Visiting the Upper Peninsula Children's Museum
Ever since opening their doors to the public in March of 1997, the Upper Peninsula Children’s Museum has been dedicated to bringing Art, Health, Science, Communications, Global Issues, Innovation, and empowering programs to its surrounding community and youth. This building is an amazing place for children and families to learn through interactive exhibits, programs, and special events. But in my opinion, I believe this is a wonderful place for all ages and all walks of life!
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Wunderground Exhibit
Whether you choose to arrive via spaceship elevator or climb the stairs of language, you are greeted by two exhibits as soon as you walkthrough the doorway. To your right will be the Wunderground exhibit. Here you can find archaeological digging sites, such as the fossil dig under the rocks (pictured above). Or you can dig with toy trucks in a sand pit on the front. If digging doesn’t interest you, be sure to head up the stairs and climb behind the wheel of a huge mining dump truck!
All Aboard
Immediately to your left is the All Aboard! exhibit. This massive, three-tiered, model railroad display winds around a replica of a U.P.-like mining environment. Around the edges are drawings and history, as well as interactive buttons to hear various sounds, work the display, or interact with various pieces inside the display.
Creature Kingdom Exhibit
This was a super fun exhibit with a range of things to explore! There’s a clay creature touch tank for visitors to feel real snakes, turtles, and other reptiles. There are various STEAM related stations to see the stages of plant life, harvest apples, make fun noises, witness nests and habitats up close, and so much more. Don’t forget to wash your hands before and after handling reptiles.
Over the Air Exhibit
This exhibit was thorough enjoyed by those of all ages, I mean you can see my husband running his own television show! In the Over the Air exhibit, you can explore a real jet by climbing into the cockpit! You can head over to the control tower to give commands to your little piolet, or check and scan luggage before taking a seat and taking off. You can try becoming a news anchor or weathercaster on the UPCM TV. Or, you can head to the UPCM radio station to become a radio DJ and broadcast shows all throughout the Micro City to enjoy. Don’t forget to power up the city with the fuels section!
This honey zone is just a small taste of the bee hive! In the summer, you can watch bees as they buzz throughout the observatory beehive, learn about their cycle, and so much more. But for now, we enjoyed dressing up and pretending to be a bee.
Micro Society Exhibit
I wish our daughter wanted to explore more of this amazing exhibit! You can learn how society runs as a community and dive into imaginative play in so many artful (miniature) buildings. Explore all the responsibilities of a chef at the Fossil Rock Candy Cafe. You can take ahold of the entertainment industry by dressing up and becoming an actor in the Early Stages Theatre. Don’t forget to learn about the myriad of responsibilities of postal workers, bankers, or grocery store workers in the Mercantile. Then you can learn about some fire safety and protect the city by becoming a fire fighter in Safetyville Station, or climb into the ambulance and learn EMT safety. Or, maybe you want to head to the Cloverland Car Garage and learn all the secrets of he mechanic world by pumping gas into a car, putting together a motor, work on the engine, or just test drive a car around the rideable street.
The Fantastic Forest Exhibit
I didn’t even notice the fairy house inside a large tree until our daughter ran around to the entrance and served my husband food through the kitchen window! In the forest exhibit, readings and other special events can be found on the reading floor. You can also climb the tree, sit in a birds nest and look over the whole museum, interact with the animal exhibits, climb to the top to witness a hornets next, and so much more. Be sure to check out all the posters to learn amazing woodland.
Does this all sound fun? Do you have any wonderful memories from the museum? Let me know in the comments below!
We had an absolute blast and our daughter still asks to return!
They are open 6 days a week, M-S from 10AM-5PM
It’s $6 a person, children under 2 have free entry in the museum.