GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — The Grand Rapids Public Museum offered a glimpse of its ongoing $50 million expansion project Friday, highlighting new features designed to enhance educational programming and river access.
The expansion along the Grand River includes several key components that museum officials say will significantly increase their capacity to serve students and the community.
"The way construction is going, and the plans are either late this year, but most likely early in 2026. The first day that it gets maybe a nice, sunny winter day," CEO and President Dale Robertson said.
The project features a new wooden outdoor seating area designed to accommodate several dozen students for classes, an accessible walkway leading down to the Grand River, and a distinctive geology wall showcasing different layers of stone that represent the geological formations beneath the city.
"There will be a new West entry and school assembly space that will allow us to double the number of students we serve annually here, renovating the carousel, all designed on the north side, all designed to facilitate, advance, and move forward the educational mission of the Grand Rapids Public Museum," Robertson said.
The museum launched its expansion project in 2023. Officials are now commemorating the progress to coincide with Grand Rapids' 175th birthday celebration.
"This is an important institution. I'm at the end in my career, but it's been here 170 some years. It'll be here longer, and I'm glad you're here and the public is embracing it," Robertson said.
Robertson, who has led the project over the past couple of years, expressed joy with how the riverside area is developing.
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"You imagine things, right? And I have to say it's better than I imagined," Robertson said.
While the new expansion area remains closed to the public during construction, visitors can still access the river near the museum. Robertson said the goal is to create a space that draws people throughout the day.
"If that happens 24 hours a day, we've succeeded," Robertson said.
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