I have an ongoing partnership with Sloan Museum. The opinions expressed belong to me.
One of my favorite cities in Michigan to visit with the kids in tow is Flint. I know…FLINT. People look at me like I’m crazy when I say that.
I think Flint has a lot of hidden gems, plus I love that it doesn’t have the crowds as much as my adventures in Detroit and Ann Arbor do.
The main thing I love to do is explore the Flint Cultural Center. I love that you can walk from building to building and see a lot of neat things, plus it’s a beautiful campus-like area perfect for a picnic. {The Sloan Museum, Flint Institute of Arts, The Whiting, Longway Planetarium, Flint Youth Theatre and more are all there within a short walking distance.} It’s so nice to just go to one area of town when you have small kids and have a bit of a drive.
One of my favorite spots is Sloan Museum. My kids love it, so we like to visit for new exhibits.
The museum always has fantastic special exhibits, and so much more! While I could seriously move slowly and read every single plaque on the wall about the history of Flint {which is fascinating, BTW}, that isn’t always a favorite of my little kids.
For that reason, they are always dashing through to the Wisner’s Whizbang Emporium area just for kids. What a neat spot to spend some time!
I wish our playroom looked like this! So awesome.
With a grocery store, kitchen, baby area, building area, books, puppet theater and more, there is PLENTY for little ones to explore. As a parent, I especially love the signage all around encouraging play and how to interact with your child at each station. With our crew of a new walker up through a 7-year-old, we stayed in this section for a good hour.
There is a restroom inside this area, complete with a couch inside if a nursing mother feels more comfortable in private. Additionally, the Halfway Cafe is located here and is a great spot to stop to eat lunch {bring your own, but there are vending machines}.
As a mom, what spoke to me the most though? It was SO clean! I didn’t feel like I had to douse my kids in sanitizer after. It’s very well maintained, which is very appreciated.
Throughout the rest of the museum you can see artifacts on display for the “Collecting Flint from A to Z,” which is on display through December 2016.
My nephew listening to some dialogue on an old phone
My kids LOVED the old fire engine, the neon signs, information about UAW strikes and the classic cars on display. It always is a great lesson in history, which happens to be one of my favorite subjects.
Practicing tightening nuts and bolts at the factory line simulator
I can’t recommend this place enough. There is plenty to explore for kids of ALL ages and new things to discover each time you are there. A fun gift shop and plenty of bathrooms are available as well. We usually spend about 2 hours there, but could easily spend more if my kids were older.
Have fun if you visit!
ADMISSION, HOURS & MORE:
Admission to Sloan Museum also includes admission to Buick Automotive Gallery which houses various locally built automobiles. Adults – $9, seniors – $8, youth {2-11} – $6, children {1 & under} are free, ASTC Reciprocal Members are just $3. You can also get a combo ticket, which includes a ticket to the Longway Planetarium. I highly recommend that as well – it was recently renovated and is super cool inside. My girls {ages 3 and 5} loved it!
Learn more by visiting the Sloan Museum website or following on Facebook and Twitter.
Sloan Museum is located at 1221 E. Kearsley St., Flint, MI 48503.
Hours are Monday-Friday 10 a.m. – 5p.m. and Saturday and Sunday 12 p.m. – 5 p.m.
What’s your favorite spot to visit in Flint?
[…] September 19 — Top Secret: License to Spy opens at Sloan Museum {Flint} — This special exhibit focuses on the science and technology of spying and espionage. Investigate leads, gather intelligence, and uncover clues to solve a double-agent mystery, complete with hands-on activities like cracking the code on the lock of a transparent safe and using an oscilloscope to find a hidden bug. Admission is $9 for adults, $8 for seniors, youth {2-11} is $6 and infants {1 and under} are free. Learn more about this gem of a museum at this recent post. […]