This is such a great free museum! Nate and I were in town recently and wanted something to do, so we 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! read more

See all

It's been many, many years since I've been to the museum. I was very proud to show my friend and her 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! read more

See all

Great free museum! Perfect thing to do for a few hours in downtown Kalamazoo! We weren't sure what to expect and didn't give ourselves enough time to see the entire thing. read more

For $3.00 the Pink Floyd light shows are fantastic entertainment If you get motion sick easily, have vertigo or optical seizures--this is NOT for you! This really is not a child friendly show either. Most parents with kids leave early. They also show Led Zeppelin shows sometimes read more

Kalamazoo Valley Museum - Museums Near Me - Kalamazoo, Michigan

See all

This is one of those spots that can transform an adult (particularly my husband) into a wide-eyed kid overjoyed at playing around with science. The interactivity is top-notch, and while many of the exhibits are quite old, they do rotate our several of the rooms tho keep things fresh (we had a fun time exploring the new Cats & Dogs exhibit earlier this month). Most of the long-term exhibitions continue to be interesting over time (particularly the interactive science area on the main floor). You can't beat the price either. It's free unless you're attending a special event (we especially enjoy the planetarium shows). read more

See all

This place is a Kalamazoo treasure! The incredible interactive exhibits captivate my children for hours at a time, AND IT'S FREE!!! Seriously, this is one of our absolute favorite things to do as a family. If you've never been there, it is high time you check it out. read more

FREE museum in kalamazoo! I like when the local community would have free museums and parks. We frequent this place once a month or once in three months to stop in and see if they have new exhibits. We love taking when our friends or families would come in town so they could learn kalamazoo culture pretty quickly. Everything is self education so it's pretty cool. read more

See all

My nieces and nephew call this place the Kala-Museum. There are a lot of interactive exhibits for the younger ones especially to take advantage of. There's a news studio, a diner, and other areas for kids to dress up and pretend. My niece was a huge fan of the diner and whipping up sandwiches and ice cream cones. The admission to the museum is free, which is incredible when you have a troop of little ones. You can also buy tickets to the special shows in the planetarium (like Sesame Street, etc.), which we did, or the museum also offers free 20 min shows in there as well. Great for rainy days or any day. read more

Kalamazoo Valley Museum - My niece, working the counter. - Museums Near Me - Kalamazoo, Michigan

Free museum with some educational and interesting collection at one place! It's suited for all ages. They do have some events for art hop inside he museum from time to time. Glad kalamazoo has this museum for the locals and non locals to learn more about our city history and such. read more

First time here. I loved to walk into a place that makes you feel like a kid again while still being able to learn from all the interesting exhibits. I love the hands on interactivity of this museum and it even has a planetarium, you pay extra, but not much at all. There are 3 floors of exhibits, with lots to do and see per floor, so plan your time accordingly. Its a great experience for the young and old alike. read more

See all

Sunday Funday, I'm glad I finally mustered up the motivation to come visit you Kalamazoo Valley Museum... I don't know why it took so long for me to come visit seeing as you're 100% free and 100% awesome! Moral of the story: Don't be lazy like me. You're truly a sanctuary for all ages... Stuffed to the brim with Kalamazoo history and more- my favorite is the mummy you have stashed on the 3rd floor, she's a beauty (said in Australian accent)! I even had the determination to build a K'Nex car for your slot car race track! ...A 7 year old's race car beat mine, BUT we all know children cheat ...and that I'm definitely not just saying this because even at 24 years of age I'm still a sore loser. You'll end up staying here much longer than intended... Did I mention you're FREE and AWESOME?! Because you are. read more

Kalamazoo Valley Museum - Saaweet - Museums Near Me - Kalamazoo, Michigan

The Kalamazoo Valley Museum is a great spot to visit in downtown Kalamazoo - a very nice museum, indeed. My friends and I actually met up with our professor and classmates to visit the R.A.C.E. exhibit when it was there. We parked in a parking garage just up the street. The museum is free - so no excuses not to visit... though, as with all museums, donations are important for upkeep. I was really impressed with the size of the place. Multiple floors, lots of exhibits. We spent the most time in the R.A.C.E. exhibit, which was fantastic, and actually was at the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History when we visited there last summer - so it was a big deal for Kalamazoo Valley to have that exhibit here. We also checked out some of the other exhibits and the group of us grad students had a great visit. The stained glass and historic artifacts on the wall outside the stairs was very cool. I uploaded a few pictures from my visit. I hope to visit the museum again soon and introduce it to my partner. read more

I currently have a year pass to GRPM and I like this museum as much if not better! I love how interactive this museum is and my son had a ball playing around with everything. He went from being a cameraman to a guitar player and was even a laparoscopic surgeon! I did not have enough time to check out their planetarium yet, but I can't wait to come back to this place to play and learn!!! read more

I'll start this by saying I am a museum professional, so there are certain standards I expect from museums. This was my first visit and it will certainly be my last. My sister and two nephews invited our mom, younger sister, and I to watch the Let It Snow! show in the planetarium as they had gone last year and loved it. We got there and got settled in for the show. The first red flag was broken exit lights in the planetarium which was mentioned in passing with "Sorry, folks, we'll get those fixed someday." Not very reassuring. Then, during the show, that same member of staff stomped towards a child standing next to their adult and pointed at them, quite rudely, to get back in their seat. Most children were standing as it allowed for a more complete view of the room. And, honestly, children are children. Most people there had children with them and nobody minded besides this member of staff, apparently. The family ended up leaving mid-show. After the show we headed to the mummy exhibit. This is their biggest asset besides the planetarium. It was very interesting and captivated my nephews' attention for a long time. I would've loved to see more context somewhere in the exhibit as to why the museum is still in possession of these artifacts, or maybe some context on why the best place for the mummy is the Kalamazoo Valley Museum. You'd be surprised how many times my nephews asked "Why isn't the mummy home in Egypt?" So something fun for kids to learn about the reasoning behind why the mummy wasn't sent back to her "home." Next, we checked out the kids' activity area which was full of activities based around space. We were informed that staff would be closing it up in an hour for lunch at 1 pm. It was 11:30 am at this point, but we appreciated the heads up so we knew how long we had to see the rest of the museum. What we didn't appreciate was being told my nephews couldn't participate in most of the activities because they weren't "age appropriate." The activities, that I saw, were a matching game, coloring, and building. These were for children 5 and up, which seems a bit too high in the first place. My nephews have these activities at home and they're definitely age appropriate for a 3 1/2 and 4 1/2 year old. We brushed it off and played the matching game for a while but became uncomfortable with the staff talking (loudly) among themselves about how they wish visitors would leave so they could start closing the room. Mind you, I checked the time worried that we stayed past closing time, but it was only 11:40 am. At this point they started closing the doors to the activity room and turned away anyone who wanted to come in. When my nephews got to the building station, the staff member turned them away and told them "no, this is for big kids." and "they wouldn't understand." They then told my sister that there was an "age appropriate" play area elsewhere. We took the hint and got out of there. I almost laughed when I saw the toddler area. I've never seen a child's play area equipped with what looked like a line to get into a club. We had to wait in line and check in with the bouncer in this scenario. I'm happy they're taking precautions with COVID-19, but at this point they've opened all the interactive exhibits so it's counterproductive on their part. Inside there were some egg cartons with pom poms and tweezers, some binoculars, books, and a pretend doctor office. Then the adults were asked to leave because another family wanted to come in. My younger sister and I left and checked out the exhibits outside of the play area. All the while there were several members of staff standing around, on their phones, complaining about lunch. At one point, my nephew was upset we weren't allowed back in because he wanted to show us something in the play area when the member of staff manning the station told him to get back in the other room and play. Overall, the only thing this museum has going for it is the planetarium and the mummy exhibit. The number one thing I judge a museum by, as a museum professional, is how inclusive they are; how they treat people in a way that makes them feel as if museums ARE for them when there are so many factors telling them they're not. The staff were rude. They were demeaning, inconsiderate, and obviously didn't want to be there. If I were a child, or really any age, and this was my first impression of a museum I don't think I would want to go back to one. The second hand hurt and embarrassment I felt from watching staff treat visitors the way they did today was horrible and I can't imagine how it felt first hand. As someone who worked for years trying to change the perception that museums aren't for everyone, I was disheartened. I'm certain there were families who left there today with a disappointing and hurtful idea of what and who museums are for. This was a long review, but the impressions made today last longer in young, impressionable, inquisitive minds. It's inexcusable. read more

This is a surprisingly good museum and there is no charge for admission. There is quite a bit on the history of Kalamazoo. The layout is well done. I will return for a planetarium show sometime. They have some simple but well done science/weather displays on the first floor. This is a good place for kids. I really like the exhibits in the hall and the touch screen that goes along with it. read more

This is a great place to spend a afternoon with the kids! First of all it's FREE! You can't beat that! The only cost involved is if you want to see a planetarium show and even that is only $3 a person. The museum itself is three levels. The first two stay consistent and the top level changes with new exhibits rotating in and out a few times a year. My kids can easily occupy several hours here without getting board. Lots of hands on and roleplaying activities. I also like that they have a separate area for the 0-5 crew. read more

I love taking my toddler here. It's free but you will definitely want to leave a donation after you've been here. Lots of hands of stuff for kids to explore and use their imaginations. Don't get me wrong. It's fun for adults too! If you have a free afternoon drop by and check it out. read more

For a free, small museum, this is pretty great! There are three floors to explore (although I think my kids would be happy even just hanging out in the lobby with the tornado-maker!), a planetarium, a space shuttle simulator, a preschool room, lots of permanent exhibits (both local history and global), a room dedicated to awesome traveling exhibits, and lots of hands on exhibits for kids. We always find plenty to do, whether we come for a few minutes or a couple hours. The museum brings in musical groups, hosts festivals, shows movies, and presents speakers. What a gem for the Kalamazoo community!!! read more

I can't believe this museum is free of charge! This museum is probably one of the best museums I have ever been to with my kids. There is so much hands-on stuff to do. Usually a museum has everything guarded under glass tight keys and deadbolt locks. You can't touch or anything. But this place had so many fun things for the kids to do as well as the adults. When we went there was an elderly couple Who was having just as much fun as us with all of the hands on activities. They even ordered an ice cream cone from the little play ice cream shop that my kids were working at. We did not visit anything on the first floor because they were having some concerts at the time. The second floor had a science section with many hands-on activities. It also had a old-fashioned store that you could pretend you were working at and you could put eggs potatoes and onions in a basket and sell them to each other. They also had a news station with a news video camera you could pretend that you were doing the news and it showed your picture up on the screen. There was a little ice cream shop and you could serve each other food. On the third floor there was a civil war tent and other paraphernalia that you could look at. There was also a wooden cabin like scene where you could plant felt vegetables in the garden they even had many Civil War clothing that you could put on it. We actually went there twice and really enjoyed ourselves. I hope to go again. read more

Great place! You can't beat free admission! Lots to do and see! We took my inlaws and my 4 year old daughter. All of us found something interesting and fun to do. The toddler room was great and very clean. All the staff we encountered was polite and knowledgeable. We are from out of town and made a special trip just to see the museum and we weren't disappointed at all. Parking was pricey across the street but wasn't t horrible. We plan to go again. Their exhibits were so informative and lots of things to touch and do for my preschooler age kiddo. I like any place that lets her run and enjoy and learn ! It was the perfect afternoon trip for this Unschooling/Homeschool Family! read more

See all

Free, free, free great place to take kids where learning is hands on and very kid friendly. Nice hours for in winter to get that cabin fever out. Open till 9 pm Friday night. Very affordable exhibits that are changing to keep the variety. read more

We had a blast we enjoyed the play land for the little ones then went up to the 3rd floor and learned how people make things. I love how a lot of things are interactive and the kids can learn I am a nanny of 1 who is almost 1 and she was so amazed by everything. All of the employees were really friendly and didn't mind answering questions or taking pictures :) we will be going back! read more

Kalamazoo Valley Museum - In amazement of everything :) - Museums Near Me - Kalamazoo, Michigan

We took our granddaughters to the museum during spring break. We all had a great time with lots of interactive activities. Extremely well done starting with an astronomy lesson in the planetarium which required a $3 ticket per person but well worth the cost. We left the premises to get lunch as there is no food in the building. I believe you can bring your own and eat someplace on the main floor. Restaurants nearby so no problem. We returned to a possibility of ten crafts in the afternoon for kids to make and take. The third floor is about pretending to be a spy and decoding a mystery. A little advanced for our grands. No cost but a donation box at entrance! Our grands loved it and easy to spend the day! read more

Great place to bring your family when you're tight on money, seeing as it's totally free, but really it's great anytime! My kids love the little fake dinner where they can fit at least 10 fake scoops of ice cream on one cone! I love all the information on the history of Kalamazoo and the to scale layout of old downtown. read more

Mr. MVP and I went to the Kalamazoo Valley Museum in November to see the dress exhibit and ended up spending nearly four hours walking through every single corner of the entire building. We thoroughly enjoyed ourselves. We learned about music, saw the mummy, learned about the history of Kalamazoo and how animals affect change in our environment. We also got to touch a whole bunch of really cool stuff. We put on a newscast, we played guitars and raced cars. The Kalamazoo Valley Museum is a positively great place for kids, but it's not just a place for kids because we had a fantastic time. The best part is, it's free. read more

Probably one of the best experience I've had kids can't stop talking about how they wanna go back and did I mention it's FREE you can't go wrong with this place something for everyone read more

Super chill museum. Staff was very helpful with it being our first visit. My 3 yr old and 1 yr old had a great time. We learned about some Kzoo history. Comic strip exhibit was hilarious. Kids loved the interative stations and the play area. It was a great way to spend a Sunday afternoon. And its free! read more

I love the Planetarium here. If you have never seen a planetarium show then check it out! This isn't the greatest museum in the world but it is still a fun place to go when you're bored. I remember loving to go here as a kid to see their mummy! read more

Not just a place for the kiddies. This place gives you tons of bang for your buck. It's free! The 1st floor has a few things but the 2nd floor has a lot with its history and science in motion exhibit. I especially enjoyed the surgery station. Top floor has a mummy exhibit and a seasonal exhibit which was best. You'll want to put money in the donation box when leaving. read more

We are visiting Kalamazoo and this is amazing! How can this be free admission! Very well kept museum, will come again

It's free and it's fun. Really neat place to visit and a lot of hands on activities. We love it!

This would be a great place to bring kids to explore and learn history and science. However I found it to be somewhat lacking exhibits of local history. Very child oriented. read more

I was impressed that the admission was free and with the friendliness of the staff, but I found the museum exhibits to be pretty disappointing. I'm a museum lover, especially when it comes to enjoying children's museums with my 2 1/2 year old son, but there weren't many things for him to interact with. The preschool room that catered to younger kids, was nothing special. I wanted to love this museum, but I just didn't. read more

As far as children's museums are concerned this place is top notch. Our main focus was the toddler area on the second floor although each floor had interesting and engaging exhibits for all ages. The best part... it was free! read more