My trip to the local museum

Today I took advantage of my Grand Rapids resident status and went to the museum. Monday's are free admission days for all Grand Rapids residents. All I had to do was show my driver's license and I was in. When I shared with the cashier what I was there for she offered me some more great information. If you'd like to make a day of it you can go to the museum for free and then catch a 3pm show in the planetarium for just $3. Normally it would cost you $8 admission to the museum and then the $3. But on Mondays it's cheaper! If you can't make it on a Monday but you have weekends free she said their Saturday and Sunday shows at 3pm are free with the $8 admission fee. Still one way to save. And any children 2 and under get in free! No need to pay for someone that will probably keep you running the whole time.

I have found that many Grand Rapids natives have not actually been to their local museum so I decided to give you a taste of what you're missing. Here are some things to do and see there:

1. The giant whale bones hanging in the main hallway! They are seriously huge!
2. A piece of the Berlin Wall! It's located in the hall heading toward the gift shop.
3. Kids can play a scavenger hunt game throughout the museum. Just pick up your scavenger hunt list when you get your tickets.
4. In the streets of Old Grand Rapids exhibit you can see a "coinola" which is a coin operated piano with many other accessories. You can learn how printing was done in the 1800's by someone who will operate an antique printing machine right in front of you. In the Rudell Drug Co. store which is also a malt shop you can see antique medicines that will probably make you laugh. They have remedies for diabetes and epilepsy in a bottle. They will also teach you how pills were made by letting you try it on your own.
5. As you head through the Furniture City exhibit your children can collect Furniture City trading cards.
6. An area that may intrigue you and make you a little queasy is the Egypt exhibit. They have two different mummies on display that are sure to make you a little sick or fascinated. Maybe both.

There are many great things to see and do there. These are just a few of my favorite. If you would like to see the special exhibit, The Supremes, you only have to pay $2 on Mondays. That's a pretty good deal as well.
For parking you have a few options - You can park on the street for an hour or so for about $2. You can park in the ramp just across the street from the museum and you pay 1/2 price with your museum admission. Thanks to my friend Jenn I now know that you can park in the parking garage off Ionia between Lewis and Monroe Center for free your first hour.

I hope you get a chance to explore more of your city by visiting the museum sometime! I'll see ya next week!