Detroit, Mich., February 12, 2025 – The Michigan Science Center (Mi-Sci) announced today that it will reopen its beloved Kids Town exhibit, providing a tinkering space for children five and under to explore creativity and lean into arts as part of STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics) concepts – all while under the supervision of parents and caregivers. Kids Town will officially reopen to the public on Friday, February 14.
The reopening of Kids Town was made possible by a recent anonymous donation to Mi-Sci. In this newest phase, the museum will gather feedback from the community so that the space can continue to evolve in future iterations.
“Everyone loves Kids Town. It is like having a small children’s museum on our Lower Level,” said Dr. Christian Greer, President & CEO of Mi-Sci. “Set up as a custom space for early learners with eight ‘mini-galleries,’ Kids Town gives little kids the opportunity to do what big kids get to do at Mi-Sci, but on a smaller scale. In this iteration, we are testing a new pedagogy that combines the open-ended aspects of learning through play with a modified Montessori-style approach where parents and caregivers can ‘help kids do it themselves.’”
Kids Town features several immersive rooms, each designed to stimulate curiosity and hands-on learning:
- Blue Block Room– A creative space where children can build three-dimensional structures using Blue Blocks on the floor and walls.
- STEAM Lab– An arts-focused area where young learners can explore color, textures, and crafting, including an opportunity to create shadow puppets.
- Theater– A performance space featuring a short-throw projector for customizable backdrops, a puppet theater, and dress-up activities. On March 26, a new show, Carl the Collector will be broadcast as part of a partnership with PBS.
- Scibrarium– A literary and media corner featuring books from Mi-Sci’s Science Store, a new interactive light board by Everbright and sensory-friendly accents provided by the Perception Foundation.
- Fountain– A playful and engaging water feature with an Archimedes screw and whirlpool for children to explore the movement of water.
- Vet Clinic– A space dedicated to teaching children about animal care, anatomy, and biology, including a live fish tank supported by Lou’s Pet Shop of Grosse Pointe.
- Field House– Featuring digital interactives through Lumo Play that encourages movement and coordination.
- The Market & Restaurant– A hands-on area where children can “shop” for different food items and serve their “customers.”
- Level Up Arcade– A space offering digital and analog games designed to introduce STEAM concepts and encourage play across generations.
The Michigan Science Center invites families to experience the newly reopened Kids Town and spark curiosity in their youngest learners. For more information on Kids Town and other exhibits, visit www.mi-sci.org.
About The Michigan Science Center
The Michigan Science Center’s core mission is to advance STEM learning (science, technology, engineering, and math) across all ages and disciplines through discovery, innovation and interactive education. As a STEM hub, Mi-Sci focuses on developing and introducing expanded education programs, exhibits and initiatives to empower and enrich our children and community.
Mi-Sci’s goal is to be a pioneering force for the future of STEM education in Detroit and a dynamic destination in Michigan, making itself accessible, engaging, and transformative for all while fostering a vibrant, culturally relevant, community STEM hub where learning is deeply personal, profoundly social, and inherently joyful.
As a Smithsonian affiliate, Mi-Sci inspires nearly 250,000 curious minds of all ages every year in Detroit and across Michigan. Through our Traveling Science Program and distance learning initiative, ECHO, Mi-Sci reaches beyond our Detroit-based facility across Michigan. With the Toyota Engineering 4D Theater, live science demonstrations, lab activities and 220+ interactive exhibits, there are dozens of ways to customize your Mi-Sci visit. The Michigan Science Center is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization and does not receive funding from Detroit or the state of Michigan. For more information, please call 313.577.8400 or visit the website, Mi-Sci.org.