Lansing Museums

(Lansing, Michigan - MI, USA)

A number of the city's top cultural attractions live around Museum Drive, on the eastern side of downtown Lansing. These include the Impression 5 Science Center, the Lansing Convention Center, the Riverwalk Theater and also the R. E. Olds Transportation Museum, the latter of which is filled with vintage Oldsmobile cars and related memorabilia.

The Michigan State University (MSU) Museum resides on the northern side of the university campus and within the old library building, where it is close to several notable attractions, such as the Beal Botanical Garden, the Drayton McLane Baseball Stadium and the Spartan Stadium. Visitors will be treated to a collection of fossils and dinosaur remains, as well as various natural history exhibits, science displays and geological treasures, which are spread across 15 different galleries, over three levels.

Another particularly interesting cultural attraction in Lansing is the Michigan Women's Historical Center and Hall of Fame, which lives on West Malcolm X Street, within the pretty landscaped Cooley Gardens. The building itself stands out and is to be found within the historic Cooley Haze House, which dates from the turn of the 20th century and is hard to miss, with its grand cream and white facade.

Michigan Historical Center and Library

Address: 702 West Kalamazoo Street, Lansing, Michigan (MI), 48915, USA
Tel: +1 517 373 3559
The State Library and the Michigan Historical Center stand together in the same building, in the heart of the city center. This museum was established in the latter years of the 1980s and is dedicated to the history of the state. It comes with detailed archives, old maps and documents, photographs, newspapers and more. There is also an extensive genealogy collection and endless microfilm records. If you need to do some research about the history and heritage of Michigan state, then this is most definitely the place to visit!
Open hours: museum, Monday to Friday - 09:00 to 16:30, Saturday - 10:00 to 16:00, Sunday - 13:00 to 17:00; library, Monday to Friday - 08:00 to 17:00
Admission: museum, charge, discounts available for seniors, charge for children is optional, children 5 years old and under are free; library - free

Impression 5 Science Center

Address: 200 Museum Drive, Lansing, Michigan (MI), 48933, USA
Tel: +1 517 485 8116
Those visiting Lansing as a family with children should certainly pencil in a trip to the Impression 5 Science Center, located on the aptly named Museum Drive and within an old wagon works factory, close to the Riverwalk Theater. The center was established in 1972 and works to stimulate the five senses of its visitors, through a series of fun interactive exhibits. These include the Build Zone (including gravity and engineering toys), Electricity and Magnetism (with solar-powered exhibits), Make Your Own Music (featuring lots of musical instruments) and the Water Room (explaining why things float or sink).
Open hours: Tuesday to Saturday - 10:00 to 17:00, Sunday - 12:00 to 17:00
Admission: charge, discounts available for seniors and children, children under one year old are free

Michigan State University Museum

Address: 409 West Circle Drive, East Lansing, Michigan (MI), 48824, USA
Tel: +1 517 355 7474
In total there are more than one million items housed at the Michigan State University Museum. These exhibits are grouped within themed areas such as the Habitat Hall, the Hall of Animal Diversity and the Hall of Evolution, while the Youth Art Gallery and Collections Connections provide additional interest. Of note, the museum is affiliated with the prestigious Smithsonian Institution in Washington DC.
Open hours: Monday to Friday - 09:00 to 17:00, Saturday - 10:00 to 17:00, Sunday - 13:00 to 17:00
Admission: free, donation suggested

R. E. Olds Transportation Museum

Address: 240 Museum Drive, Lansing, Michigan (MI), 48933, USA
Tel: +1 517 372 0529
Named after the man who founded the Oldsmobile and REO brands of car, the R. E. Olds Transportation Museum opened in 1981 and is home to a real assortment of more than 50 Oldsmobile vehicles, which date right back to 1897 and up to the company's last year in operation, 2004. Also on exhibit is a vintage 'steam carriage' vehicle, a collection of lawnmowers and related vehicle memorabilia, such as old traffic signage and licence plates. If you are a car enthusiast, then this is one car museum not to be missed, however, if you have young children in tow, then this might not be the best choice for an afternoon out.
Open hours: April to October, Tuesday to Saturday - 10:00 to 17:00, Sunday - 12:00 to 17:00; November to March, Tuesday to Saturday - 10:00 to 17:00
Admission: charge, discounts available for seniors and children

Michigan Women's Historical Center and Hall of Fame

Address: 213 West Malcolm X Street, Lansing, Michigan (MI), 48933, USA
Tel: +1 517 484 1880
It was in the year 1973 that this Hall of Fame came into being, to honor those women from Michigan who have risen to prominence and led important lives. There are now more than 250 'inductees', with some of the most famous being known for their contributions to education, entertainment, politics, sport and women's rights, such as first lady Betty Ford, famous singer-songwriter Aretha Franklin, and tennis world champion Serena Williams. Be sure to leave time to take a stroll around the surrounding gardens, which really are an attraction in their own right, especially on sunny summer days.
Open hours: Wednesday to Saturday - 12:00 to 16:00, first Sunday of the month - 14:00 to 16:00
Admission: charge, discounts available for seniors and children, children four years old and under are free