Loved this place! Got to spend an hour with my grandsons that felt like 10 minutes - so much to do…read morein a safe, clean and welcoming space. The exhibits were very well done, and there were so many! Highly recommend this for kids of all ages.

Wonderful place for kiddos. So many cool animals and a ton of hands-on activities. The employees…read morewere very helpful and knowledgeable. Both my kids had a blast. Shout out to Ruby, the youngest "employee"!

This children's museum is amazing. It's the definition of small but mighty: It doesn't look like…read moremuch from the outside, or even when you first step inside. But as you explore through it, you'll see that it has way more magic hiding in every corner than you first thought. Sandcastles Children's Museum is three stories of fun. We took our 7 and 11 year old boys, and the 11 year old had just as much fun as his younger brother. That said, I would say that this museum is best suited for kids who are preschoolers through around 10 years old. One of the best parts of this museum is that it subtly references popular Ludington icons and landmarks. You'll see a play SS Badger ship, popular local restaurants on the second floor, and lots of other things that pay homage to the beach town in which the museum resides. One of our favorite spots in the museum is located on the third floor. It's there that you'll find a mini stage with several real, full-sized instruments that kids are invited to play. There are steel drums, ukuleles, guitars, pianos and lots of other instruments to try out. There's also a TV where you can watch yourself jamming on the instruments. All throughout the museum, you'll find things to play with, like a sand pit with digger toys, a play farm, play grocery store and restaurant, a veterinary office, a post office, craft station, rock climbing wall, science station, theatre stage with costumes, and lots more. There is just so much fun stuff for kids, and my children were occupied for hours.

A delightful spot to spend the day with wild kids. So many thoughtful exhibits with loads of hands…read moreon activities. My 4 year old loved the maternity ward and the 1.5 year old loved the grocery store. Loved our time at the museum. We also loved the mask requirement for all. A great way to feel safe in a world where people are getting so sick. Thank you!

This place is amazing! Its located in the mall. We accidentally parked near Dunham's but we found…read moreout that its closer to the other doors further down. They have doors that are hard to escape. They charge $10 per person but the membership is a lot cheaper. They also participate in the museums for all and charge $20 for a membership for the year for it. There is an area behind the counter area with a room for strollers and bags. You can also eat food there as well I believe. The kids had so much to do. They had a lot of educational areas and designs. They loved placing the balls in the tubes. They had a little vet area. They also had a kitchen area in the back. They had a car track and water table. They have a giant playscape with two slides. By the checkin they have a small store area as well. The kids had so much fun!

Our kids had a ton of fun here, especially at the water table!…read more We thought that it was an actual, standalone museum, so we were confused when we were walking through the mall, and we accidentally walked right past it because we thought it was a gift shop. Lo and behold, it's actually very roomy and has multiple interactive stations! Besides the water table, they also loved the vet clinic, play structure, food truck, and collecting eggs. This would be a great place for grandparents to take their kids while parents go shopping at the mall.

So I love that this had a guide to take up on tour and he knew what he was talking about and…read moreprofessional, I would highly recommend it,you get to go all over the ship ,please remember this is a tour for people who can't climb stairs but it was great .

We've visited a few time now. Each time we learn a little more. The guides are all very nice and…read moresuper informative. We love seeing the old items all around the ship, like the old radios, reading lamps, cameras and the furniture. It is a very lovely ship. I hope to one day be able to spend the night on it. We will for sure come back for another tour sometime in the future.

Great collection of artifacts in a historic building. There are 4 rooms, yet all are full of…read morehistorical material. We spent about an hour. My wife's grandparents grew up in Manistee and we actually found records of their childhood and their parent's lives. Some of it is geared specifically to Manistee, yet a fair amount seems more history in general. Manistee has less than half the population from its' peak - and is interesting to see the bustle of 120 years ago.

Located  in the heart of Manistee in one of their many Victorian store fronts lies this almost…read morehidden specimen of Manistee County's History. A very modest entry fee of $3. The space doesn't seem that big, even though it is 4 rooms. However they have packed every square inch with artifacts. There really is a little bit of everything. From Cigar Displays to Elvis Presley. From a Victorian Sleigh to an old Drug Pharmacy. There's things from the 1880's all the way to the 1980's. This really is a must stop when visiting Manistee. I spent nearly an hour just looking at everything thing. I went around twice, because there was so much I missed things the 1st time around. My only minor complaint is: I wish there had been more directly about Manistee and especially the great fire. Most of the artifacts may be from the area, but it mostly doesn't tell about the area. Still I loved my time here. Overall a 5 star review! I will definitely be back!

History is important. Knowing local history helps build community. Taking a bunch of area…read morehistoric buildings and putting them in one place, filled with period-correct furnishings? Brilliant! They told us we'd need a couple of hours to the see the place; we got there in the morning and stayed until closing time. If you read the signs - the way to actually learn something - 2 hours isn't nearly enough. We learned a lot about what drew people to the area, namely logging, and everything else those early residents needed in their lives. Highly educational, and we really enjoyed it.

I visited White Pine Village by myself, because my family wanted to stay at the beach, and…read morehonestly, I had a really good time here by myself. This is a historical museum, so you really need time to read things and absorb them at a slow pace. I love my children, but when they're with me at a museum, I don't have time to read or ponder anything -- I'm usually busy telling them not to touch something or stop climbing something or listening to them say how bored they are. So if you have children and you want to enjoy White Pine Village, I suggest ditching them and visiting by yourself. But! That being said, this living history museum has a lot to offer children, too. So if you do bring your kids, they will certainly have a great time. There are lots of displays to see, and lots of open areas to run around. There isn't much to touch or do, so for kids who like interactive museums, this isn't that. But you'll have fun peering into the different structures at the scenes that have been set up. My favorites were the displays with the medical supplies and the newspaper printing setup. It's really interesting to see what kinds of tools and gadgets people used 100+ years ago. I was told to allow about 1.5 to 2 hours to visit, but I was done after about 30 to 45 minutes. I tend not to be a lingerer when I visit museums, though ... or anything, really. I absorb what I need to and I get out. If you like to read every single little thing, you might be here longer.

Many small cities don't have much to do in the cultural realm but traverse city is different and…read morethis museum is amazing. The Inuit art section is just so unique and good. Modern art section compelling with unique and diverse representation. Also excellent gift store.

The auditorium has great sound quality. Seating is functional. Come to a show and visit the museum.read more

If I could give this place 10 stars I would!…read more This is quite simply the most stimulating museum experience that I've ever had in my life! The theme of the museum is that it's basically a walk-through the history of the technology of the reproduction of music. It is a guided tour that takes about an hour and a half, and it consists mainly of hearing about the history and development of the technology. And all of the pristine musical instruments are played for you. It is just a delight ! Clean well kept informative, exciting stimulating I just can't think of enough words for this place and I just want more people to know about it. The highlights are a player piano that plays Rhapsody and blue exactly the way George Gershwin would've played it And then a completely operating organ that would've been used (and was used) during the silent movie era This place is just so fun ! I was so happy after I visited and can't wait to come back hopefully for a special event so I can see a silent movie with the appropriate accompaniment! Worth every dime of admission ! They also take donations, so please give generously!

My Detroit to Michigan tour brought me here. Had a nice personal tour where the lady gave us…read morehistory of the Museum and played handful of old time Musical instruments like the pianos and organs. One self playing instrument was a combo duet between a violin and piano in a juke box. Truly amazing! This Pianoforte website explains well, "What is a Self-Playing Piano? Also known as player pianos or Pianolas, older style self-playing pianos uses a pneumatic or electro-mechanical mechanism to play pre-programmed music on your piano using perforated paper or metallic rolls. The keys would move up and down as if the piano were playing by itself." So you can imagine how the piano player was eliminated as a job performer to these new type of jukeboxes and self playing pianos. This little Museum is quite a little hidden gem that you would just pass by on the main road on to your next destination. The state of Michigan, the land of cherries and historical unique musical instruments! Well worth the stop.

The Alden Depot Museum is open Memorial Day through October, Friday (1-4) and Saturday/Sunday…read more(11-4). It houses changing exhibits showcasing local history and artifacts, enlarged photos of the area taken in the 19th and early 20th centuries, antique photographs and vintage postcard collections. Additionally, a third of the building is devoted to an extensive collection of working model train layouts of various gauges. The Dorothy Walter Family History Center opened in 2025, providing designated space to research the available documentation and photos of early local families. Note: The museum is a non profit entity operated by the Helena Township Historical Society; the building and lakeside park are owned by Helena Township. For more information please see our website (www.aldendepot.com) and FB page https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100064749244649

Alden has public docks and then you can walk to park. Nice sand volleyball court for some family…read morefun. Also a train to look at and good photo op. We did not see any play structure and the museum wasn't open when we were there. There was a water fountain which my kids enjoyed since they were thirsty