Grand Rapids Public Museum, Part 1

During the 2025-2026 winter holiday season, I took a trip to western Michigan. During this adventure, I visited the Grand Rapids Public Museum, which is receiving its own three-part mini series. In the first part, I will review the history of the museum, the temporary dinosaur exhibit, a permanent exhibit about the people of Grand Rapids, a permanent exhibit about animals in Michigan, and a special exhibit featuring LEGO models.

A life-sized reproduction of a tyrannosaur skeleton I have stuck my head between the jaws of a tyrannosaur model A black sign on a chain linked fence reading Grand Rapids Public Museum Be Curious.

First founded by politician John Ball in 1854 as Grand Rapids Lyceum of Natural History, this is the oldest museum in the state of Michigan and the first in the country to be accredited by the American Alliance of Museums (AAM). In 1994, the current main site of the museum opened, blending traditional specimen collections with modern interactive exhibits. As for the city of Grand Rapids, it was once known as a furniture manufacturing hub, peeking in production during the 1880s and driving immigration to the area.

A sign describing the history of furniture making in Grand Rapids, MI Four colorful prints of planets and animals in the concrete stairwell A colorful painting shows a multigenerational living/working space surrounded by native plants and animals.

My first stop was at the temporary exhibit Tyrannosaurs: Meet the Family, an interactive exhibition created by Australian Museum. The exhibit contained a combination of real tyrannosaur specimens with cast skeletons, models, informational signage, and interactives. Many aspects of the exhibit were well done. I appreciated the comparison between different tyrannosaur skulls, multiple photo opportunities to pose with the family, and several videos explaining the research and animation process. Unfortunately, the exhibit space was extremely loud due to a large video screen on one end. Toddlers would be set in front of the screen, and a large dinosaur would eventually jump out at them, causing screams and occasional tears. Removing this interactive and a few others that were broken would have improved the experience.

A large clock with two faces and the workings in the center Beer hall with a vintage juke box An early 20th century truck with a wooden room built onto the truck bed, the side painted to read "Popcorn Ice Cream"

Built into the museum is the Old Grand Rapids City Hall Tower Clock. First constructed around 1880 by the E. Howard Clock Tower Company in Boston, MA (the same company that made the clock and carillon formerly at the Christmas Tree Shop in Hyannis), the clock was installed in City Hall by 1888 and rang the time until the 1969 demolition of City Hall. After restoration in Freeport, ME, the clock was installed in its current location in 1994. A helpful sign on the clock reminded visitors that it was a working timepiece set to chime every hour, so some visitors might want to wear the headphones provided at the front desk. In the hallway across from the clock were murals created by local artists. My favorite piece was called Modern Anishinaabe of Grand Rapids by Jamie John. The colorful painting shows a multigenerational living/working space surrounded by native plants and animals.

Skeleton of a Mammoth and other curiosities in an early 20th century style exhibit hall Reproduction of a West Michigan lake with taxidermy A small silver monorail with three cars set on the ground

The permanent exhibit Newcomers: The People of This Place featured artifacts from the forty-five ethnic group that immigrated to western Michigan from the 19th century to the present. I enjoyed the portion of the exhibit that described my Dutch/Frisian ancestors from the area and learned about other cultures, including popcorn trucks driven by Armenian cabinet makers turned entrepreneurs and a beer hall with a vintage juke box (a lot like those I saw at the Vintage Radio and Communication Museum of Connecticut).This area was highly informative but could use a gently refresh. Sound bleed from multiple speakers made it difficult for me to listen in the space. Another permanent exhibit, West Michigan Habitats featured taxidermy of native species standing in reproductions of their environments. This would be a great place to bring a biology class for middle and high school students. Also in this section was the Kent Scientific Institute room, which showed what early 20th century exhibit halls looked like.

A LEGO diorama of early 20th century Grand Rapids, MI Old City Hall Made of LEGO Meyer May House designed by Frank Lloyd Wright Made of Lego

My last stop in this section is the Historic Grand Rapids LEGO Display constructed by the Western Michigan LEGO Users Group (WMLUG), formerly known as the Western Michigan LEGO Train Club (WMLTC), which has been building dioramas since 2011. Alas, no such excellent club exists near me! The massive display included several model trains speeding around scale models of Grand Rapids landmarks, including the Meyer May House designed by Frank Lloyd Wright and Old City Hall. Also in the room was a Herpolsheimer’s Child Passenger Train build in 1948. The pint-sized monorail was installed in a department store to entertain children while their parents shopped.

Location: 272 Pearl St NW, Grand Rapids, MI 49504, USA