beverages will be able to be carried throughout the zone.
The Museum Cafe is open with prepackaged snacks, lunch items and drinks from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. daily.
Planetarium Shows
Relax, recline and experience the incredible forces of our universe in the Roger B. Chaffee Planetarium with shows for all ages and interests.
This spring break shows will take place four times a day including titles: Incoming!, Under Starlit Skies, Escher’s Universe, One World, One Sky: Big Bird’s Adventure and The Queen Light Show From Mercury to Mars.
Planetarium shows are $4 with general admission to the Museum, $2 for Museum members, and $5 for planetarium only.
Visit grpm.org/Planetarium for a complete list of showtimes and descriptions.
Sean Kenney’s Wild Connections Made with LEGO® Bricks
Explore larger-than-life sculptures made with more than 2 million LEGO® bricks in Sean Kenney’s Wild Connections Made with LEGO® Bricks to learn about animal endangerment, the balance of ecosystems, and mankind’s relationship with nature.
This exhibition, produced by Imagine Exhibitions, depicts important topics that artist Sean Kenney holds dear, from protecting an animals’ habitat to planting a garden or using a bike instead of a car.
Wild Connections further shows that just as LEGO® pieces interconnect, everything in nature is interconnected in a delicate balance.
The narratives, along with the intricate displays, also explore the importance of conservation, the balance of ecosystems, predator/prey relationships, as well as the relationships between humankind and the natural world.
This exhibition is open for a limited time. Tickets to Wild Connections must be purchased with general admission to the Museum.
EatPlayGrow
The Museum is partnering with Cherry Health – Westside Health Center and their EatPlayGrow early child outreach program.
EatPlayGrow uses an evidence-based curriculum to teach young children, typically under the age of five, and their caregivers about nutrition and healthy habits.
Held on Saturdays beginning during Spring Break on April 3, parents and kids pre-k and younger can register to participate in the EatPlayGrow programs hosted at the GRPM. The class curriculum incorporates art-making, storytelling, music and movement activities into fun, hands-on educational lessons.
Classes will be held in small, eight-person groups and will take place at 10:30 a.m. and 2 p.m., lasting 1.5 hours.
Classes are free with a general admission ticket purchase for the parent or guardian; tickets must be reserved in advance at grpm.org. EatPlayGrow will be held for 8 weeks at the GRPM.
EatPlayGrow is made possible because of the generosity of Kent County taxpayers and the voter-approved Ready by Five Early Childhood Millage.
Under the Arctic Exhibit Free With Admission
Free with admission: Visitors can analyze fossils from the last Ice Age in the Under the Arctic exhibit to learn about permafrost, as well as the people and the animals that live in this area.
Visitors can also experience visitors favorite: Historic Grand Rapids made with LEGO® bricks, West Michigan Habitats, and The Streets of Old Grand Rapids, as well as three floors of core exhibits.
Advance ticket purchase required; early ticket purchase is recommended, as tickets will sell out given capacity limits. Visit grpm.org to purchase tickets.
