We found a place that offers kids a fun interactive hands on experience that includes some learning along 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. read more

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What a cutie patootie children's museum! Grand Rapids Children's Museum is small, but it's everything 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. read more

We visited on our last day in Michigan for July 4th vacation. We came just before closing time but we made the most of it. We had ACM reciprocal membership so admission was half off. It was Sunday so parking was free. The museum has 2 floors and we finished before museum closed. Upstairs has nice wooden train table without tracks being glued down. There is also an art studio but they closed for the day. Gift shop had nice selection of toys like fire trucks. Overall, we liked this but my son liked impression 5 more and I would agree too. read more

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I don't have kids but I've been to the Grand Rapids Children's Museum several times with friends. (All adults have to have a kid with them to enter.) The museum is a good size with lots of hands on activities. I find the museum to be a bit chaotic and overstimulating, but kids seem to love it. They do have a policy that states grown-ups and children need to stay together at all times but I didn't really see that happening or being enforced while I was there. I get it, kids run fast, but I don't want to have to watch someone else's kid. One person left their toddler unattended while I was with my friends' kids at the bubble table which made me a bit nervous. I love that the museum offers sensory support via tool kits that include noise reduction headphones, a weighted vest and suspenders, emotion recognition flashcards, a Therapy Tangle, a Squigglet bracelet, a copy of the GRCM social story, and a set of three stress balls. This way the museum is more accessible to folks which I think is great. They offer daily programs like art, storytime, toddler time, open painting, sensory environment, and more, as well as member-only times. Membership levels at the museum start at $100 per year but the $150 level is great as it includes entry for one named adult, one rotating adult, all children, and one guest. This allows a family to bring a babysitter or other adult, like me! Parking can be challenging in this area since it's right in the heart of downtown and there is no designated parking garage for the museum. There's plenty of street parking but it's a busy area. read more

Grand Rapids Children's Museum - Grand Rapids Children's Museum - Children's Museums Near Me - Grand Rapids, Michigan

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The children's museum is such an inclusive and wonderful place for kids of all ages (including adults)! I've been a few times and I appreciate how much they rotate out the exhibits and features. It's also nice to see signage in other languages as well as offering sensory bags for kids with support needs. The staff is always super friendly. Definitely a gem for families in the area. read more

This museum is fantastic! Being young at heart, I love taking my granddaughter to this museum. Grocery store set up, bank with its own safe, and the upstairs is just as fun. We could have stayed later, but it was nap time. This museum will be a staple for my visits. read more

Took our kids here to socialize and play! They were free since they were just under 1; each adult was $12. Their infant play area is pretty small, but they have a lot of play couch pieces in there, and a small ball pit in the back! All of the parents in the area were nice and respectful, and made plenty of room for the babies to crawl around and explore. I appreciate that they have a yuck bucket, because the amount of toys that everyone was putting into their mouths... The babies loved the upstairs area where they had the ring of keys that you could spin and have it hit the bell, and the hanging spoons in the same area were a hit! We got there around 11am and got right in. By the time we left at 12:30, there was a large queue outside, so definitely get there earlier rather than later. If you do end up having to wait, there's a great coffee shop right across the street (Has Heart Coffee). :) read more

Went there with niece and nephew definitely a small hands-on museum and a PlayStation kind of situation lol do kind of wish that there were more exhibits and stuff to do because it seemed like there was only 12 items or exhibits to choose from and that's including the top floor. My niece and nephew, since they were really young, didn't seem to care, but they also got bored fairly quick sadly, the staff was wonderful and they were very attentive, however but also nowadays you almost have to spend a car payment to get into this place since it is not free sadly. Don't give me wrong paying something is always good but when it comes to almost being around 30 bucks per person, it does get daunting. At least when I was there. read more

This place was crazy packed on their last day open of 2022. Hence the place was also a mess. Nevertheless my lil ones had a blast with all the things to see and do. They were also one of the only ones who wore masks as it's not currently required. They were coughing, sneezing, or dripping snot at a time flu and RSV numbers are so high for all ages so it only made sense to keep masks. It would be nice to return when they aren't so busy and when the place is tidy to actually get a better feel of their play/explore space but I'm not sure we'll be back. At the price we paid for two kids two adults, it just might not be worth it. It was worth it to check out at least once though! read more

Grand Rapids Children's Museum - Children's Museums Near Me - Grand Rapids, Michigan

We went to take the kids since the weather has been a drag being rainy and grey. Definitely get there right when they open to get in or else you are stuck outside waiting in a line since they limit how many people are allowed in. The kids had fun. The next display they are doing is Molly of Denali. That part was empty when they were there since the museum just did a huge deep clean. All in all for indoor fun they got some wiggles out. read more

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Came from Ohio, looking for a fun day with our grandchild. The staff were great at sitting and talking among themselves. They did not keep any of the rooms clean. When my grandson wanted to play in the store for example, I had to put everything back on the shelves for him to shop. Everything was messy, we had to step over things on the floor. We will not return! read more

Our three-year-old daughter LOVED the Children's Museum. It's a two-story building in downtown Grand Rapids open every day except for Mondays and open late on Thursdays. It cost $9 for people 1-64 (under 1 is free and there's a senior discount). The bottom floor has a small kid area, sandboxes, games, a real store to buy toys, and a fake grocery store for kids to shop in. There's also stuffed animals, race cars, a kitchen, etc. Our daughter spent most of her time here. The top floor has more science like exhibits and a workshop with free daily programs. When we went, our daughter made a little medallion. After two hours, we walked to Two Beards Deli for lunch! read more

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I need one of these in my community. Kiddos loved this place street parking just download the app. So much to do. They had Molly of Denali PBS kids show. read more

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Toddler heaven! Just got a family annual membership as a Christmas gift and my 2 year old LOVES it...in fact I thought I lost her as soon as I went to check in because she was reveling in all the wonderful stations they have there, the cool yellow car was her 1st wonder (takes after her dad I suppose). She absolutely loved the bubble and sand stations and there's just SO much for kids to do there from toddler up. Can be germ central and I do not recommend for babies, but if you have a baby also, wear them in a carrier and bring hand sanitizer and wipes. I make sure my daughter washes her hands when we leave and change her clothes at home (tis flu season!). I knocked off a star because parking can be a challenge, especially during peak times and winter when you might have to walk a bit. Parking options include paid street parking, I just signed up for the Motu app as I used all my quarters my 1st visit. There are a some paid parking lots in the area including the Main library. It can also get quite chaotic in there when busy. There are 2 levels and it is a relatively small space when you compare to say the GR Public museum John Ball Zoo or Meijer Gardens where we typically have annual memberships. There is plenty of seating for the parents throughout the upstairs area which is nice, especially when you are pregnant and tired. Just be careful not to lose your kid! read more

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My son (21 months) loves it here! They currently have a cool dinosaur exhibit with buttons to push to hear the dinos roar, which he adores. His favorite thing is balls and they have lots of cool ramps to roll balls down in the toddler area. He love riding the glass elevator up to the top and I love checking out the bees in the exhibit on the top floor. read more

Grand Rapids Children's Museum - Toddler area ball fun - Children's Museums Near Me - Grand Rapids, Michigan

THE ONE⁣⁣ THE ONLY⁣⁣ Grand Rapids Children's Museum ⁣⁣ ⁣⁣ This may arguably be the most fun museum in the city. Kids play and learn in different ways and the museum fully recognizes and embraces it with FUN! ⁣⁣ Different areas of the museum include bubbles, bees, music, forts, dinosaurs, a kidstruction zone and more! They rotate the exhibits regularly so there is always something new! Woohoo! (Check out their website to see what exhibits are currently open). ⁣⁣ read more

Grand Rapids Children's Museum - Children's Museums Near Me - Grand Rapids, Michigan

This is a fairly small museum and definitely geared towards the younger set. There seems to be not enough of the activities that appeal to older kids and, from what we saw, half of those activities are taken up by other adults. We spent 2 hours here on a rainy Sunday, having arrived at opening time. By the time we left, the place was in shambles and the decibels were continuously rising. read more

A fun small museum, especially for toddlers to preschool age. It's small, but for the most part things seem pretty spread out. I was worried coming on a Saturday morning that it would be too busy, but it was great and not too chaotic. My 8-year-old daughter seemed a bit bored after an hour or so, and in the end we discovered that the GR Public Museum was a better fit. Favorite Activities: The bubble station, bees display, climbing wall, puppet show, and dress as a dinosaur. Social Vibe: The overall feeling was a friendly one, where families seemed to watch their children without being too involved (taking turns, watching for other kids, etc). I know that can vary, but I had a feeling a lot families were regulars. I noted that they have a "safe space" triangle on their front door - really cool. Location: Love that this museum is downtown but that there is park across the street, so it doesn't seem swallowed up by big buildings. Street parking was easy to find. read more

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Wonderful children's museum! Nice 1.5 hr burn for my toddler. So many fun activities to keep his busy mind & hands a go. Great magician for a fun magic show. Neat body bubble. 2 floors! Lots & lots of things to do! Also had a area to hang up your coats!! Score! Next visit back to GR we will take little man again! read more

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Pretty disappointing as far as children's museums go, but the employees were great!!!

This place is never open, post pandemic! I used to come to this museum multiple times as a child to the museum all the time growing up in the late 90s. The last time I was inside of this museum was 2015. It was such a fun experience in my wife and I have the time could not wait to bring our own children to the museum to learn all about Grand Rapids. But it seems as I've gotten older this day in age post pandemic, it's incredibly hard to visit this museum with my family and I now that my own children are-grown up. There always seems as if there is too many liberal policies in place that don't allow the museum to be open as much anymore. That's pretty sad when I Museum such as this is only open two days a week to nonmembers. This is tough because we visit several museums down in the state of Florida and they're open every day of the week. They don't have problems with wiping down parts of the museum at the end of the day. And have thousands of children go through the museum each and every day. My family has tried to come to this museum each time for the past two years and it's always closed during the middle of the week. My daughter is very bummed because she's heard so much about the place so she wants to go but it's just never open. **Overall, I understand hiring times are tough but we're post Covid and the museum doesn't need to be open just two days a week it's a bit ridiculous you're better off saving your time and your money and going elsewhere just pass this place it's never open anyway! read more

Many interesting exhibits and "real-life" set ups (MRI machine & surgery, construction site, etc) made this a great spot to entertain the kiddos for a few hours. Our girls - ages 4 and 2 - enjoyed their time and we found many things age-appropriate. Seems appropriate for ages 1-10 when you include the toddler play area. Probably the most fun for ages 6-9. Note: When we first arrived, there was a school field trip so the museum was overrun with upper elementary age kids. They wreaked havoc on the place and our girls couldn't get near any of the exhibits or toys. Once the field trip left and the staff had a chance to tidy up, it was a completely different and much better experience. HIGHLY recommend checking the GRCM website or calling before planning a visit to make sure a school group will not be there at the time you're planning to go. It could completely ruin it. With the place mostly to ourselves, though, it was awesome read more

Such a fun place to bring your kids to explore! Lots to play with and experience. Taking into account the clientele and their destructive nature (yes.. children).. it seems a little worn, but what do you expect! Not bad.. just, well loved :) Lots to do for all ages. Our 1 year old loved it.. there were certain things that were too advanced for him, but there is lots for him to do, too. Look forward to many more visits for him to grown and learn. read more

Two words: BUBBLE ROOM! I have been going to the Children's Museum with my nephew (now 11) and my own kids for about 9 years. It has a pretty good selection of traveling exhibits that come through. Lots of things to keep kids interested. Did I mention the Bubble Room? A huge soap bubble table with a crazy glycerin bubble solution that works like a charm, also a chance to stand in a bubble when it is being made. Fun times for families. read more

Grand Rapids Children's Museum - In the bubble - Children's Museums Near Me - Grand Rapids, Michigan

I love taking my family here. I remember when the building was first opened back in the 90's. So glad that I get to continue to have a great experience there. It's always clean and organized. The staff are always so friendly and smiling. read more

I love the Grand Rapids Children's Museum! This is a perfect place to bring your kids to keep them occupied and happy for hours. Like the other reviewer said the weekends are busier and holidays can be hectic as well. But if you are able to go in the morning you almost have the place to itself. You can call them in advance to see if there will be large field trips that day. The building is very open and has two big floors. They have a gift shop with some snacks and drinks. The regular exhibits are fun for the kids and there are new ones like, Bob the Builder, Clifford, etc., that come through every few months. You do have to pay for parking so bring some coins. If you want you can park in the library lot, the first hour of parking there is free if you go validate the parking ticket in the library. You can also go to the museum on Thursday night when admission is cheaper and parking is free after 5pm, but this is a busy time as well. This place is worth checking out!! read more

Grand Rapids Children's Museum - grcm - Children's Museums Near Me - Grand Rapids, Michigan

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Our kids a lot of fun here. They have a little: grocery store bank restaurant mechanic shop construction zone doctor's office All with toys and props for that area. The kids also liked the music area, the beehive and exploration tables. We came here on a Saturday, and it appeared to be well staffed. It is a little pricey per visit if not apart of a federal program, but I am sure that is to encourage yearly memberships. read more

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I opted to get a membership for my family, knowing that GRCM is a fantastic indoor play option during the loooooonnnggg cold winters in GR. We're so happy we did! From the incredibly diverse exhibits to the dedicated and friendly staff, the perfect downtown location to the wonderful special events, the Grand Rapids Children's Museum provides an awesome educational play experience for kids. I highly recommend visiting for their ArtPrize events and periodic outdoor celebrations on Sheldon Ave. Membership has its privileges, including reciprocal memberships at other museums and centers in and around town that change on a monthly basis. Members also get access to special member events and private play days. The museum is probably best enjoyed by toddlers through early elementary-aged children, but there are certainly some exhibits and experiences for older children as well. read more

This museum is huge. I loved it. My 1 and 3 year olds both loved it. The only thing missing (in my mind, not the kids) was a climbing/play area for my new walker/climber to improve his climbing skills, something other than stairs. The craft table was so messy it was hard to use. It would be nice if they had someone there to help and also precut shapes for the younger ones to create things with. read more

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Coming from DC (where the children museum barely got 1 star) this place is awesome. My Kids loved it and they are 7, 5 and 11 months. A lot to do, not very crowded and everything is put together nicely. Variety off its for the kids. Very interactive. We definitely will be coming back. read more

Do you want a fun, educational experience that wears out your small child? Then this is the place you want to be. Fun for hours, covers art, engineering, science, economics, and most importantly, pillow forts. We don't have a membership this year, but we were able to go this month with the reciprocal for GRPM so we were happy to have another chance to bring our little guy to play. He spent time in a Beetle, on a John Deere tractor, and of course the most fun he had was watching the elevator go up and down. Noise level can get excrutiating, but I'm really appreciative of the increase of comfortable seating. Parking is frustrating so I knocked off a star just for the annoyance factor. I was also very sad to see the bees didn't make it!!! read more

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This place is so much fun... Pretty sure I enjoy myself more than my children do! The price is great and the exhibits are continually changing. My kids love the kitchen food and my personal favorite is the bubbles. They recently took measures to make the entrance to the museum a little less accessible to prevent creepers. My only complaint is that the parking is terrible and on a weekday can cost you anywhere from $5-$9. read more

Grand Rapids Children's Museum - What?! - Children's Museums Near Me - Grand Rapids, Michigan

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Chicago's children's museums blow this one away BUT it's still awesome. The first time I came here was probably 4 years ago. I will say it feels like some of the features are ready to be replaced but the area with the library, bank, restaurant etc. is so fun. I thought the parking was easy and super cheap, again coming from a Chicago perspective. I think it's not cool that they expect the parents to pay to get in but whatever. The staff is great. The should have a larger snack option or a little area with snacks for kids. read more

Grand Rapids Children's Museum - Bubbles - Children's Museums Near Me - Grand Rapids, Michigan

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It looks like a fun enough place, but it's really hit or miss if your kid will be able to get in and play anything. On the day that we went, we encountered a number of difficulties even getting to the museum- if you're going to park somewhere, bring lots of silver change for the meters. We ended up parking a block away and having to walk over, which wasn't that fun in a stiff March wind, but honestly, that's part of life in a city. The problems with this place are that there's plenty of staff if you want to enter or buy something, but it seems that nobody's really interested in cleaning up during the day so kids can actually play with things without wondering where all the pieces are. The other problem this place has is that if field trips from nearby schools show up, it becomes absolutely packed with kids and it becomes almost impossible to get your kids any time on the exhibits or play sets. Maybe if the staff had a way that it could tell visitors "hey, we have a field trip incoming/here, maybe it would be better if you came later/another time?", things could be much easier and kids like my niece could get some time on the things they want to do. We managed to hang out for about an hour before the sheer mass of kids got too much to handle and we lit out for the next stop on our list (where we had much better luck). If there's a day when it's less packed, we might be back to give it another go. read more

Very fun place to take children to play. There's all sorts of adventurous activities for children of all ages, even babies. The bubbles are my favorite. I can get the big on to go all the way to the top. My son is a fan of the sand table and the "construction zone." My only complaint is that I wish the employees would get off the piano and let the kids play on it more often. read more

Grand Rapids Children's Museum - Playing with the bubbles. - Children's Museums Near Me - Grand Rapids, Michigan

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As a mom of two young children living in the Grand Rapids area, there are two venues that our family purchases memberships to: Frederik Meijer Gardens & the Grand Rapids Children's Museum. The children's museum can easily occupy my 2 & 4 year old for a couple of hours and with the exception of weekends and spring break week, it is usually not too crowded. New exhibits come to the museum every few months and my kids love some of the permanent exhibits, including the kitchen, post office & grocery store. The only bummer about going to the museum is having to feed the parking meters--there is no free lot to park in. read more

I have been to many children's museums in many cities, and I have never been to one this crazy. Visited on a Tuesday morning, and the staff presence is next to nothing. No one picking up, no one watching the crafts area, and it is completely chaotic and crazy. It makes it harder for the kids to play when nothing is where it is supposed to be. I realize parents should watch their kids, but it doesn't always happen and that's where the staff should be able to step in. That being said, it's a great space with a wide variety of exhibits and activities that will keep kids busy. I particularly like the fort area, where the kids use sheets to build forts on chairs and stands. Just wish it was better staffed. read more

Had a good time with my 6 year old. Toys were all over. No bubbles in the big ring bubble thing. Not suggested for any child under the age of 6. read more

Super fun for all. Great way to interact with your kids and to get them to blow off some steam. Great location. One hour is all you need.

Love this place for my children. Responsibly priced and they have good exhibits for the 4 and 6 year old to explore. Nice family day out.