Great Lakes Children's Museum

09/23/2026

09/08/2026

📣 Playgroup Reminder!

Tomorrow’s playgroup at the Great Lakes Children's Museum is cancelled while the museum completes a deep clean. 🧼✨

We’ll miss seeing everyone, but we’ll be back and ready to play on September 23rd at 10:00 AM! 💛

Please help us spread the word by sharing with another family!

09/03/2026

✨ Time for a little refresh! ✨

We’re taking a short break Monday–Friday, September 7–11 for some deep cleaning 🧼✨ and a little well-deserved staff appreciation 💙

We’ll be back and ready to PLAY on Saturday, September 12, with our normal hours!

Thanks for giving us a little time to freshen up. 🧽 We can’t wait to see you! 🧸🎉

08/31/2026

Rainy day in Traverse City? ☔️ We’ve got plans.

Whether you need to GET 👏 OUT 👏 OF 👏 THE 👏 HOUSE or you're fully committed to not putting on real pants today, save this one. 😂

We rounded up some of our favorite indoor things to do with kids in Traverse City + Northern Michigan — climbing, trampolines, pottery, art, pinball, bowling, candle making + more — plus easy rainy day activities for the days when staying home wins. ♡

And your reminder for today:

Maybe the goal isn't to make every day magical. Maybe it's just to be there for it. The rainy ones count, too. ☔️

Save this for the next rainy day + send it to a mom who needs plans today. ♡

08/25/2026

Thank you to everyone who came to celebrate with us! 🎂🎉 We had the best time spending the day with so many of you and celebrating another birthday at The Curiosity Place 💛

We’re so grateful for everyone who stopped by, joined in on the fun, and helped make the day so special.

Here’s a little glimpse into our celebration!

08/22/2026

🪨🎉 LET’S ROCK & ROLL TODAY! 🎉🪨

We’re celebrating another year of curiosity, creativity, and play at the Great Lakes Children’s Museum TODAY from 11 AM–3 PM!

The Curiosity Classroom will be rockin’ and rollin’ with special hands-on birthday activities all about the incredible geology of Northern Michigan. Kids can explore local rocks and fossils, discover Petoskey stones, Charlevoix stones, Yooperlites and more, AND become a paleontologist for the day by cleaning and identifying a fossil they get to take home! 🦴🔎

All of our special birthday activities are FREE with regular admission or membership, so come spend part of your Saturday celebrating with us!

🪨 TODAY, August 22
🎉 11 AM–3 PM

We can’t wait to ROCK with you! 🥳

08/21/2026

Summer well spent at The Curiosity Place ☀️🫶🏼

Looking back on a summer full of fun at the museum! So many smiling faces, busy days, new discoveries, and sweet little moments that made this summer one to remember. 💛 We loved getting to spend it with all of the families who walked through our doors and made The Curiosity Place part of their summer.

And we’re not done yet! 🥳

The Curiosity Place is celebrating its birthday TOMORROW, August 22 from 11 AM–3 PM! Come celebrate with us for an afternoon of birthday fun and help us end an already amazing summer on an extra special note!

08/15/2026

Our birthday is coming up, and we’re ready to ROCK! 🎂🎉

Join us Saturday, August 22 from 11 AM–3 PM for our Rock Party! Kids can explore rocks and fossils found right here in Northern Michigan, learn about Petoskey stones, Charlevoix stones, Yooperlites and more, and even try their hand at being a paleontologist by cleaning and identifying a fossil to take home!

A big thank you to Michigan Education Trust and MSUFCU for helping us celebrate another year of curiosity- we hope to see you there!

08/06/2026

Exhibit Spotlight: 🌷🦋🐝🌸

Step into a space where imagination blooms! This beautiful space invites children to explore the beauty of nature through hands-on play, imaginative costumes and interactive exhibits!

One of our newest additions is the Laser Harp, an interactive exhibit that creates beautiful harp sounds as children move their hands through beams of light. We are beyond grateful to the Dennos Museum for generously donating this unique exhibit so even more families can experience the magic of making music through play.

Looking for even more to explore? Join us for this week’s Curiosity Classroom: Butterflies & Foliage on August 6, 7 & 8 from 10 AM–12 PM. As always, Curiosity Classroom is included with museum admission! 🫶🏼