Public Museum of Grand Rapids

The Public Museum, Grand Rapids, Michigan, founded in 1854 as the "Grand Rapids Lyceum of Natural History" in Grand Rapids, Michigan, is among the oldest history museums in the United States. The museum includes a cafe, a gift shop, and a 1928 Spillman Carousel, which is situated in a pavilion over the Grand River. The Museum building also houses the Roger B. Chaffee Planetarium. The current Pearl Street N.W. location, built in 1994, replaced the former Art Deco location on Jefferson Avenue S.E. That building now serves as a community archive.

The museum also operates the Voigt House Victorian Museum, located at 115 College Ave. SE. The Voigt house (built in 1896 & last furnished in 1907) was the residence of the Carl Voigt family for over 76 years. Donated to the Grand Rapids Foundation upon the death of the youngest child Ralph Voigt in 1971, the property came into the eventual possession of the museum. The Voigt house is an amazing time capsule to the late Victorian era, with everything surprisingly intact having never been remodeled by the family over the decades.

Permanent exhibits

*Anishinabek: The People of This Place
**The story of the Native American culture of West Michigan
*The Furniture City
**An exploration of Grand Rapids' colorful heritage of the furniture manufacturing capital of the world.
*The Streets of Old Grand Rapids
**A 1904 nearly lifesize recreation of and allegorical Grand Rapids business district of a century ago.
*Habitats
**A look at both the eco-systems of Western Michigan along with the history of the museum as an interpreter of the natural world.
*Collecting A through Z
**This alphabet-linked exhibit provides a means to bring out artifacts from many of the museum's collections e.g. "D is for Dolls"

The "Newcomers" exhibition is the most recent permanent exhibition at the Public Museum. This exhibition showcases the variety of ethnic groups that have contributed their unique imprints to the greater Grand Rapids community.

Situated on the banks of the the Grand River (Anishinaabe name: "Owashtanong") the Museum's colorful Spillman carousel provides rides, music, and delight to visitors young and old.

Located just across the street from the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum the Public Museum provides a full-day destination for visitors to one of Michigan's most dynamic cities.

External links

* [http://www.grmuseum.org/ Public Museum, Grand Rapids, Michigan]
* [http://www.grmuseum.org/voigt_house Voigt House Victorian Museum]