Events Calendar

Dr. Delia Fernandez-Jones, author of ‘Making the MexiRican City’

Join us on October 1st at 3 pm in the Meijer Theater for a panel discussion and book signing with Dr. Delia Fernandez-Jones, author of ‘Making the MexiRican City: Mexican and Puerto Rican Migration, Activism, and Placemaking in Grand Rapids (Michigan University Press, 2023),’ along with moderator, Guillermo Cisneros, Executive Director of the West Michigan Hispanic Chamber of Commerce; Margarita “Marti” Cotto Hernández, Second Ward City Commissioner Mindy Ysasi, Carlos Sanchez, Davenport University; Christina Arnold, former Executive Director and founder of the GRCC’s Bob and Alecia Woodrick Equity and Inclusion Center.

*This event is open to all ages and is free with general admission

On the evening of Friday, October 6, Community partners, members, and other guests will have the opportunity to participate in a fun intersection of delicious cocktails, craft beers, and the creative process of designing miniature chairs or other furniture masterpieces. This event is led by Carla Hartman, Education Director of the Eames Office, owner of the design company Chairs Lady, and granddaughter of Charles and Ray Eames. Participants will have the opportunity to learn from some of the innovators in furniture design while potentially creating the prototype for future Museum installations.

Capacity is limited to 100 people. A cash bar will be available for this event.

Event begins at 7 PM

Tickets for the class are $20 per person, aged 21 and over. Sponsored by Downtown Grand Rapids Inc.

Join us on Saturday, October 7th, for a day of creativity, discovery, and family fun at the Grand Rapids Public Museum! From 10:00 am to 3:00 pm in the Galleria, we invite families to immerse themselves in the world of furniture design with our special event, “Fun with Furniture.”

Drawing inspiration from a week’s worth of furniture design showcases, families will have the chance to explore various design examples and concepts. Then, in a collaborative and vibrant atmosphere, participants will have the opportunity to channel their inner designers and craft their very own miniature furniture masterpieces. Whether you’re fascinated by the intricacies of a vintage armchair or the sleek lines of modern design, this event is a chance for families to come together and create something unique.

Admission to the “Fun with Furniture” program is complimentary with your general museum ticket. Don’t miss out on this opportunity to bond, learn, and design with your loved ones. We look forward to seeing the wonderful creations that our community’s families bring to life!

Anishinaabe Culture Day returns Wednesday, October 11. Programming allows students to learn about Native American regalia, dance, and music and immerse themselves in the rich history of local Native American cultures. Authentic dancing and drumming sessions leave memorable impressions and activities include traditional story-telling, demonstrations, and interactive stations hosted by Native American Community organizations including pottery, basket and bowl making, and corn husk dolls. 

Students will also visit the Museum’s exhibit, Anishinabek: The People of this Place. This exhibit highlights the Odawa, Potawatomi, and Ojibwe people of West Michigan and provides an understanding of the Native American culture through rare artifacts and displays.

Anishinaabe Culture Day attendance: $2 program fee + general admission for scheduled school groups.

Partners: City of Grand Rapids, Anishinaabe Circle, and Nottawaseppi Huron Band of the Potawatomi: Northern Administrative Office.
Sponsors: Downtown Grand Rapids Inc., Huntington Bank, Anishinaabe Circle, MSU Federal Credit Union

GRAAA Meeting | October

7 p.m. in the Meijer Theater.

Join us at the Grand Rapids Public Museum on Thursday at 7:00 p.m. for the Grand Rapids Amateur Astronomical Association (GRAAA) meeting: “Making a Habitable World,” presented by Dr. Edwin Bergin.

Dr. Edwin Bergin, Chair of the Department of Astronomy at the University of Michigan and Webb Space Telescope scientist, will present this year’s Marron Memorial Lecture. How are planets born and do they form with substances for life like water and organics? Professor Bergin will illustrate the subject with images from the Webb and Atacama Large Array in Chile. This highly recommended program, like all GRAAA meetings, is free and open to the public.

VENUE INFORMATION

Free parking in the Museum’s parking ramp for Kent County residents. The Meijer Theater is located on the second floor of the Grand Rapids Public Museum, accessed via stairs or an elevator.

This event will begin promptly at 7 p.m.

GRAAA Meeting | October is free with registration.

ABOUT THE GRAAA

The Grand Rapids Amateur Astronomical Association is a club of more than 100 astronomy enthusiasts of varied ages, backgrounds, and interests.

On Friday, October 20 at 7 pm, the Museum will kick off the 2023 Mighty Wurlitzer Theater Organ Concert Series welcoming organist John Lauter from Farmington Hills, MI. This year’s series will once again begin with a silent film, Metropolis, accompanied by the sounds of the Mighty Wurlitzer.

Metropolis is a 1927 German silent science-fiction film directed by the iconic Fritz Lang. This film is set in a futuristic city sharply divided between the working class and the city planners, the son of the city’s mastermind falls in love with a working-class prophet who predicts the coming of a savior to mediate their differences.

Tickets are $20, with a discounted price of $16 for members.

Tickets on sale to GRPM members starting September 1, 2023. Tickets on sale to the general public starting September 20, 2023. Not a member? Click here to join. 

Catch the encore of the Mighty Wurlitzer Theater Organ Concert Series: Metropolis on Saturday, October 21st at 2 p.m.

Metropolis is a 1927 German silent science-fiction film directed by the iconic Fritz Lang. This film is set in a futuristic city sharply divided between the working class and the city planners, the son of the city’s mastermind falls in love with a working-class prophet who predicts the coming of a savior to mediate their differences.

Tickets are $20, with a discounted price of $16 for members.

Tickets on sale to GRPM members starting September 1, 2023. Tickets on sale to the general public starting September 20, 2023. Not a member? Click here to join. 

GRAAA Meeting | November

7 p.m. in the Meijer Theater

Join us at the Grand Rapids Public Museum on Thursday at 7:00 p.m. for the Grand Rapids Amateur Astronomical Association (GRAAA) meeting: “Plan Now to See the Great 2024 Total Solar Eclipse,” presented by Dave DeBruyn and George Lessens“

On April 8th, 2024, the moon’s shadow will sweep across a significant swath of the continental U.S. for the last time until 2045,  producing a dramatic total eclipse of the sun. There is so much to take into consideration when it comes to planning to see what many consider “Nature’s Greatest Spectacle.” Dave DeBruyn from the GRAAA/Chaffee Planetarium and George Lessens (Chief Meteorologist at WZZM) will sort it all out, from the unique circumstances of this particular eclipse to where along its path prospects for clear skies are best.

VENUE INFORMATION

Free parking in the Museum’s parking ramp for Kent County residents. The Meijer Theater is located on the second floor of the Grand Rapids Public Museum, accessed via stairs or an elevator.

This event will begin promptly at 7 p.m.

GRAAA Meeting | November is free with registration.

ABOUT THE GRAAA

The Grand Rapids Amateur Astronomical Association is a club of more than 100 astronomy enthusiasts of varied ages, backgrounds, and interests.