GRAND RAPIDS, MI — A dedication ceremony was held Friday at the Grand Rapids Public Museum to showcase its riverfront improvements and a new outdoor classroom, as part of the celebration commemorating the city’s 175-year anniversary.
A little girl, wavy hair tied back in a pink scrunchie, climbs on the steps of the museum’s new classroom with her dad as city and county officials mingled around her.
“Betty, this classroom’s for you,” Linsey Gleason, board chair of the museum, said.
The multi-level space lining the edge of the Grand River is estimated to be complete in early 2026.
With enough room to seat over 50 students and soon-to-be surrounded by exhibits detailing the area’s natural history, the space creates an immersive educational experience that the Museum specializes in, GRPM President and CEO Dale Robertson said.
“This is more than just a construction project,” said Ben Green, the chair of the Kent County Board of Directors. “It’s an investment in how we as a community tell our story.”
Various parts of the Museum have been under construction since 2024 in a $50 million renovation project aiming to increase accessibility and learning opportunities along the river and within the Van Andel Museum Center and Community Archives and Research Center.
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