GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — A new space is opening up inside the Grand Rapids Art Museum this weekend, where its collection will become something to get your hands on and expand upon.
The Creative Learning Center will make its debut on Saturday, June 17— the museum is hosting a ribbon cutting party to mark the day— there is never any additional charge to access the hands-on learning space.
"We really flipped the script on how we were operating,” Christopher Bruce-Karel, deputy director for art, learning and engagement for the GRAM, told FOX 17. "When you're in this space, we want you to know that you can behave a little bit differently than what you may expect when you visit an art museum."
Everything within the rejuvenated 4,500 square foot space can be touched.
“A lot of people assume that an art museum is a passive experience...I'm going to walk through the galleries, I'm going to look, I'm going to have a great time...for some people, that is exactly what they want," Bruce-Karel explained. "But, for many others, they want to become active participants in that experience. They want to interact with the works of art. They want to create their own works of art.”
That is exactly what the new Creative Learning Center makes possible for visitors.
The upgrades consist of the "Discovery Gallery," where those chances to get creative live, along with two new studio workshop rooms.
There is also a new entry space for classes that are taking the always-anticipated field trips to the museum.
GRAM says these changes should allow them to get about three times as many kids through the museum each year— the potential to inspire approximately 10,000 more students annually.
In terms of what you can expect to get your hands on, there will be chances to draw or sketch, create your own sculpture and even curate your own gallery wall.
The different activities include imagery from pieces in the museum's collection— giving kids and kids at heart a chance to break down, re-build and expand upon the works they see.
Everyone is invited to come check out the space starting Saturday, June 17.
Attendance into the museum will be free that day from 11 a.m.- 2 p.m.