Pure Michigan Travel - Grand Rapids Museums Highlights

Thank God for Michigan! Stories from the Civil War

Mon, 13 Jun 2011 04:00:00 GMT

6/13/2011 - 5/31/2012

The Public Museum is preparing an interactive exhibit, Thank God for Michigan! Stories from the Civil War, which opens June 13, in recognition of the date the first local soldiers left to join the battle. It showcases more than 100 artifacts from the Museum's vast collection – uniforms, weapons, photographs, letters and more and tells the personal stories of Michigan’s involvement in the historic conflict. It will examine the causes and impacts of the War from national, regional and personal perspectives. The exhibit will be free with general Museum admission.

Essence: The Horses of Deborah Butterfield Exhibit

Fri, 27 Jan 2012 05:00:00 GMT

1/27/2012 - 4/29/2012

American sculptor Deborah Butterfield is among the most respected and acclaimed artists of her generation. Her horses, like the beloved and iconic Cabin Creek (1999), in Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park’s permanent collection, have been the focus of great interest as much for their creative use of materials as for their craftsmanship. This exhibition features installations of large-scale and pedestal-size horses. Each unique example is composed of a wide variety of materials from found and reclaimed metals, to branches and earth. Although each sculpture is inspired by a specific horse the artist has known, the works are not portraits in the traditional sense, but representations of the essence of that creature. The exhibition is organized in cooperation with the artist and Grounds for Sculpture. For more information, click on the website link or call (616) 957-1580.

Laser Light Show

Sat, 11 Feb 2012 05:00:00 GMT

2/11/2012

Laser Light Shows at Chaffee Planetarium, located within the Grand Rapids Public Museum. Experience classic rock artists as never before, immersed in sound and accompanied by dazzling visual effects. (Note: Music contains mature lyrics.) Tickets are $7. Members are free. Saturdays Feb 11 through April 7. 9pm Pink Floyd/Dark Side of the Moon and 10pm Radiohead/OK Computer. For more information call (616) 456-3977.

Facing Mars Madness Nights

Wed, 15 Feb 2012 05:00:00 GMT

2/15/2012 - 2/18/2012

Enjoy a special package price on select evenings throughout "Facing Mars", a perfect night out for your family! Includes dinner, general admission, "Facing Mars" admission, and a planetarium show. $6.50 members / $12 non-members. Available from 5-9pm on February 15-18, March 13-16, March 30-April 7, and May 1-3. For more information on this event call (616) 929-1700.

An Afternoon of Fashion and Tea

Fri, 17 Feb 2012 05:00:00 GMT

2/17/2012 - 2/18/2012

Take a trip back in time in the elegant and opulent Victorian era Voigt Home. Enjoy a guided tour, and partake in tea and sweets in the formal dining room while learning about clothing from the 19th and early 20th centuries. The Voigt House is located at 115 College Avenue SE. Reservations are required, call (616) 456-3977. Members $10, non-members $12.

Butterflies Are Blooming

Thu, 01 Mar 2012 05:00:00 GMT

3/1/2012 - 4/30/2012

The 80-degree conservatory is filled with thousands of exotic butterflies from tropical regions around the world. More than 40 different species of butterflies and moth make this a warm and colorful exhibition. Throughout the exhibition, butterflies can be viewed drinking nectar from the flowering plants and feeding stations, congregating among stream beds and flying freely within the five-story tropical conservatory. Approximately 800 chrysalides are delivered to Meijer Gardens weekly. Visitors may watch delicate chrysalides and cocoons being placed in the Butterfly Bungalow, where the unique creatures transform and take their first flight. For more information on this event click on the website link or call (616) 957-1580.

Mighty Wurlitzer Organ Concert with Steve Schlesing

Fri, 09 Mar 2012 05:00:00 GMT

3/9/2012 - 3/10/2012

Steve will accompany two short Laurel and Hardy silent films, Wrong Again and Habeas Corpus, and play a selection of musical numbers. March 9 at 7pm and March 10 at 2pm. For ticket information click on the website link or call (616) 456-3977.

Art Museums of Michigan

Mon, 03 Oct 2011 15:45:21 GMT

With so much natural beauty in Michigan’s four seasons, illustrated in its forests, Great Lakes shoreline, inland lakes, waterfalls, rivers and islands, we sometimes need to be reminded about the significant works of art found indoors at museums across the state. From masterworks by Matisse, Hopper and Degas to soapstone carvings by Inuit artists whose names have been lost to history, you can enjoy a world of classic and contemporary creative talent in permanent and special exhibitions at city and university art museums. Check art institute calendars for guided tours, drop-in art workshops, and live performances, and be sure to visit the museum gift shop for a memento of your artful experience.

City Scenes

Campus Collections

You can enjoy a world of classic and contemporary creative talent in permanent and special exhibitions at university art museums. >more

Grand Rapids Highlights

Sat, 01 Jan 2000 05:00:00 GMT

Experience the creative energy of Grand Rapids:dazzling art and culture, awesome dining and nightlife, inspiring natural beauty and exhilarating community spirit. The very walkable downtown is jam-packed with more than 90 restaurants, clubs, theaters and museums — and every autumn, it hosts 250,000 artists and spectators for ArtPrize, the world’s richest art competition. Food is an art form here, too. A top-notch culinary school and endless agricultural bounty set the table for first-class farm-to-table dining throughout the city, while local craft breweries and coffee shops garner national acclaim.

This cosmopolitan cool is matched by an equally impressive outdoor élan: Grand Rapids offers great golf courses, fishing spots, hiking and biking trails, even downhill skiing. Plus, the city is just minutes away from the sugar-sand beaches of Lake Michigan!

Michigan Museums Highlights

Sat, 01 Jan 2000 05:00:00 GMT

A visit to Michigan's art, science and history museums surround us with brilliance, enlightens us and gives us a richer appreciation for the world around us. So let's have a look at the work of the masters. Let's see the stories of our ancestors. And let's learn first-hand what we've only read about. Because coming away with more than we arrived with is Pure Michigan.

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