10 Reasons To Visit Cranbrook Institute of Science in Bloomfield Hills

I received free admission to Cranbrook Institute of Science for the purpose of this post. All opinions are my own.

This heat has had us craving some indoor adventures, so I packed up the kids and headed to Cranbrook Institute of Science in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan earlier this week. I loved having the excuse to visit the Cranbrook campus because it’s SO gorgeous. I love driving through and admiring the gorgeous architecture found everywhere.

The Institute of Science is found in the middle of the campus, providing plenty of reasons to get a peek at the 300+ acre area filled with sculptures, fountains and neat architecture.

It was actually my first visit to the Institute of Science and I was impressed! Such a neat little museum full of learning opportunities for both kids and adults.

Here are 10 reasons to pack the kids up and head there for a day of fun!

1. SPECIAL EXHIBITS.

One reason to visit the museum periodically is for their special exhibits. Currently, they are housing a rainforest, which will be on display through Sept. 4 and is free with museum admission. The walk-through maze guides visitors through the four layers of the rainforest, and guests can even see live rainforest animals on display including a tree boa, pink toe tarantula, poison arrow frogs, green basilisk, caiman lizard, and green anaconda.

Throughout the maze there are plenty of spots to learn and even get physical…My kids love seeing how far they could hop if they were a frog and climbing a web like a spider.

2. DINOSAURS

What young child doesn’t love dinosaurs? My kids ran with excitement when they spotted the dinos on display on the main floor, including a T-Rex.

Also? before even going into the museum, you can check out a life-sized stegosaurs! For us, it really set the tone for the exciting things we were about to see and we were sure to wave goodbye to him as we left too.

3. ROCKS

My girls have been obsessed with rocks since toddlerhood. They had a blast running through and checking out the amazing collection the museum has. They never knew rocks could be so beautiful inside, and my 5-year-old especially loved seeing which ones were local to Michigan. The Mineral Gallery was especially stunning…I never knew rocks could be so interesting to look at!

4. PLANETARIUM

The museum also houses a planetarium, which is such a wonderful way to learn about our solar system. With my toddler in tow, we weren’t able to check it out, but peeked in and plan to do that next time we visit.

5. IT’S A GREAT EXCUSE TO LEARN

At every turn, my kids were asking “What’s that?” I adore hearing that question since it gives them the opportunity to learn more about something {and me too}!

When they asked about the “giant elephant,” we learned together what it really was – a Mastadon, and how these creatures used to roam our planet. They were even able to feel what scientists think their fur felt like.

6. INTERACTIVE EXHIBITS.

With young kids, I’m always nervous at museums and secretly pray there are some things the kiddos can touch. Thankfully there was plenty! The rainforest exhibit was especially interactive with plenty of places to climb and move, but the permanent exhibits even had plenty to keep my kids curious. Most of the “do not touch” items are displayed behind glass, which made our trip more manageable.

7. AN OPPORTUNITY TO LEARN ABOUT DIFFERENT CULTURES

My girls really enjoyed how interactive the “Story Of Us” exhibit was and learning about different cultures. They took a special interest in the Native American works and how they used nature {i.e. birch trees} to create things. They also liked an area that highlighted different things cultures use for religious worship {i.e. masks, shrines, mummified animals}.

8. PLACES TO EAT.

If you visit, it’s easy to pack a lunch and sit down in the lower level or grab lunch at the Reflections Cafe on the premises. As a mom, I love having options readily available because my kids are ALWAYS hungry. We chose to bring some snacks and a lunch to enjoy and it worked out great.

The food area is on the lower level. The Reflections Cafe is on the main level near the Planetarium.

9. EASY PARKING. STROLLER FRIENDLY.

We arrived right when they opened at 10 a.m. and were able to nab a front row spot. Otherwise, there is a dedicated parking structure nearby with plenty of spaces.

I was also thrilled with how stroller-friendly it was. My kids took turns riding in ours and we had no troubles navigating with elevators and wheelchair-accessible ramps throughout.

10. MUSEUMS FOR ALL PARTICIPANT

Cranbrook Institute of Science is a partner with MUSEUMS for ALL, which offers complimentary general admission for guests and their families with EBT and Bridge Cards. If you have an EBT (Electronic Benefit Transfer) card or Bridge Card, simply show it to receive general admission. Isn’t that awesome?

Overall, this is such a fantastic gem to experience and we will definitely be back to visit!

INFORMATION, AGE RECOMMENDATIONS, PRICING AND HOURS

Cranbrook Institute of Science is open Mondays – Thursdays 10 a.m.-5 p.m., Fridays and Saturdays 10 a.m.-10 p.m., and Sundays Noon – 4 p.m. Regular admission is $13 for adults and $9.50 for children 2-12 and senior citizens 65+; children under 2 are free though I would recommend this museum for ages 4+. The Planetarium and the is an additional $5 for adults.

TIP: Admission is free after 5 p.m. on the first Friday of each month.

NOTE: A membership may be worth looking into since it includes reciprocal admission to nearly 300 ASTC science centers and museums across the country.

For information on Cranbrook Institute of Science, visit them online or on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram.

Have you ever visited Cranbrook? Where is your favorite spot on the campus?