Families can still enjoy this immersive exhibit through Sunday, September 1

Grand Rapids, MI - The Grand Rapids Public Museum (GRPM) invites guests to explore Building Buddies during its final weeks at the GRPM. This exciting and interactive exhibit that will captivate the imagination of visitors young and old invites families to embark on a delightful journey of exploration and creativity.

Building Buddies offers a unique opportunity for children to become part of a vibrant, bustling community. As visitors step into this enchanting exhibit, they will find themselves surrounded by a small town where residents are busy constructing their dream homes. From painting walls and arranging flowers to fixing leaky pipes and building doghouses, there is no shortage of fun and educational activities to enjoy.

“Building Buddies has brought so much joy to visiting families since it arrived in January 2024,” said Kellie Rosekrans, Director of Marketing & Customer Strategy. “There is no end to the creative ways children engage with this hands-on exhibit and one another as they tackle activities and practice process skills.”

The exhibit’s heartwarming storyline follows the Walton family, who are in the process of moving to the GRPM. However, their new house isn't quite ready yet, and that's where the magic of Building Buddies begins. Visitors are invited to lend a hand to Eva, Pipa, Winston, and others as they work together to make their neighborhood truly special.

Designed for children ages 2 to 8, this exhibit offers a rich and immersive environment that fosters early science and process skills. With hands-on, open-ended activities, kids and their families can explore, collaborate, and learn while improving the "neighborhood."

As the GRPM works on its own $50 million expansion project just outside the Galleria, Building Buddies serves as a way for children to have fun learning about construction and community, connecting the dots between imaginative play and the world around them. After observing crews work with cranes and excavators, children can head to the second floor and model that same work with wheelbarrows, pulleys, and soft foam bricks.

Building Buddies is open through Sunday, September 1, 2024. To learn more about this exhibit, visit grpm.org/building_buddies.

Grand Rapids Public Museum
The Grand Rapids Public Museum is a 170-year-old, publicly-owned institution home to more than 250,000 unique artifacts that tell the history of Kent County and beyond. Funded in part by Kent County taxpayers through a 10-year millage (2016), the Grand Rapids Public Museum offers three floors of exhibits, the region’s only planetarium, extensive educational offerings, and protection of The Mounds, a National Historic Landmark. The Grand Rapids Public Museum is accredited by the American Alliance of Museums, with its primary location in downtown Grand Rapids, MI at 272 Pearl Street, NW. For additional information including hours of operation, admission fees including Kent County discounts, and exhibit/event listings, visit grpm.org. 

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