These four Detroit museums find their home on or near Woodward Avenue, nicknamed “Detroit’s Main Street.” The nearby Wayne State University is Michigan’s third-largest.

It makes sense that this area is called the Art Center district. You can barely walk a block without bumping into a museum, a building of cultural significance, a publishing house or an independent gallery.

If you’re looking for things to do in Detroit, you’ll definitely want to stop at these Detroit museums.

Detroit Historical Museum

When I visited the Detroit Historical Museum, I knew Motor City was an important place for American music, industry and civil rights. Almost all of my knowledge of Detroit history was from the 1950s onward. Well I can tell you I learned a lot more at the Detroit Historical Museum.

You’ll want to start from the museum’s lower level, where it has recreated street scenes from the 1840s, 1870s and 1900s. You can walk inside storefronts that actually existed in long-ago Detroit, imagining what it would be like to order a few yards of cloth or get a shave from an old-time barber.

The museum’s main floor takes you along a timeline of the 20th century in the Allesee Gallery of Culture, highlighting important moments in sports, music, television and of course cars. Kids in particular will love the Kid Rock Music Lab, which includes displays of famous Detroit musicians, and where you can try your own hand at mixing the next hit.

Detroit wouldn’t be Detroit without the auto industry, so it makes sense that the Detroit Historical Museum includes a two-story display about Motor City. My favorite part: the assembly line with several cars mid-assembly. It was so cool to look inside the “guts” of these cars. I find I take my own car for granted sometimes, which makes it doubly cool to see all the intricate work that goes into making one run!

Finally, you’ll go upstairs. This area includes room for special exhibits. When I visited the Detroit Historical Museum, it reflected on 1967, the contentious year of protests and demonstrations in Downtown Detroit. I thought it did an excellent job of critically looking at the context of the so-called Detroit Riot, and encouraging visitors to consider what we want Detroit to be like 67 years from now.

Visiting Detroit Historical Museum: Details

Address: 5401 Woodward Ave, Detroit, MI

Admission: $10 for adults, $6 for children

Hours: Museum closed Mondays. See museum hours for other details.

African American Museum in Detroit

The Charles Wright Museum of African American History celebrates the culture and highlights the history of African Americans. From the moment you step inside this Detroit museum, you’ll feel the magnitude of its mission. The Freedom Rotunda lets in sunlight that illuminates the flags of countries from which African Americans can trace their ancestry.

I took about an hour and a half to go through the African American Museum in Detroit. Most of that was in its current main exhibition, “And Still We Rise.” This thorough, immersive exhibition traces the history of African Americans from the inhumanity of the Middle Passage to present-day. “Enslaved but never mastered” perfectly summed up this exhibition.

One thing that stood out in this exhibition was its use of sound. Museums tend to be hushed spaces, but the Wright used recorded music, dialogue and environmental noise to transport visitors back in time. You might hear the noises of a bustling market in West Africa or the shouts of a slave auction as you walk throughout this African American Museum in Detroit.

A word to the wise: Some parts of “And Still We Rise” were, understandably, disturbing and graphic. (You can’t exactly explore the history of slavery without going into its horrific details, can you?) Still, I would have thought twice before bringing very young children through. For example, one part played a recording of a man screaming as his skin was branded. Teaching all children our country’s history—the proud and the ugly parts equally—is critical. I also want to teach them in a way that’s age-appropriate and share details they have the tools and language to process.

I loved the “Personal to Political” exhibition, too. This showcased prints and other media from African American artists, including stunning quilts from an artist of Gee’s Bend, Alabama. I loved seeing artists who favored a particular medium (like fabric for quilt-making) explore other modes of expression.

The Wright Museum of African American History continually updates its exhibition. I’m bummed that “Queen,” showcasing artwork of African American women, wasn’t yet installed when I visited. Oh well—it’s just another reason to return to this Detroit museum!

Wright Museum of African American History: Details

Address: 315 East Warren Ave., Detroit, MI

Admission: $8 for adults, $5 for children, free for children under 3

Hours: Tuesday – Saturday 9am to 5pm. Sunday 1 – 5pm. Museum closed Mondays except for Martin Luther King, Jr. Day and Mondays in February.

DIA: Detroit Institute of Arts

The Detroit Institute of Arts is home to some of the most famous art in Detroit. The famous murals by Diego Rivera that take up an expansive room draw visitors from all over. These Detroit-centric murals highlight the auto industry, the WWII war effort and the artist’s worker-centric politics.

Although its 27 panels aren’t as controversial today, Detroit leaders called for the entire artwork to be destroyed. The head of the museum, as well as Henry Ford’s son Edsel (who provided some of the commission for the work), refused to give in. Thank goodness.

(Do you love murals—and want more? Then you’ll want to read my post on the best place to see street art in Detroit. This spot has murals on every block, so you’ll see dozens of them in one concentrated area.)

This Detroit art museum has much more than Rivera’s Detroit Industry Murals, of course. Art from Asia, Africa and the Middle East, as well as iconic pieces from the Americas and Europe, draw thousands of visitors each day. And the General Motors Center for African American Art puts a special emphasis on Black artwork, which was too long marginalized by museums.

Finally, if you visit DIA with kids, keep an eye on family-friendly activities and events. For example, look for a cart next to a statue of a donkey, called Artie, in the Prentis Court. This cart has free games kids can play throughout the museum. And on the weekends, volunteers lead kids’ activities throughout the museum. Finally, occasional workshops (like one making crayon rubbings and another stitching handmade books) are free with museum admission.

Detroit Institute of Arts: Details

Address: 5200 Woodward Ave., Detroit, MI

Admission: $14 for adults, $56 for children, free for children 5 and under

Hours: Open 7 days a week, most mornings at 9am. See the museum’s hours page for more details.

Michigan Science Center

Full disclosure: I haven’t visited this Detroit science museum—yet. But y’all know how much I love a good hands-on children’s museum! I know that the next time my kids and I are in Detroit, we’ll be spending a day at the Michigan Science Center.

This Detroit museum is directly next to the Detroit African American museum so I couldn’t resist including it. Like all the best children’s museum, the Science Center is interactive and hands-on. Kids can build model satellites, drive toy rovers over a pretend Mars, build an epic marble track and tinker in the Spark!Lab to invent new creations.

The Michigan Science Center also has a play area designed for preschoolers called Kid Town. It’s an area modeled after a city, with plenty of ways kids can use their imaginations and their sense of play, of course. Science-themed play dates with stories and guided activities take place here Wednesdays and Saturdays at 11am.

Where to eat near these Detroit museums

Going to museums makes me *hungry*! If you’re the same, here’s where to fill up.

For lunch, I recommend Seva, an all-vegetarian restaurant with hearty, seriously delicious fare. Meat-eaters and vegans alike will find plenty to love here. It took me ages to decide on what to order because I wanted it all. And every time a server brought out someone else’s meal, I changed my mind because it all looked so good!

In the end, I ordered vegan “cheese” dip with homemade tortilla chips, the parsnip chowder (which was featured in Vegetarian Times) and a mega satisfying vegan kale Caesar salad.

For dinner, head to Chartreuse, which was voted Detroit restaurant of the year in 2017. Its menu changes regularly to make the best use of what’s in season, so you know you’re always getting the freshest ingredients in whatever you order. To wit: A selection of just-picked vegetables from Recovery Park, the organization that turns vacant lots into urban gardens, is always on the menu.

You’ll also want to try chartreuse, the green liqueur this little restaurant is named after. You can taste a few of the varieties or order a cocktail mixed with this distinctive, herby liqueur. Finally, don’t forget to check out the living wall and flower installation at Chartreuse—definitely inspired by its green name!

So many Detroit museums!

I can’t imagine seeing all these Detroit museums in one day. (Just the thought of hitting up four museums at once makes me exhausted.) So when you’re in Detroit’s Art Center district, you’ll have to either pick which museums most interest you or pace yourself over a few days.

Have you been to any of these Detroit museums? Do you have other must-do recommendations for Motor City? Let me know in the comments!

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This museum has been around since my dad grew up in Chicago. He spent his childhood in the city’s South Side and would go to the Museum of Science and Industry on school field trips or with my grandparents. He recommended I take the girls when I was looking up things to do in Chicago with kids—and I’m so glad he did.

When we traveled to Chicago as a family, this science museum was in all our highlight reel. The girls talked about all the fun hands-on exhibits and the fun they had here.

So if you’re looking for things to do in Chicago with kids, the Museum of Science and Industry should be at the top of your list.

It’s an enormous museum, so you’ll definitely want these tips on making the most of your trip to this Chicago science museum.

Tips to visit the Chicago Museum of Science and Industry

1. Plan on a whole day

If I could have spent 24 hours inside this museum, I would have. It’s enormous and full of so many cool exhibits. Although the security guards definitely wouldn’t have let us stay past closing, we did spend pretty darn near a full day here. In fact, it’s the longest my kids have ever spent in one attraction—ever.

And for good reason! The Museum of Science and Industry is sprawled over five stories near the museum campus in Chicago (which houses the Shedd Aquarium and the Field Museum). The many exhibits—from the model train that travels over realistic terrain to a video installation that uses artificial intelligence to make you laugh—take up 400,000 square feet, which is six times the size of the White House.

So when you visit the Chicago Museum of Science and Industry with kids, I recommend not planning anything else that day. To take advantage of admission, you and your kids will want to explore to your heart’s content.

2. Take breaks

That said, no adult—let alone child—has the stamina to see all the museum’s exhibits in one go. So plan on taking breaks often (about every half-hour or so).

Thankfully, the museum was designed with families in mind, so you can rest on benches throughout the museum. When I went to the Museum of Science and Industry with my kids, we paused frequently. I never try to hurry them along when they want to rest. Their little legs have to work much harder than mine to walk around. I imagine the same goes for their minds, which must be on overdrive with so much to take in at a place like this Chicago science museum!

3. Go to the Idea Factory first

The Museum of Science and Industry’s most interactive, and most toddler-friendly, spot is the Idea Factory. This area, on the museum’s second floor, encourages hands-on play that teach principles of science.

With popularity comes, well, popularity: And to make sure this area isn’t overrun with crowds, you enter the Idea Factory via a timed ticket. So when you arrive at the Museum of Science and Industry, head straight here to get your ticket. Then keep an eye on the time so you and your kids get back to the entrance during the window allotted for you.

What makes this area so great? Well, my girls loved the spot where they could make plastic balls “float” on a stream of air, balance foam blocks with a miniature crane, build with Legos the size of shoe boxes, and send plastic balls sailing along a river that winds around the entire play space.

Best of all, though, is the Idea Factory’s Water Spectacle. At the back of this kid-friendly area, a crazy contraption as tall as a giraffe has been built—and simply begs to be played with. My girls squealed with delight as they shot water cannons at the contraption to make sirens blare, lights flash, wheels spin and water spill out of openings here, there and everywhere.

Honestly, my girls could have spent an hour on the Idea Factory alone. I didn’t want us to monopolize the water cannons, though, and I knew we had other parts of the science museum to see—so we moved along.

4. Research the museum—and hit up the spots that sparked interest

Before we even arrived in Chicago, my dad told the girls about when he went to the Museum of Science and Industry. He told them about the model train city, for example, and that stuck in my kids’ minds. Naturally, they wanted to see that area of the museum. What’s more, they insisted I take plenty of pictures so they could later show them to Grampa Shempy, as they call my dad.

So before you head to the Chicago science museum, look up the exhibits. Tell your kids what the museum will have on display. Pay attention to what they seem excited about, and use that enthusiasm to plan your way around the museum.

5. Know about trigger warnings

When we went to the Museum of Science and Industry, one of my dearest friends from high school met us there with her own kids. My friend and I took every opportunity we could to catch up in between corralling our four girls.

One of the first things we did was head to the U-505 submarine. It sounded so cool! After all, the museum has an actual submarine used in combat inside the museum.

But as we walked through the beginning of the exhibit, it was like running a gauntlet: Videos on every side showed historical clips of Adolf Hitler giving hate-filled speeches. Audio of explosions and planes dropping bombs pumped through the speakers. It was like full immersion into World War II.

I understand the intent behind the U-505 submarine’s design—plunging visitors into history using all their senses can help us better understand the past. But I was deeply uncomfortable in the exhibit, and I didn’t want my kids to linger.

Furthermore, my friend and her children are Jewish. I could feel my friend’s tension as she navigated her children through this area, with audio describing Hitler’s campaign to essentially exterminate people like them. It was awful.

Once we got through the introductory part of the exhibit, into the enormous room where the submarine is held, things got better… a bit. Although we weren’t being bombarded with audio clips from 1940s newscasts, there were interactive parts of the exhibit I wasn’t comfortable with. One spot invites kids to sit at the seat of a submarine and try to hit other boats with torpedoes. In my family, we don’t “play” guns or weapons. It’s our family’s philosophy that war, and shooting other humans, isn’t fun or appropriate for play. Yet my kids saw other children “shooting” boats and they wanted to try, too. This is a hard no for me, and I ended up having to carry my kindergartener—screaming—away from the mock torpedo launcher.

So if you visit the Museum of Science and Industry, know ahead of time what you’re getting into with the U-505 submarine exhibit.

6. Go to ice cream—if it’s open

When we talked about going to the Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago, my aunt—whom we stay with whenever we visit—told us all about an old-fashioned ice cream parlor inside the museum. It sounded amazing!

Once we arrived at the museum, I used the ice cream parlor (which is on the TK floor) as incentive for my kids to keep going. I dangled it like a tempting carrot whenever their spirits started to sag.

We were all beyond excited when we got to Finnigan’s Ice Cream parlor within the Museum of Science and Industry—only to discover it was closed.

So before talking up museum ice cream with your kids, ask if it’s open when you buy admission or check the museum web site.

7. Pause for food

You can imagine my girls disappointment when I’d been promising them ice cream all day—and then the darn shop is closed. Thank goodness moms are known for quick thinking on their feet!

We skeedaddled straight to Starbucks, which is inside the museum on the TK floor, for a consolation prize. My kids ended up being plenty satisfied when I bought them each a chocolate-Oreo pudding. It was a win-win, since I ended up getting a giant cup of black tea. The caffeine helped fortify me for the rest of our stay!

We also ate lunch in the Brain Food Court. I appreciated that this museum food court had several choices for the types of food it offered. I got a veggie burger for myself at the grill; Maxine got a kids’ meal of pasta and salad from the Italian shop; and Edie got a mish-mash of foods like yogurt and fruit from the grab-and-go area.

I appreciated that healthy foods were easily available. Kids’ meals came with salad or fruit, and the food court made it easy to choose healthy options. I spent $36 for the three of us to eat lunch—definitely not cheap, but also not much more than you’d pay at a restaurant outside the museum.

8. Move your body

Museums are typically thought of places to exercise your mind. At the Chicago Museum of Science and Industry, though, visitors are encouraged to exercise their bodies, too.

I absolutely loved the YOU! The Experience exhibit, on the TK floor. This interactive area explored the human body, from muscles and veins to psychology and perception.

I so appreciate when children can learn by doing. If your kids are anything like mine, they don’t care as much about the lessons—the principles behind whatever it is you’re trying to teach them—as they do about trying out a real-live murderball wheelchair or learning to break dance from an expert.

Also, they just want to play in a gigantic hamster wheel.

Thank goodness the people designing the Museum of Science and Industry included this! Kids spend so much time in museums keeping their bodies still—looking but not touching or doing—that they need to let loose all that pent-up energy.

My girls loved all these activities that got them to dance, jump, run, push and play. I’d bet your kids will love this exhibit just the same.

I have to note that Edie didn’t love one area. I was surprised, because Edie is such a curious kid and is constantly asking questions about how things work. So when we saw see-through human forms with the veins and nervous system mapped out, I expected her to soak it in. Instead she started crying and collapsed into a heap on the floor. I had to carry her away from the human models.

Similarly, the YOU! The Experience exhibit has an area that displays fetuses to show the stages of human development. We skipped that section because I thought it would freak out Edie.

9. Wonder out loud

I love science museums in part because they inspire my kids to think big. Chicago’s Museum of Science and Industry was no different.

My kids came up with lots of questions on their own while we explored the science museum, and I voiced my own, too. Kids model their behavior after the example you set. That’s less than ideal when they repeat certain four-letter words they’ve heard you utter, but awesome when it comes to wondering how things work and coming up with hypotheses.

So as you wander the Museum of Science and Industry, ask these questions out loud. Use phrasing like

“I wonder how…”

“I noticed that… and I wonder why?”

“Maybe this happens by…”

Your kids may jump in with answers—or questions of their own. Take the time to explore those questions. Their creative, out-of-the-box thinking might come up with totally wacky ideas. (Those are my favorites!) Or they may surprise you with an answer that’s spot-on.

Together, we wondered how in the world they got these trains and planes inside the museum!

10. Pack snacks for the way home

Whether you took the El to the Museum of Science and Industry or you did as we did and parked in the super-convenient parking garage below, make sure you have food for the trip home.

You and your kids have just spent several hours walking and thinking hard. Add to that the fact that your kids, like mine, may not eat that well when they’re surrounded by distractions (let alone awesome distractions like indoor tornadoes) and you’ve got some hungry kids on your hands.

In fact, research has shown that thinking hard—by learning something new at a museum, for example—causes glucose (aka blood sugar) levels to drop. That, in turn, tells your body to eat more food. (In the study, participants who did memory and analysis tasks ate 250 calories more than people who spent time relaxing. Isn’t science cool?!)

So pack good brain food—fruit leather, peanut butter crackers, string cheese, tofu dogs—for your ride home. Your kids will need to feed their minds!

Chicago’s Museum of Science and Industry: Insider tips

Are you already planning your trip to this amazing science museum in Chicago? Something tells me you are, especially if you’re looking for things to do in Chicago with kids.

When I talk to friends who are planning a family vacation to Chicago, or the Midwest in general, I always tell them about the Museum of Science and Industry. Most of them have never heard of it, which I swear is a crime. So I’m doing my best to make sure you’re in the know.

I mean, where else can you create a sand storm, hop aboard an antique trolley, ride a real combine harvester and watch chicks hatch in front of your very eyes?

I’d hate for you to miss out on one of my favorite family-friendly destinations in Chicago. So save this link, pin it to your family travel Pinterest board and send it to a friend.

Now that you’ve read what to do and what to skip at this Chicago science museum, you’re prepared to plan the best possible trip. So go ahead: Get curious and go!

While you’re in Chicago, you’ll also want to go to the Field Museum. Read all about the Chicago natural history museum in my post, which contains 13 tips to make the most of your visit.  

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TBH, I was shocked that admission is free to this hands-on children’s science museum. The quality of the exhibits, the care taken with the displays and the overall fun of the museum were top-notch. Also, Kalamazoo, Michigan isn’t exactly a tourist mecca, but the city really outdid itself with the Kalamazoo Valley Museum.

If you’re traveling in the Midwest with family, I highly recommend adding this Kalamazoo children’s museum to your list of things to do in Kalamazoo. (And if you want to appear super-hip to the local lingo, you can call it “K-zoo.”)

At the Kalamazoo Valley Museum, your littles will get to sculpt mountains with an interactive topography map, compose a song that will play on its own, manipulate a mini tornado, learn from real mummies, create a wind turbine—and more!

Read on to learn about how to make the most of visiting the Kalamazoo Valley Museum with kids. My review of this free Kalamazoo children’s museum in Michigan covers the best exhibits, logistics, live events and even sensory friendly aspects for if your children have special needs.

Enjoy Kalamazoo!

Why visit the Kalamazoo Valley Museum with kids?

In the spring, my family went to Kalamazoo, Michigan for our cousin’s wedding. We had an amazing time at the wedding, celebrating two wonderful humans joining their lives together. Once the wedding finished, my kids needed things to do in Kalamazoo where they could be their usual zany, active selves without being shushed.

So I researched things to do in Kalamazoo, and we found this free children’s museum. Without a doubt, we were going to the Kalamazoo children’s museum!

We spent two hours at this hands-on science and learning museum—and could have explored longer. But we literally stayed until the last possible moment before closing, and even then I had to pretty much drag the kids away from the fun, family-friendly science activities!

Here are the features that make the Kalamazoo Valley Museum so spectacular.

Kid-friendly features of this Kalamazoo children’s museum

Sensory play to the max

Search on Pinterest and everything is all about sensory play, and for good reason: Small children learn by doing, and manipulating materials in a way that engages multiple senses is terrific for their development. Sensory play stimulates the growth of new neural pathways, strengthens creativity, encourages exploration and innovation, and increases motor skills.

Plus, sensory play is fun!

The Kalamazoo children’s museum incorporates sensory play throughout the three-story space. My girls’ favorite example of sensory play at this hands-on children’s museum was the topography activity: By moving kinetic sand, they sculpted mountains, valleys and rivers. And by creating shadows with their hands, they could spark thunderstorms and watch how the water moved over the landscape.

Open-ended play that teaches science (sneakily)

Have you ever tried to explain a science concept to your kids? Chances are, you got a blank stare right before they changed the subject. That’s because trying to explain abstract concepts doesn’t work well for children; they need to understand science by experimenting and doing.

At this Kalamazoo children’s museum, exhibits are designed so kids see science concepts in action.

Take, for example, an area dedicated to shadows. My girls weren’t attracted to this exhibit to learn about how the size of shadows changes based on how close an object is to the light source. (*snooze*) Rather, they wanted to play with all the figurines!

However, through this open-ended play, they saw that moving a little bear close to a light made its shadow bigger than the large bear. They had great fun creating a whole story about a bear family living in the woods. It turns out they were inspired, too: Since returning from Kalamazoo, Michigan, they’ve been putting on puppet shadow shows almost every night!

Family activities for a range of ages

I love that this Kalamazoo children’s museum included activities designed for a range of ages, from babies to early middle school. My girls are 3 and 5—fairly close in age—but still have different interests and skills. They settled into different activities and even found their own, age-appropriate ways to interact with the same exhibits.

Space for babies and toddlers to explore science

If you’re looking for things to do in Kalamazoo with toddlers, you’ve found it: The Children’s Landscape preschooler room on the second floor of this Kalamazoo, MI museum offers a quiet area designed for kids 5 and under. This is where your baby and toddler will love to hang out.

A rocket and a bus encourage imaginative play and make-believe. A puppet show theater lets kids explore storytelling. The make-your-own hopscotch area got my younger daughter hopping for ages. And a coloring station is tucked into a cozy area that is perfect for babies and toddlers who are feeling overwhelmed by the big-kid energy of the rest of the children’s museum.

Physical activity at the museum

Have you ever been to a museum with kids when they weren’t supposed to jump, skip and move their bodies? It’s hard. That’s why I love that the Kalamazoo Valley Museum incorporates physical activity into the science activities.

For example, my girls and I spent roughly a half-hour on one kid-friendly activity where we ran and jumped along a track to make line graphs on a screen. It was so fun!

Kalamazoo Valley Museum – children’s museum in Michigan from Catherine Ryan Gregory on Vimeo.

Experimentation, failure, persistence (aka science!)

The scientific method is inherently based on experimentation—and failure. Teaching kids that this is a totally normal part of learning and understanding makes a huge difference in their capacity for perseverance.

The Kalamazoo Valley Museum offers plenty of “problems” for kids to solve—and doesn’t give the answers! This allows kids to try things out on their own and figure out what works.

My girls, for example, loved engineering structures with rods, balls and rubber bands. Then they pushed a button to simulate different types of earthquakes. Their structures often toppled over—and that’s the point! They saw that some designs couldn’t withstand an earthquake, then figured out how to build sturdier ones.

Hands-on activities like this one at this Kalamazoo children’s museum are the best way to develop grit—a key characteristic among future scientists.

Connection between science and history

This hands-on science museum incorporates history, too. Certain exhibits and features, such as the Kalamazoo city history area and the gallery wall, ground science in time. This is also a terrific opportunity to talk to your kids about how our ideas, including our ideas of science, change over time.

For example, my girls and I talked about how women weren’t always welcome in the scientific community. (They were horrified. And confused.) Talking about history also allows us to discuss the evolution of social ideas—like how people in power in our country wanted to keep black and white folks separate. These are terrific learning opportunities for kids. I’m grateful for places like this Kalamazoo museum that give parents a way in to discuss challenging topics like sexism and racism.

Live events at the Kalamazoo Valley Museum

When we visited the Kalamazoo Valley Museum with kids, we didn’t see any special events—but check out the museum’s calendar to see if you can catch one! The children’s museum hosts story times, live music and even a chili cook-off.

Planetarium shows

We didn’t attend a planetarium show, but this is definitely on my list of things to do in Kalamazoo with kids for the next time we visit. Yes, these shows include explorations of the universe—but other ones take you back in time to when dinosaurs roamed the planet or even to the bottom of Michigan’s Great Lakes.

Planetarium tickets are just $3 per person—an affordable add-on, especially considering this children’s museum is free otherwise.

Sensory friendly for families with special needs

This Kalamazoo science museum is one of the most sensory-friendly children’s activities I’ve seen for kids on the autism spectrum or those with other sensory needs.

You can get a “sensory tool kit” from the front desk. It includes items that will make a museum visit easier for kids who need accommodations, including fidget bands, noise canceling headphones and other tools to help children navigate the museum. In addition, on Sensory Saturdays, planetarium shows run on lower volume, and free classes for families cover topics like childhood development, parenting skills and autism.

Science is a part of everything

Sometimes we think of science as a subject separate from language, math—everything. (After all, these courses are distinct all through school.) But this hands-on museum shows that science relates to just about every field, including music, food—and even hockey!

Visiting the Kalamazoo Valley Museum: The details you need

If you’ve been wondering what to do in Kalamazoo with kids, I know this post has been helpful! By now you’re excited to bring your kids to this Kalamazoo children’s museum. Heck, you’re probably itching to play with the hands-on museum exhibits yourself! (No judgement, I was doing it too!)

Here’s what you need to know to make the most of your visit to the Kalamazoo Valley Museum.

Bathrooms: Restrooms are located on the first and second floors.

Coat check: You can stash coats and bags in lockers on the first floor, to the left of the front desk. You just need a quarter to use the lockers, which you’ll get back you when you return the key.

Parking: Street parking in downtown Kalamazoo is extremely limited. I recommend using a parking garage. There’s one just a block away from the Kalamazoo Valley Museum. Use this site to find nearby parking.

Food + drink: This children’s museum doesn’t have a cafe, but you can bring in your own food and drink. However, you can only eat and drink on the ground floor. There are picnic tables nearby in the park; you can also sit in the plaza at the museum’s entrance.

Playground: If your kids still have energy to burn after playing at this Kalamazoo children’s museum, head to the playground at the Arcadia Creek Festival Place. Just a block away from the Kalamazoo Valley Museum, you’ll find this city park with a fountain—and a play structure, of course.

Donations: I was so blown away by this wonderful children’s museum in Kalamazoo that I couldn’t believe that it was free. I’m grateful that such a wonderful museum is affordable to all. I wanted to support its work and ensure it continues to be something every family can enjoy, regardless of their finances, so we donated to the museum before we left. You can do the same if you’re financially able; you can also become a supporting member.

Ready to explore this kid-friendly museum in Kalamazoo

Now that you know the Kalamazoo Valley Museum is one of the best things to do in Kalamazoo with toddlers and big kids, I’m pretty sure it’s on your itinerary. After all, it’s free, so you lose nothing by trying it out!

Once you go beyond the free admission, though, I’m confident you’ll agree that this children’s museum in Kalamazoo is a wonderful place to spend the day with kids.

PS – While you’re in Michigan with the family, check out Detroit’s incredible street art! The murals in Eastern Market are concentrated in just a few blocks, making it easy to see a ton of street art with minimal walking—ideal for families.

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When I was a kid, I visited the Chicago Field Museum a handful of times, since we’d often stay with my relatives who lived nearby. I will never forget the visit when I met Sue—the most complete Tyrannosaurus Rex skeleton ever discovered. I watched in awe through windows as experts in the museum painstakingly uncovered the fossils, removing centuries of sediment so the world could see this remarkable dinosaur. My own children had a chance to meet Sue for themselves when we recently visited the Chicago Field Museum.

Just as I remembered, Chicago’s natural history museum is enormous—I could spend all day in there and still only scratch the surface. Of course when you visit the Field Museum with kids, you don’t have the option of all that time: I wouldn’t want to endanger the fossils and other precious specimens with my kids’ volcano-like meltdowns.

I’m pretty sure you’ll run into the same problem when planning Chicago family travel: There’s just so much to see, so how do you make the most of your trip to the Field Museum?

This post answers exactly that. Below, I’ll answer what to see, how to prioritize your time, where to take breaks and much more when you visit the Field Museum with kids.

Say hi to Sue for us!

1. Don’t rush in.

The Field Museum’s grand foyer is one of the most impressive parts of the entire museum. Here, you’ll meet Maximo the Titanosaur (has a better name ever been given to a dinosaur?!) and a pair of breathtaking African elephants.

Overhead, hanging plants make you feel as if you might actually be in a jungle—albeit one made out of marble and fossilized limestone!

My girls didn’t even know what to do with themselves when we first arrived at the Field Museum. I think their brains were trying to process the fact we were walking in the shadow of the biggest dinosaur skeleton ever discovered. The scale of the Field Museum is way beyond anything they’d ever experienced.

(Are your kids as curious as mine were how the museum managed to get such a big dino inside? Then you’ll definitely want to watch this time lapse video of assembling Maximo the Titanosaur.)

2. Pick 3 things.

Either before you get to the Field Museum or when you first arrive, work with your kids to prioritize what you’ll see. Pick just three things you absolutely don’t want to miss.

I know, it’s hard to pick just three highlights in a 480,000 square feet museum. But share what the exhibits are about and ask your kids to each pick what they most want to see.

Dinosaurs were definitely top of our list (obvi). My girls also wanted to see the Egypt area: They’ve been really into ancient Egypt since we read the book Mummies in the Morning, which began our love affair with the Magic Treehouse series (affiliate link).

Anything you see beyond your three priorities is a bonus.

3. Start at the top.

It’s easier to climb the stairs when your kids are energetic and fresh. Start your visit to the Field Museum with kids at the top, then, and work your way down.

4. Interact with the exhibits.

Pushing every single button and watching every single video is not my favorite way of going through a natural history museum, but my kids are sure into it. And who am I to decide what the best way to see the Field Museum is?

Like just about everything in family travel, going at your kids’ pace will make for a much more enjoyable experience—for everyone. So let your kids interact with the exhibits in the way they want.

My girls loved watching the cartoons alongside fossilized dinosaur skeletons. Their favorite interactive aspect of the museum: A bellows that mimics the sound a dinosaur might have made!

5. Hunt for hidden details.

I marvel at the creativity that went into crafting the natural history scenes within the Field Museum—and I’m sure those artisans had a sense of humor, too. Don’t believe me? Then pay close attention to each exhibit—you’re sure to spot some “Easter eggs,” or well hidden bonuses that will make you smile.

My older daughter noticed a salamander-type creature hiding in the forest within the Evolving Planet exhibit. From that point on, she was a detective, hunting for hidden details. The mission made her pay closer attention to the displays and get the whole family excited whenever she found a hidden detail.

6. Pause for snacks.

I don’t know about your kids, but mine get crankier than a T Rex with a toothache when they need to eat. So bring snacks and make your way to the ground level. There’s a picnic area next to the marine mammals exhibit where you can sit, have a drink of water and replenish your blood sugar.

7. Eat a hearty lunch.

I’ve been to a lot of museums in my life, and hands-down, the Explorer Cafe is the best kid-friendly museum food I’ve ever encountered.

We stopped for lunch at the Explorer Cafe, where the macaroni and cheese was a clear favorite: My younger daughter, who is notoriously picky, polished off an entire bowl.

I ate a custom salad and a cup of coconut curry tofu soup. You’ll find usual museum cafe fare here—chicken tenders, burgers, sandwiches—but also a rotating menu of food you’d actually seek out if you were older than 5. On the day we visited, the museum cafe was serving Indian food—yum!

8. Watch for scary exhibits.

Years ago, I visited the Field Museum with my cousins when they were super young. We went to the Underground Adventure, which “shrinks” you to insect-size, so ants are enormous and you feel what it’s like to be bug-sized.

My little cousins hated it.

They were terrified of the horse-sized ants and cried until we whisked them to a different exhibit. So this go-’round to the Field Museum with kids, we skipped this exhibit. Know what your kids typically like (and don’t like) to avoid the parts that could be scary.

9. Pay for what you’ll use.

Like many museums, you can pay for extra features, like 3D movies and ticketed exhibitions. Before you pay extra for these features, realistically consider if they are a good fit for your kids.

We didn’t pay extra for any of the ticketed features of the Field Museum. There was plenty to see—more than we could reasonably explore—within the general admission exhibits.

10. Make connections to your home life.

My kids do this funny thing their teachers taught them in school: Whenever they make a connection to something we’re reading or talking about, they make a Y with their fingers and wiggle their hand back and forth. They were doing the “connection” sign all throughout the Field Museum!

Making connections between natural history and what they know from home or school is a terrific way to make science relevant. For example, in the Evolving Planet exhibit, my older daughter spotted trilobytes—and made the connection to the pill bugs we find in our yard at home. And when we saw a mastodon, my younger daughter said it reminded her of the movie Ice Age!

Finding similarities helps kids create novel neural pathways in their brains. Not coincidentally, the ability to connect two dissimilar things is the basis of creativity, which will serve your children throughout their lives.

11. Explore how science changes.

One video my kids watched dived into how scientists used to think that large dinosaurs (like Maximo the Titanosaurus) were mostly aquatic. But further investigation revealed that these huge animals wouldn’t have been able to breathe with just their heads sticking out of water. What’s more, by examining fossils of teeth, researchers realized that the patterns of wear and tear suggested they ate land plants, not soft water plants.

Visiting a natural history museum like Chicago’s Field Museum is a wonderful way to explore the scientific method. Looking at how scientists come up with a hypothesis, test it, weigh the evidence and reevaluate as needed also shows children that scientists rarely get it right the first time.

Seeing this principle in action demonstrates that persistence, open-mindedness and a willingness to make mistakes is how science advances. It shows kids that it’s ok to goof up.

12. See real scientists.

Science at this level can seem abstract to kids, but the Field Museum offers opportunities to make science more relatable.

Peek through glass windows to see experts working on fossils (like I did with Sue so many years ago!). Clearly, there’s potential for this to make a huge impression on a child, as it did on me.

If you visit the Field Museum on a Friday, make sure to check out the Meet a Scientist Program. Every Friday from 11-1, you can meet a conservationist, paleontologist or other scientist. Ask questions and get hands-on with real specimens from the museum.

Research shows that kids are more likely to consider careers in science and other STEM fields if they understand the wide diversity of jobs in these areas. Meeting a real scientist is a wonderful way to broaden your child’s idea of what is possible.

13. Visit the Play Lab

Unfortunately, the Field Museum’s Play Lab was closed when we visited; it’s open Thursday-Monday. Hands-on activities allow little ones to explore history, science and culture. They can climb into a dinosaur’s nest or play music with instruments from around the world.

If your kids have special needs, you can register for a private time to explore the Play Lab on Tuesdays. That way kids of all abilities and needs can explore through hands-on experiences.

How to save money on Field Museum tickets

Tickets to the Field Museum aren’t cheap; after all, the price of admission contributes to original research, preserving specimens, education outreach and much more beyond what you see in your day at the museum.

I get it, though, that if you’re going to the Field Museum with kids, all those tickets add up! So there are a couple of ways to save money at the Field Museum.

• Bundle museum passes with the Go Chicago Card. If you’re going to see many of the main Chicago attractions—such as the Shedd Aquarium, the Adler Planetarium and the Field Museum—it might be more cost effective to buy the Go Chicago Card. With this bundled pass, you pay one flat rate and you get entry into a whole list of family friendly attractions.
• Show your WIC card. If you receive help with buying food, for example from WIC or EBT, you can get tickets for $3 a person. Simply show your card when you buy entry.
• Show your Chicago address. If you live in Chicago, you can save $5 per ticket at the Field Museum.
• Go on a free admission day. Once or a few times a month, admission to the museum is free. You’ll save a lot of money at the Field Museum—but know it will be much busier than usual.

Enjoy the Field Museum with kids

I’m no psychic—pretty sure the experts at the science museum haven’t proved the existence of reading minds or seeing the future—but I’d bet you’re jazzed about going to the Field Museum in Chicago with kids.

What’s more, you’re ready to make the most of your trip to the Field Museum, now that you know how to prioritize the exhibits, where to get food, how to keep kids engaged and even how to save money on tickets.

Do you have any suggestions on how to go to the Field Museum with kids? Or tips you’ve picked up visiting other natural history museums? Please share them in the comments below!

PS – If you love dinosaurs as much as we do (and how could you not?!), you’ll want to read my posts on the Los Angeles Natural History Museum and the Burke Museum of Natural History in Seattle.

The post Make the most of a trip to the Field Museum with kids: Chicago family travel appeared first on To & Fro Fam.

Eastern Market is a small neighborhood just north of Downtown Detroit and Ford Field that hosts a farmer’s market every Saturday (the longest-running year-round farmer’s market in the country). In 1969, an artist commissioned the neighborhood’s first murals, and the Detroit street art scene here blossomed since. In just the last six years, more than 100 new murals have been added, thanks to the organization Murals in the Market.

I didn’t know any of this when I chanced upon Eastern Market; I was writing at a café nearby when I spied a mural across a highway and made my way over to investigate. I ended up spending a half-day exploring the Eastern Market murals and absolutely fell in love with this Detroit street art neighborhood.

Don’t leave finding street art during your Detroit trip to chance; head over to Eastern Market and see this vibrant street art scene for yourself.

Detroit street art’s Eastern Market murals

All you need to do to find the Eastern Market murals is open your eyes—it’s literally impossible not to find this Detroit street art.

Murals are painted on just about every vertical surface, from walls of wholesale meat markets to abandoned, crumbling buildings.

One of the reasons I recommend Eastern Market as one must-do activity in Detroit is the concentration of amazing murals here. You can’t walk a block without coming upon a remarkable piece of public art—or several!

What’s more, the number of Eastern Market murals grows every year. The annual Murals in the Market festival, which happens every September, combines murals with a block party-like series of events to celebrate this uniquely Detroit neighborhood.

In fact, Smithsonian Magazine named Murals in the Market one of the best street art festivals around the globe (and was the only one in the US).

My favorite Eastern Market murals

Ok, so I actually can’t pick a favorite among this Detroit street art. But I filled up my camera’s memory card with snaps of nearly every mural I saw.

I even wandered a little farther afield than the central Eastern Market spot. I found murals on abandoned buildings and some street art I had to view through chain link fences.

This Detroit street art isn’t sanitized. It has a point of view. It embraces Detroit’s gritty identity, and it doesn’t sugarcoat the very real issues residents of Motown face.

That’s one of the reasons I love Eastern Market murals, and why you’ll adore them, too.

What to do in Eastern Market

When you’ve had your fill of seeing Detroit street art, hang for a little longer in Eastern Market. Here’s what to do in this Detroit neighborhood.

Taste Detroit at the farmer’s market

If you visit Eastern Market on a Saturday, taste locally grown produce and other goodies from roughly 225 vendors. This year-round, indoor farmer’s market has been running for 125 years!

Support local artisans

On Sundays, local jewelers, artists, crafters, musicians, cooks and more gather in Eastern Market’s high-ceilinged buildings to share their wares. June through September, support Michigan makers and bring home something unique to Detroit.

Sip specialty coffee

Stop in at Germack, the nearly 100-year-old craft coffee roaster in Eastern Market. They take coffee seriously (and you can walk past their roasting operation on your way to the bathroom). While you’re there, pick up specialty spices, loose leaf tea and their custom snack mixes as gifts for the folks back home (or for yourself!).

Buy art for your own walls

Now that you’re totally inspired by all the Detroit street art, take some local art home. Find letterpress posters, handmade postcards and more at the printer’s co-op Signal-Return. I spent nearly an hour in here narrowing down which posters and prints I would buy. They’ll happily roll them up in a cardboard tube so you can safely transport them home.

If you’re looking for other things in Michigan to do as a family, don’t miss this comprehensive guide of things to do in Michigan with kids over on DQ Family Travel. A bunch of bloggers, including me, suggested our favorite Michigan family activities!

Have you ever been to Detroit? Did you see any Detroit street art? What did you think of the city?

The post The #1 spot for Detroit street art: Eastern Market murals appeared first on To & Fro Fam.