Not Leaving Michigan for Spring Break? Here’s an Idea!

Spend this Spring Break at the Grand Rapids Public Museum (GRPM) to enjoy two traveling exhibits, planetarium shows, hands-on activities and more! Visitors can explore the mythical creatures from around the globe in the Dragons, Unicorns & Mermaids, and become a water droplet in Water’s Extreme Journey!

This year, the GRPM invites one and all to enjoy special Spring Break activities planned from March 30 to April 8. And, you'll have even more time for fun and learning as the Museum extends its hours until 8 p.m. from April 2 through 6. The Museum will be closed Sunday, April 1 for Easter.

Special hands-on activities include creating your own Chinese dragons, make-and-take your own mermaid or unicorn puppet, playing BIG games, build structures with Keva blocks and Magformers magnetic shapes, and see special Museum artifacts on a touch-it table.

Tuesday, April 3, is the special Science Tuesday activity in the Museum’s Watershed Lab using their augmented reality sandbox! Visitors will be able to change the topography of a land map, creating different terrains from lakes to mountains to learn how a watershed works. This Lab will be free with general admission.

Dragons, Unicorns & Mermaids features models and replicas of preserved specimens as well as cast fossils of prehistoric animals to investigate how they could have, through misidentification, speculation, fear, or imagination, inspired the development of some legendary creatures. Dragons, Unicorns & Mermaids offers many interactive stations throughout the exhibition. Visitors can build their own dragon on an engaging touch-screen and watch it come alive before their eyes in a virtual environment.

Water’s Extreme Journey lets visitors become a water droplet to explore the watershed and learn about why conservation of water is so important. To explore the exhibition watershed, visitors voyage through rivers, lakes, wetlands, and even their homes, eventually reaching the healthy ocean. In addition, the GRPM has added six banners to show and tell you all about the Grand River, including the history of where the rapids went and the future plans for the River!

Don't forget to visit the Chaffee Planetarium.The GRPM offers additional show times for the most popular shows. Planetarium shows are $4 with general admission, $5 for planetarium-only tickets and free to Museum members.

For more information on Spring Break activities including planetarium shows and for tickets visit grpm.org.