TRAVERSE CITY — The Great Lakes Children’s Museum has opened Shipwreck at Curiosity Bay, a new immersive exhibit at Curiosity Place that invites children and families to explore Great Lakes shipwrecks through hands-on play and discovery.
The exhibit opened Wednesday, March 5, at Curiosity Place, the Great Lakes Children’s Museum’s new home inside the Grand Traverse Mall in Traverse City. It was inspired by Northern Michigan’s maritime heritage and is designed to help children explore the science, history and mystery of Great Lakes shipwrecks.
Young visitors are invited to climb aboard and investigate a shipwreck through interactive elements meant to spark questions about freshwater ecosystems, history and innovation.
“This exhibit connects children to place,” Executive Director Tracie MacPherson said. “The Great Lakes are part of who we are in Northern Michigan.”
According to the museum, the exhibit was designed for a wide range of ages and blends STEM learning with imaginative play. The museum said the exhibit also supports early STEM engagement, literacy, problem-solving and collaborative play while highlighting the natural and cultural history of the Great Lakes region.
The exhibit is part of the museum’s broader mission to provide a foundation for lifelong learning through play-based exploration.
Curiosity Place is open from noon to 4:30 p.m. Sunday and Monday and from 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday. Admission is $9 per person for ages 1 and older. Children younger than 1 are admitted free. Active-duty military members and their dependents receive a $3 discount for up to eight people per visit.
The Great Lakes Children’s Museum is celebrating 25 years of hands-on learning in Northern Michigan. The museum said its new location at the Grand Traverse Mall includes new and rotating exhibits, educational programs, camps, clubs, birthday parties, special events and the Power of Play Store.
Museum memberships are also available and include unlimited visits and special discounts, according to the museum.
The museum can also be reached at (231) 932-4526. Curiosity Place is located at 3200 W. South Airport Rd., Ste. 420, inside the Grand Traverse Mall in Traverse City.
More information is available at greatlakeskids.org.